Trent Alexander-Arnold has spoken candidly on his messy exit from boyhood club Liverpool last summer, admitting that he was hurt by the fan abuse that came his way.

Alexander-Arnold ended a two-decade spell at Liverpool to join Real Madrid following the expiry of his contract in June 2025, news that drew the wrath of Reds supporters.

The right-back, who had become a local hero during his glory-laden time at Anfield, was booed by fans in a home game against Arsenal in May - his first appearance since confirming his imminent departure - and later had his nearby mural defaced with the word “rat” multiple times.

“The booing and disappointment from Liverpool supporters is something I’m absolutely able to shoulder,” he told the Mirror. “I can understand it, in my own way.

“I heard a lot during that period that Liverpool fans didn’t want to be told how to feel or think, and I agree. But I hope one day there’ll be a degree of understanding about the decisions I wanted to make around my own life.

“It hurts because of how much I’ve put into the club over the course of 20 years and the sacrifices I made for the club during that period. So of course it hurts, but I understand the disappointment. I even understand anger expressed through booing.”

Alexander-Arnold also received an exceptionally hostile reception when he returned to Merseyside as a Madrid player for a Champions League meeting last November, a game which Liverpool won 1-0.

He admitted that whole day was hard to process as he came to Anfield as an opponent player for the first time.

“Going back to Liverpool after everything that’s happened, it was on my mind,” he added.

“If I'm honest, if something affects me and upsets me, it shows in my family as well. They are in it with me… we’re together.

“Even from the outset, even the thought of going into the away changing room was strange. I’d never actually stepped foot in there before.”

Alexander-Arnold says he can differentiate between the reaction he experienced inside the stadium and the abuse he was subjected to online.

He said: “Abuse online and threats made via social DMs or in other ways are a sad part of life in 2026 if you’re in the public eye and doing things that create a lot of attention. I choose to keep those things away from me because they don’t feel real.

“I can rationalise that by knowing it’s not representative of a football club I love, LFC, and it’s not representative of my home city.”

While he is still the subject of ridicule from some corners of the fanbase, especially online, Alexander-Arnold says recent visits back to Liverpool have helped drive home that he is still welcome in the city.

“Since leaving for Real Madrid, I’ve been back to Liverpool to visit family on a number of occasions,” said Alexander-Arnold, who insists he still supports Liverpool and watches every game.

“I’ve bumped into lots of fellow Scousers and Reds when I’ve been on my travels. Not a single interaction I’ve had in person reflects the sort of stuff you get online or via social media. So that helps me disassociate it.

“This isn’t me saying everyone in Liverpool is fine with me leaving the club. Of course they aren’t. But that’s very different from the stuff that goes beyond the football. It’s why I don’t allow myself to get too down about it and I don’t dwell on it.”