A mural honoring Trent Alexander-Arnold — once a proud symbol of Liverpool’s local spirit — was found vandalized this morning, just hours before his emotional return to Anfield as a Real Madrid player.
The artwork, which bore the words “I’m just an ordinary lad from Liverpool who’s achieved his dream,” had stood as a tribute to the right-back’s journey from the streets of West Derby to Liverpool’s first team. Painted in 2019, it celebrated one of the city’s favorite sons — a homegrown hero who lived every supporter’s dream.
But that pride turned to dismay on Tuesday morning when residents discovered the mural defaced. The portrait of Alexander-Arnold was covered in white paint, and scrawled over it were the words: “Goodbye, the rat.”
According to reports, several young men arrived around 11 p.m. last night carrying paint cans and defaced the mural within minutes.
The tribute was originally commissioned by The Anfield Wrap fan group after Liverpool’s Champions League triumph over Tottenham in 2019 — a season that established Alexander-Arnold as one of Europe’s brightest talents.
However, the mood around the player has drastically changed since his summer move to Real Madrid. After two decades at the club — from academy hopeful to Champions League winner — Alexander-Arnold chose not to renew his contract, opting instead for a free transfer to Spain.
