Jude Bellingham was spotted waiting to swap shirts with close friend Trent Alexander-Arnold after their Champions League match.
The Real Madrid star could not prevent his side’s defeat to Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool on Wednesday evening as Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo struck for the home side.
It was another disappointing result for Los Blancos, who now sit 24th in the table, but there was at least one advantage for Madrid star Bellingham.
The England international was spotted outside the Liverpool dressing room at full-time hoping to swap shirts with close friend Alexander-Arnold.
Although the full-back was not present to deliver the ball himself, his teammate Ryan Gravenberch provided the assist as he entered the dressing room and returned to hand Bellingham the shirt.
The Madrid star had a somber look on his face as he reflected on the defeat to Liverpool, a club he almost joined before moving to Spain.
Jude Bellingham was spotted waiting to swap shirts with good friend Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool teammate Ryan Gravenberch (right) was on hand to provide Bellingham with the shirt
Bellingham (right) and Alexander-Arnold (left) became good friends during their service in England
The duo have become good friends since Bellingham was introduced to the England squad two years ago. Many wondered whether the roles would remain reserved and whether Alexander-Arnold could convince the England star to join Liverpool before signing for Madrid.
But that didn’t happen, and the shoe is now on the other foot, with Alexander-Arnold’s future up in the air and Bellingham’s.
The pair have grown even closer in Germany during the build-up to the 2024 Euro 2024 final in England, and have remained closely linked throughout the recent international breaks.
A deal could be struck as early as January, with Alexander-Arnold’s current contract expiring in a year, while pre-contractual arrangements could be made as early as a few months after its expiry.
It wouldn’t be the first big-money free transfer Madrid have secured if that were to happen, with Mbappe completing his contract with PSG in France before moving to Spain this summer.
Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold started two games together at the European Championship this summer, with the latter starting in an unfamiliar midfield role and being dropped for the third group match and beyond after criticism of his performances.
The Real Madrid star jumped to his friend’s defense over the criticism, telling ITV Sport: ‘He makes it so easy for me because he can control the game so well defensively in that position.
“I know people talk a lot of rubbish but he’s so aggressive with that back-to-target pressure and it really helped me too because it meant I got a breather when he went out.
‘I think we understand each other well with the ball. He always wants to play positive, he always wants to play forward.’
Elsewhere on the night, Rio Ferdinand claimed Liverpool are the ‘best team in Europe’ and are ‘playing like Rottweilers that haven’t been fed for a while’.
The duo bonded during Euro 2024 and are regularly seen together during international breaks
Bellingham could not prevent Real Madrid’s 2-0 defeat against Liverpool on Wednesday evening
Ferdinand told TNT Sports: ‘They have thrown down the gauntlet to all the other teams in Europe. They seem to be the best team in Europe at the moment.
“They play as a team and look like the hungriest individuals. Not only are they getting results, they look starved.
‘They look like they haven’t had food in ages, Rottweilers run down past the hunting teams. They have the calm.”
Slot had his family present and greeted a special evening. “It’s always good to win a game, especially a big game like this,” said the Dutchman, who will be back at the AXA Training Center this morning to prepare for a crucial title battle against strugglers Manchester City on Sunday .