England star mocked by his own teammate as he faces World Cup snub

Jack Otway
Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:47:59 +0000

Dani Carvajal was captured on television appearing to criticise Trent Alexander-Arnold's defensive work rate during Real Madrid's draw with Real Betis on Friday evening.

The Spanish defender, watching from the substitutes' bench, was filmed making gestures with his fingers that suggested the former Liverpool man was failing to sprint back into position quickly enough.

Carvajal, 34, appeared to indicate that Alexander-Arnold was walking rather than running to support his teammates during one particular passage of play.

The veteran right-back was also seen whispering to a fellow substitute whilst covering his mouth, though whether this related to Alexander-Arnold remains unclear.

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The England international has firmly established himself as the preferred option at right-back for the Spanish giants, featuring from the start in five of their previous six fixtures.

His rise has come at Carvajal's expense, with the veteran defender left on the bench without making an appearance during the 1-1 stalemate at the Benito Villamarín.

Spanish media outlets have reported tensions between Carvajal and manager Alvaro Arbeloa over team selection, though the coach has dismissed such suggestions.

The scrutiny on Carvajal's behaviour intensified following his continued omission, with broadcasters training their cameras on the substitute during the match.

Speculation about a falling out between Carvajal and Arbeloa surfaced after Real Madrid's victory over Alaves on 21 April, when the manager offered a curt response about his right-back choices.

Speaking ahead of the Betis fixture, Arbeloa addressed the matter directly: "It was a short, serious answer to a question I thought was out of place."

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He insisted the brevity was not aimed at Carvajal specifically, adding: "People are trying to put an unjustified, unfair spin on this."

The coach praised his sidelined defender effusively, stating: "He might be the most important academy product in the history of the club."

Arbeloa was equally complimentary about Alexander-Arnold's contributions, declaring: "Trent Alexander-Arnold is showing a great level.

"His performance is beyond doubt. Right now he deserves to play."

With Carvajal's contract set to expire at the end of the current campaign, questions about his future at the Santiago Bernabéu remain unanswered.

Arbeloa declined to speculate on the matter, saying: "It's something between Carvajal and the club. All I can say is what I've felt these months, which is that he's helped us."

Alexander-Arnold is, meanwhile, widely expected to miss out on the World Cup this summer.

The former Liverpool defender has featured just once for his country under Thomas Tuchel, who appears to prefer other options such as Reece James and Ben White.