7 hours ago
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Former Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold and his current teammate Jude Bellingham have been notably absent from Real Madrid's 2026 calendar.
It's believed that Bellingham played a significant role in convincing Alexander-Arnold to make the switch to the Bernabeu, a move that caused friction with Liverpool fans when he chose not to extend his contract at the end of the previous season. Alexander-Arnold has been outspoken about his desire to win the Ballon d'Or - a dream Madrid looks unlikely to support.
Originally slated to join Los Blancos on a free transfer in June, the Spanish giants forked out £8.4m to release the defender from his contract early, allowing him to take part in the Club World Cup. However, since his move to Spain, Alexander-Arnold has struggled to adapt to his new team as quickly as Bellingham managed to - thanks in part due to injuries.
After a series of lacklustre performances, the former Liverpool star suffered a hamstring injury just five minutes into the Champions League match against Marseille, which has since sidelined him and kept him in the physio room.
There are no questions about his fitness for the Champions League showdown with the Reds on 4 November.
Bellingham has also had his share of health issues this year, having undergone shoulder surgery over the summer which resulted in him missing the first four matches of the La Liga season.
Since his comeback, he has yet to find the back of the net or provide an assist.
Both players are left puzzled as to why they were omitted from the official Real Madrid calendar.
The calendar, available for £10.99 from the Calendar Club, features several Real stars including Thibaut Courtois, Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe.
However, Bellingham is noticeably absent, despite featuring in the 2025 edition. Alexander-Arnold is also missing, although his omission could be due to the timing of his transfer from Liverpool.
Interestingly, Dean Huijsen, who joined on the same day as Alexander-Arnold, does feature in the calendar. Huijsen's inclusion might be because he finalised his move in mid-May, slightly ahead of Alexander-Arnold.
While not the ultimate measure of a player's standing, appearances in calendars often give a good indication of how the club perceives a player's status.
For Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold, this omission is a concerning oversight at a time when both players are trying to establish themselves this season.
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