Which English players have played for Real Madrid? Trent Alexander-Arnold follows David Beckham, Jude Bellingham and more
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Published 30/05/2025 at 13:58 GMT+1
Trent Alexander-Arnold is joining Real Madrid after leaving boyhood club Liverpool. The Reds star calls time on his Anfield career for a new challenge at the Bernabeu. He won't be the first Englishman to set sail for the Spanish capital, so at TNT Sports, we have taken a look at those from England who joined the Liga giants previously.
Relive Alexander-Arnold’s most iconic Liverpool moment
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With Trent Alexander-Arnold joining Real Madrid after leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, he treads a path taken by a number of his compatriots in the past.
After helping his boyhood club to their latest Premier League title, the 26-year-old will now head to the Bernabeu, where he will join arguably the biggest club in the world as he chases more personal success.
For many, playing for Madrid represents the pinnacle of the sport and a move many would find difficult to turn down – even for a lifelong Liverpool fan like him!
Alexander-Arnold will be the last to be tempted, and is by no means the first, so let’s look at how previous English players have fared when pulling on the famous white shirt.
Laurie Cunningham
A trailblazer in the sport for several reasons, Cunningham became the first Englishman to sign for Real when he joined in 1979 for then-jaw-dropping £950,000 from West Bromwich Albion.
The winger, whose skills at the time were unrivalled, made an immediate impact with a brace on his full league debut and famously earned the applause of Barcelona fans for a man of the match display at the Camp Nou in El Clasico during that first season.
The campaign ended with a Liga and Copa del Rey double and although injury hampered the rest of his time at the Bernabeu before his departure in 1984, he is still fondly remembered at the club.
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Steve McManaman
The first player to make the Liverpool to Madrid move would be current TNT Sports expert McManaman who, like Alexander-Arnold, joined on a free transfer after his contract expired in 1999.
The winger would make a great impression in his four years, winning La Liga twice and the UEFA Champions League twice – including scoring in the 2000 final.
He would also score the crucial opener in the first leg of the El Clasico semi-final in 2002, silencing the Camp Nou.
David Beckham
The England captain was recruited in the midst of the ‘Galactico’ era alongside the likes of Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo.
As much as his commercial appeal was a factor, Beckham also delivered on the pitch with 20 goals and 51 assists across his four years in Spain, as well as being voted the club’s player of the season in 2005/06.
Beckham played during an uncharacteristically fallow period in terms of trophies for Los Blancos but did lift La Liga in his final year before moving to LA Galaxy.
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David Beckham joins Real Madrid in 2003
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Johnathan Woodgate
Despite his obvious talent, injuries were a major issue for Woodgate, so it took many by surprise when Madrid signed him for around £14 million in the summer of 2004 while he was sidelined.
In fact, Woodgate would not make his debut for a full year due to this injury, and boy, what a debut it was!
Just 25 minutes into a match against Athletic Club, Woodgate headed beyond his own keeper for an own goal before getting sent off later in the game.
He was able to recover from this early setback, however, and did go on to establish his place in the team that season, but more injury woes meant he was eventually moved on in 2006.
Michael Owen
Another player who joined from Liverpool, Owen left Anfield for the Bernabeu in 2004 and, although he would only last one season in the Spanish capital, would still leave his mark.
With 16 goals in 45 appearances, Owen averaged a goal every 150 minutes and finished up as the club’s second top scorer behind Ronaldo that year.
As always, making an impression in El Clasico helps, and Owen can hark back to his goal in a 4-2 win for Madrid over their bitter rivals.
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Jude Bellingham
Madrid would break the bank in 2023 to bring Bellingham to Spain for around £90 million and would receive a near-instant return on their investment.
From attacking midfield, Belligham bagged 10 goals in his first 10 La Liga games, including a brace in a 2-1 win over, of course, Barcelona – the second coming in the very last minute as he established his hero status at the club early on.
He finished the season in La Liga as the club’s top scorer as they won the title and he was named Player of the Season.
He also scored four in his first four Champions League matches and laid on an assist in the final as Los Blancos beat his former club Borussia Dortmund to lift the trophy for the 15th time.
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