Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed the inside of his relationship with former England boss Gareth Southgate following his exit after Euro 2024 , comparing him to Jurgen Klopp .
Alexander-Arnold has endured a contrasting England career under Southgate as his trophy-laden time playing for Liverpool. Undroppable when fit, vital when in form, the 25-year-old has become one of the best right-backs in world football for the Reds, but he featured just four times at Euro 2024, mainly from an unfancied midfield role.
After starting the two opening group games of England’s campaign against Serbia and Denmark, Alexander-Arnold was swiftly replaced by Kobbie Mainoo in the middle of the park with Southgate’s midfield experiment failing. He was unable to dislodge Kyle Walker at right back and played just five minutes in the knockout stage.
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Despite being overlooked in the latter stages of the competition, Alexander-Arnold spoke incredibly highly of the newly-departed Three Lions boss in an exclusive interview with the Mirror , he said: “I do think Gareth is underrated. I think the England manager’s job is one of the hardest jobs there is. You will always be judged, there is always speculation, people always have their opinions.
“But the way he has driven the team and the environment for the players is there for everyone to see. There was unity, everyone came together as a team, but every manager does come in for criticism. The way he dealt with it was incredible and yet again, he got us to a final.”
After leading England to a second consecutive European Championship final, which ended in heartbreak against Spain earlier this month. Southgate stepped down as the second most successful Three Lions’ boss in history through back-to-back Euros finals and a World Cup semi-final and quarter-final.
Alexander-Arnold praised Southgate in a summer of managerial change for him with both managers who gave him his debut at club and international level moving on. “It was similar to how I felt when my club manager Jurgen Klopp was leaving,” Alexander-Arnold said speaking of Southgate’s departure. “They were the people who gave me my debuts, and made my dreams come true.”
He spoke of the characters of Southgate and Klopp and the similarities regarding how they were respected and admired by their players. “I agree 100 per cent that when you are working with people you admire, you get to know them as a person, you want to do well for them,” he added.
“It is very intense in tournaments, you really get to know everyone around the camp. And you saw what an amazing person Gareth is, he is an amazing man. It was the same on a day-to-day basis with Jurgen Klopp, you see how they handle themselves and others Can you ever be friends with your boss? You respect their expertise and decisions, but in the back of your mind, you always know they are the boss,” he joked.
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