Trent Alexander-Arnold has opened up about the emotional toll of continued abuse from Liverpool supporters, more than a year after his move to Real Madrid, saying the hostility from fans of the club he loves genuinely hurts him.

Speaking to the Mirror, the 27-year-old right-back said he watches every Liverpool match and insisted his boyhood club will always hold a special place in his heart — yet he still faces online abuse and was booed on his return to Anfield during Real Madrid's 1-0 Champions League defeat in November.

"The booing and disappointment from Liverpool supporters is something I'm absolutely able to shoulder. I can understand it, in my own way," Alexander-Arnold said. "But I hope one day there'll be a degree of understanding about the decisions I wanted to make around my own life."

"It hurts because of how much I've put into the club over the course of 20 years and the sacrifices I made for the club during that period," he added.

Online abuse versus real life

Alexander-Arnold drew a clear distinction between his in-person experiences on Merseyside and what he encounters on social media. He said not a single face-to-face interaction with fans back home has mirrored the hostility he receives online, and that some messages have "crossed the line."

"I choose to keep those things away from me because they don't feel real," he said. "I can rationalise that by knowing it's not representative of a football club I love, LFC, and it's not representative of my home city."

He acknowledged that many Liverpool fans remain unhappy with his departure, but drew a firm line between disappointment over his exit and abuse that "goes beyond the football." He featured in 35 of Real Madrid's 62 matches across all competitions last season.

World Cup omission stings

Away from club matters, Alexander-Arnold also addressed his exclusion from Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026, admitting he was left gutted and angry when the call came through at his home in Madrid.

"I'll be honest, I was full of hope," he said. "When I put the phone down, I was properly gutted. I hope the coaching staff would expect and understand that I was angry."

The right-back's most recent England appearance came as a substitute in a 1-0 win over Andorra in June 2025, his 34th cap. Despite the snub, he refused to close the door on his international career.

"Until I retire, I'm still an England player, whether I'm selected or not," he said. "He [Tuchel] wants players who are desperate to play for England. I am one of those."

Alexander-Arnold watched England throughout the tournament and said he intends to channel his frustration into fuel for the season ahead, with a clear target in mind: earning his way back into the England squad and pulling on the shirt once more.