Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed exactly when he started learning Spanish, after shocking fans with his excellent grasp of the language at his Real Madrid unveiling last summer.
The right-back sealed his controversial move to the Bernabeu at the end of last season, leaving his boyhood club Liverpool nine years after making his senior debut.
In his first speech to Real Madrid fans, Alexander-Arnold spoke in fluent Spanish — leading many to suggest that he had been learning the language for a while.
In footage shared to social media on Wednesday, the defender revealed that he has been studying Spanish with football language coach Sara for five months.
Alexander-Arnold, who returns to Anfield for the first time since his controversial exit when Real Madrid take on Liverpool in the Champions League next Tuesday, said: ‘Hi, I’m Trent. I started learning Spanish with Sara five months ago.
‘I didn’t speak any Spanish before. I wanted to learn Spanish to communicate better with my team-mates, my coach and the Madrid fans – and adapt better to the culture.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has shared exactly when he started learning Spanish in a video online
The defender shocked fans with his superb grasp of the language at his Real Madrid unveiling
According to Alexander-Arnold, he started learning Spanish just weeks before his unveiling
His teacher Sara took to social media to congratulate Alexander-Arnold on learning Spanish
‘I really like the lessons because they were very football-based. The terminology we were learning about was press conferences, interviews and vocabulary that I would need to talk to my team-mates on a day-to-day basis within the club.
‘This helped me very, very much and I really enjoyed every lesson.’
If the five-month timeframe is to be taken literally, it means Alexander-Arnold began Spanish lessons on May 30, 2025 — just 14 days before his unveiling at the Bernabeu on June 12.
It debunks the theory posed by many angry Liverpool supporters that Alexander-Arnold was gearing up for his Real Madrid move long before the end of Liverpool’s title-winning season under Arne Slot.
The right-back, who featured as a substitute during the final match of the season on May 25, incensed Liverpool’s fanbase by deciding to join Real Madrid — and was accused of running his contract down before ultimately leaving on a free transfer.
Despite claiming to have learned fluent Spanish just weeks before his unveiling, Alexander-Arnold gave a different answer when asked how long he’d been studying the language back in June.
‘A few months,’ he replied to journalists at the time, which stretches back to around March when speculation was rife that he would join the Spanish giants.
Alexander-Arnold’s language coach Sara Duque, who has previously taught other high-profile footballers including former Manchester City star Julian Alvarez, took to social media to laud the Scouser’s achievements.
Alexander-Arnold incensed Liverpool’s fanbase last season by deciding to join Real Madrid — and was accused of running his contract down before ultimately leaving on a free transfer
Sara has previously taught languages to several top footballers including Julian Alvarez (left)
‘Five months. That’s all it took, but it wasn’t easy,’ she said in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
‘Trent didn’t just learn Spanish. He chose to start from zero, to sound imperfect, to keep showing up, day by day.
‘When he stood on that stage in Madrid and spoke with calm, clarity, and heart, it wasn’t about fluency. It was about respect, courage, and a genuine desire to belong.
‘As his language coach, that moment meant everything. Because what I saw wasn’t just a player speaking another language, it was a person growing beyond himself. In football, words can build trust, connection, identity.
‘And this is what true professionalism really looks like.’
According to her Instagram profile, which boasts over 370,000 followers, Sara is a former sports lawyer who is proficient in seven different languages.
During his unveiling at Real Madrid on June 12, Alexander-Arnold said in fluent Spanish: ‘Thank you Florentino Perez (president) and the club for this opportunity.
‘It’s a dream come true. I’m very happy and proud to be here. I want to show Real Madrid fans how I play.
Many Liverpool supporters are convinced that Alexander-Arnold decided to leave Liverpool long ago, considering his impressive Spanish-speaking ability at the Bernabeu unveiling
Alexander-Arnold is gearing up for his return to Anfield next week in the Champions League
‘I do realise I’m signing for Real Madrid and the demands are high but I am going to give my all for the team and Real Madrid fans.
‘I want to show those fans how I play. I want to win many titles. I want to be a winner here and enjoy playing alongside the best players in the world at Madrid.’
