Moments after the final whistle at Lincoln Financial Field, Xabi Alonso embraced Trent Alexander-Arnold and the pair were all smiles.
For Alonso, this was the first statement performance of his time as Real Madrid boss, with his side playing three at the back and delivering a display of control that we will surely see more of as he begins to stamp his identity on this team.
For Alexander-Arnold too, this felt like the evening where everything began to click after a shaky start against Al-Hilal and having to navigate the brutal heat in Charlotte against Pachuca.
Here, as the rain poured down in Philadelphia, the 26-year-old was exceptional against RB Salzburg, playing as a wing-back when in possession and dropping alongside Fran Garcia to make it a back five, whenever Madrid were defending.
With 81 touches, 63 passes, the former Liverpool man was heavily involved throughout, displaying his range of passing, and completed 90 minutes for the first time in Madrid colours. No player on either team made more successful tackles or interceptions.
The confidence was perhaps best summed up by a back heel pass to Jude Bellingham, which nearly resulted in a Madrid goal.
Everything clicked for Trent Alexander-Arnold in Real Madrid’s win over RB Salzburg
He was exceptional and heavily involved on his way to completing the full 90 minutes
The full back stressed he enjoyed his new role under Xabi Alonso and is relishing his coaching
Asked about his new role after, Alexander-Arnold stressed that he enjoyed it and it is something he expects to do more of under Alonso.
‘I enjoyed it (playing as wing-back). Adapting to a new role in a new team is always going to be a challenge but I enjoy challenges. It gets the best out of me personally,’ he told Mail Sport. ‘Everyone’s got to get used to it.’
‘It worked clearly and that’s a good start. There’s still work to do but it’s good signs and our best game so far. I’m enjoying being a part of this team and I love playing football. No matter where I play, I love playing the game,’ Alexander-Arnold insisted.
He admitted too that ‘it felt a bit more like home’ playing in cooler night conditions after Madrid’s first two games at the Club World Cup kicked off at 3pm local time.
‘The environment has made it harder (to adapt), said Alexander-Arnold. ‘This was a lot cooler and with the rain, it felt a bit more like home and more normal whereas when you’re playing at 3pm and it’s ridiculously hot and the pitches are dry, you’re overheating and you can’t really think straight.
‘This felt a lot more normal and we were able to perform the way that we wanted to for the first time and get a really good win.’
For the boy who grew up idolising Alonso, he is enjoying every moment of working under the Spaniard and even stressed that his new manager could still play if he wanted to.
‘The manager speaks to me a lot individually to make sure I understand everything because all the meetings are in Spanish,’ said Alexander-Arnold. ‘The way he can adapt to different teams (is impressive). We changed the way we played.
No player on either team made more successful tackles or interceptions in Philadelphia
Adamant his settling in period is now done, Alexander-Arnold is determined to kick on
‘We changed the system in a short space of time and the way he gets his messages across, he’s very clear and we can understand perfectly what we need to do as individuals and as a team, we know what he wants from us.
‘When he joins in in training, you can still see he’s got high high quality, which is amazing to see. I grew up watching him and he’s not lost any quality at all. He can still lace them up and get out there with us if he wanted to. He’s still that good.’
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Real Madrid’s thrashing of RB Salzburg was the first true sign of life under Xabi Alonso
With Juventus awaiting in the round-of-16 in Miami on Tuesday, Alexander-Arnold is adamant too that now it’s time to kick on and that the settling in period is done.
‘The language is the most difficult thing and it’s going to take a bit of time to adapt,’ he said. ‘But I felt confident coming into the game and comfortable. It was always going to take me a couple of games to get used to playing with new players, new lads in a new environment with a new coach.
‘That was always going to happen and I’m happy with the way I’ve settled in. For me, it’s about maintaining that level now. The settling in period is done and it’s about kicking on and being the best player I can be and helping the team win as many games as possible, starting with this competition. It’s knockout football.
‘The history of this club shows that we win trophies. It’s what we do. It’s part of the DNA of the club. That’s our aim and ambition and that’s what we want to do.’
