Real Madrid will have two England internationals in their ranks for the new season as Trent Alexander-Arnold s hands with Jude Bellingham at Santiago Bernabeu.
But it was Laurie Cunningham who became the first Englishman to play professionally for Real Madrid after he signed for the Spanish club from West Brom in 1979. Also the first Black man to play a competitive game for England, Cunningham won a league and cup double at Real before an injury hampered his stint there.
There were three-strong English contingent at Real during the 2004-05 season as Jonathan Woodgate ed David Beckham and Michael Owen. However, the defender did not make a single appearance in his first season and only made a total of nine league appearances before leaving for Middlesbrough.
Meanwhile, Scotland international Caroline Weir is also currently part of the Real side in the Spanish women's top flight. She ed from Manchester City in 2022 after lifting the Women's League Cup and FA Cup twice apiece for her previous employer.
There were also three Britons - Charles Wallace, Arthur Johnson and Guillermo Linney - who played for Real during their amateur era while the first names are unknown for three more - Lindsay, Stampher and Vickerstaff.
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I wish Trent all the best at Real Madrid, but equally worry for him if it doesn’t go to plan. Their fans are unforgiving and expect the players to deliver from day one. A few bad performances and they might turn on him.
Keith, Leeds
Trent Alexander-Arnold is certainly not the first British player to be tempted by the chance to play for Real Madrid.
He follows two other Liverpool exports - Michael Owen and Steve McManaman - and s an elite group of British to sign for the Spanish giants.
Let's take a look at some of those famous names who have played for Los Blancos.
Steve McManaman (1999-2003)
Image source, Getty ImagesJust like Alexander-Arnold, Steve McManaman left Liverpool behind to sign for Real Madrid on a free transfer in 1999. In four seasons in Madrid, McManaman scored 14 goals in 158 appearances to become a fan favourite at Bernabeu. He won the La Liga and Champions League twice while also adding the Uefa Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup to his collection.
David Beckham (2003-07)
Image source, Getty ImagesDavid Beckham arrived in Madrid from Manchester United as a 'Galactico', ing a squad already featuring Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Raul Gonzalez and Roberto Carlos. But despite the star-studded line-up, Real only won the La Liga title once during Beckham's stint there before he departed to the United States to LA Galaxy.
Michael Owen (2004-05)
Image source, Getty ImagesMichael Owen also left Liverpool to Real in 2004 but he found it difficult to earn regular playing time with Ronaldo and Raul spearheading their attack. But he still managed to score 16 times in 45 appearances, mostly as a substitute.
Gareth Bale (2013-22)
Image source, Getty ImagesGareth Bale won four Champions Leagues, one La Liga, one Copa del Rey, two Spanish Super Cups and three Uefa Super Cups after g from Tottenham on a world record transfer reportedly worth £85.1m. But despite his success on the pitch, the Welsh attacker's popularity waned among Real fans in his final seasons before a loan back to Spurs and a move to Los Angeles FC.
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I don't blame Trent for going as it's the world's biggest club and we should encourage English players to play abroad. Evidently the fallacy of 'it means more' wasn't that important!
Roger, Aintree
Trent Alexander-Arnold will be afforded the same low-key presentation as fellow summer g Dean Huijsen - at the club's training complex.
Both a far cry from the wild scenes that greeted last season's marquee arrivals.
A staggering 60,000 Real Madrid ers turned out to greet the arrival of Brazil teenager Endrick last July, just a day after 80,000 packed the Santiago Bernabeu to get a first glimpse of Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe's turnout equalled a record set by the presentation of Cristiano Ronaldo to the Los Blancos army back in 2009, when the then 24-year-old Portuguese star completed an £80m move from Manchester United.
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I don’t really care how he will be unveiled in truth. Despite Klopp's words, he handled the move and all the media afterwards with no class. I’m hoping we announce Wirtz today to make his announcement a footnote!
Bitter Murphy from Bedford
That story on Wirtz is moving quickly, with the latest here on discussions between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen at "an advanced stage". But the transfer window has closed briefly, so no player can sign until it reopens on 16 June.
Match of the Day 2: Trent Alexander-Arnold jeered by home fans
Real Madrid ers will be gathering to cheer the arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold this morning - a far cry from the boos aimed towards the Liverpool-born player from some quarters of Anfield in the final games of their victorious Premier League campaign.
Posters had been put up in the streets around Anfield questioning Alexander-Arnold's loyalty to the club as it became clear that he would be leaving for Real Madrid.
While the jeers and rancour came from only a small minority of Liverpool ers, there was a wider anger expressed that the club was about to miss out on a substantial fee for the West Derby-born full-back.
Former manager Jurgen Klopp said that he turned his TV off when he heard the boos, while BBC pundit Chris Sutton sympathised with Alexander-Arnold, who has won nine trophies with the Reds.
He said: "Trent Alexander-Arnold deserves far greater respect than he was shown. What has he done wrong? He's won every trophy and wants a different challenge.
"It wasn't all Liverpool fans but it was shocking and embarrassing from the ones that did boo him."
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So, what do you make of the plans for Trent Alexander-Arnold's unveiling? Are you a fan of presenting players in this way?
You can watch live footage of the presentation here in this page, courtesy of Real Madrid TV, and get in touch with your thoughts via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply).
Trent Alexander-Arnold's unveiling will follow a similar low-key approach taken for the presentation of £50m g Dean Huijsen on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old former Bournemouth defender, who is already a Spain international, was also presented to the Los Blancos ers at the club's training ground, rather than taking to the pitch at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Both players have been included in the Real Madrid squad for the Club World Cup, which starts on 15 June, and will be jetting off to the United States with the team in the coming days.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesEngland defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, 26, ed the 15-time European champions on 1 June, g a six-year deal after running down his contract at Anfield.
Real Madrid agreed to pay a fee, reported to be 10m euros (£8.4m), to allow the England defender to complete his move early, before the end of his contract, so he can play in the Club World Cup.
There had been speculation throughout last season that Liverpool could lose the homegrown talent, who had been at the club since he was six years old.
Alexander-Arnold was one of three key players in the squad, along with talisman Mohamed Salah and captain Virgil van Dijk, who had gone into the final year of their deals without a clear sign that contract negotiations were taking place.
The saga rumbled on into the final months of the campaign, when all three were free to talk with foreign clubs about a possible free transfer at the end of the season.
Eventually, both Salah and Van Dijk signed new two-year contracts with the Reds.
But links between Alexander-Arnold and Real Madrid persisted, and it was eventually announced on 30 May, after the defender had helped Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th top-flight title, that he would be ing the La Liga giants.
Image source, Getty ImagesNew g Trent Alexander-Arnold will be presented to fans at the Real Madrid City training complex this morning.
Alexander-Arnold, 26, will go through the formalities of officially g his contract at 11:30 BST, accompanied by club president Florentino Perez, before being paraded in front of waiting ers.
He will then face the media for his first news conference as a Real Madrid player.
Image source, Getty ImagesWelcome to today's football news live page.
Trent Alexander-Arnold takes centre stage this morning as he is formally unveiled as a Real Madrid player.
You can follow coverage in this page, which will include live footage from Real Madrid TV of the former Liverpool defender's presentation to ers before his first news conference.
Just click on the play icon at the top of this page to watch along and we will also bring you his top quotes.
