‘Traitor’ at Anfield? Trent Alexander-Arnold’s mural targeted ahead of emotional Champions League return: Why Liverpool fans turned on ex-player after Real Madrid move

Trent Alexander-Arnold's mural near the stadium — once a proud tribute to his journey — has been vandalized, a sign of how fractured his relationship with the city has become.

For years, Trent Alexander-Arnold embodied the essence of Liverpool, a hometown hero, a boy who rose through the academy to achieve the impossible dream. Yet, ahead of his long-awaited return to Anfield in the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid, the once-beloved figure finds himself at the center of a storm. His mural near the stadium — once a proud tribute to his journey — has been vandalized, a sign of how fractured his relationship with the city has become.

The act shocked the soccer world. Alexander-Arnold’s mural, located in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle district, was defaced with white paint and scrawled graffiti reading “Adios, el rata [Goodbye, rat]”, just hours before Real Madrid side faces his old side at Anfield. But why has the local lad fallen so far from grace? Why can’t the Reds’ fans forgive one of their own?

When Alexander-Arnold burst into Liverpool’s first team as a teenager, his rise felt like destiny fulfilled. He was the creative spark in a generation that conquered Europe under Jürgen Klopp. His story was romantic — a Scouser who dreamt of lifting trophies for the club he adored.

The mural that honored him captured this spirit perfectly, bearing his heartfelt quote: “I’m just a normal lad from Liverpool whose dream has come true.” It stood for more than soccer. It represented identity, pride, and unity — a beacon of what the club means to its people.

But this week, that beacon was tarnished. As Los Blancos prepare to visit Anfield, the same streets that once celebrated their hero turned against him. The mural, commissioned by The Anfield Rap podcast and supported by the Fans Supporting Foodbanks charity, was covered in paint and insulted with graffiti. Workers were later seen cleaning the wall before the match — a symbolic effort to restore not just art, but dignity.

The reason behind the anger

For months, fans had wrestled with conflicting emotions. The reason behind the mural’s defacement runs deeper than a transfer; it’s about identity and betrayal. Last summer, Alexander-Arnold completed a shock move to Real Madrid after deciding not to renew his contract with Liverpool. Having spent over two decades on Merseyside, where he made 354 appearances and won the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, and Club World Cup, his departure hit harder than most.

He was not sold against his will, nor pushed out; he chose to leave. And that choice, for many supporters, broke something sacred. Leaving for Madrid — the club that twice denied Liverpool European glory — was, to them, unforgivable.

The bitterness has lingered ever since. He was booed in his final home appearances, and his transfer, though professional, has been treated by many as personal. The mural’s vandalism reflects a deeper wound — a city struggling to let go of one of its own.