Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold suffer fresh blow in concerning snub

Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold have been close friends for years, but the duo have both been snubbed by Real Madrid in a concerning blow to their miserable seasons

Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold have been surprisingly left out of the club’s calendar for the upcoming year.

The pair, who are close friends from their time together with the Three Lions, will be questioning this decision, possibly confiding in each other, with it believed that Bellingham played a role in persuading Alexander-Arnold to make the move to the Bernabeu.

This decision caused tension between Alexander-Arnold and Liverpool fans when he opted not to renew his contract at the end of last season. Although he was set to join Real Madrid on a free transfer in June, Los Blancos ended up paying £8.4m to release the full-back from his contract early so he could participate in the Club World Cup.

However, since his move to Spain, Alexander-Arnold has found it more challenging to settle into his new team than Bellingham did.

After a few lacklustre starts, the former Liverpool player sustained a hamstring injury just five minutes into the Champions League match against Marseille. Since then, he has been receiving treatment for his injury.

Bellingham has also had his share of health problems this year. He underwent shoulder surgery over the summer, causing him to miss the first four matches of the La Liga season. Since his return, he has yet to score a goal or provide an assist.

Now, both players will be wondering why they were overlooked for the official Real Madrid calendar. Retailing at £10.99 at the Calendar Club, the calendar features several Real Madrid stars, including Thibaut Courtois, Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe.

However, Bellingham is bizarrely absent, despite making an appearance in the 2025 edition. Alexander-Arnold’s omission could be attributed to the timing of his transfer from Liverpool.

But Dean Huijsen, who joined on the same day as Alexander-Arnold, does feature in the calendar. Huijsen’s inclusion might be due to him finalising his move in mid-May, slightly ahead of Alexander-Arnold.

While not definitive, appearances in calendars often provide a good indication of a player’s standing within the club.

The exclusion of Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold is a concerning snub, particularly as both players are trying to establish themselves this season.