‘Who did they stick me with?!’ – Trent Alexander-Arnold recalls first reaction to rooming with Aaron Ramsdale at England youth level

Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed he was sceptical about Aaron Ramsdale when he first shared a room with the goalkeeper at England youth level. 

​Pair had to share a room at youth levelLiverpool star was unsure about goalkeeperThey bonded over Harry Potter films

WHAT HAPPENED? The Liverpool star has admitted that he struggles to be himself when meeting new people, with Ramsdale the subject of his apprehension when they initially met at junior international level. However, after getting to know the Arsenal goalkeeper, the Liverpool full-back became close friends with him as they shared a love of Harry Potter films.

WHAT THEY SAID: Discussing the first time he was paired with the shot-stopper, Alexander-Arnold said: “I remember going into my room one time, I opened the door and see some kid from Stoke just in there. Some goalie I don’t know. I’m thinking: ‘Who the hell did they stick me with here?’ Because I’m not good with new people. I’m not good at all with new people. I struggle to open up, so when I don’t know people, I don’t mean it I just can’t open up, I can’t be myself around them… But as soon as we started talking we started laughing, blah blah blah, got on like a house on fire to be honest. We always speak about stuff we used to do. We used to have Harry Potter marathons in the room. Just every camp throughout the camps we’d just night by night watch a new Harry Potter every night. That was our thing.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Both Alexander-Arnold and Ramsdale have had to settle for spots on the England bench so far at the 2022 World Cup. The right-back came off the bench to feature against Wales in his only appearance so far, while goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is ahead of Ramsdale in the pecking order.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT FOR ALEXANDER-ARNOLD? The full-back will hope to make England’s starting XI as they take on Senegal in the last 16 of the World Cup on Sunday.