Real Madrid News
Confirmed: Trent Alexander-Arnold starts for England for first time in almost two years vs Czechia
Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has been named in the starting lineup for their UEFA Nations League game against Czechia.
This marks the 27-year-old defender’s first start for the Three Lions in almost two years, with his last start coming way back in October 2024, against Finland in the Nations League as well.
Trent had fallen out of favour under new England boss Thomas Tuchel over the past year or so.
In fact, his last appearance for the national team came in June 2025, in a World Cup qualifier against Andorra.
The defender was overlooked for the World Cup by Tuchel despite England going into the tournament with injuries to the manager’s regular right-back options.
However, following a decent start to the new season under Jose Mourinho, Trent has earned his way back into the national team setup and starts tonight against Czechia.
So far in 2026/27, the defender has played 292 minutes across five games for the Spanish heavyweights, registering one assist in the process.
The 27-year-old ace will be intent on putting up a strong performance so as to cement his place in Tuchel’s plans for the future.
Meanwhile, Trent’s Real Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham has been benched by the manager, after the attacking midfielder started against Spain over the weekend.
Ready for Czechia 👊 pic.twitter.com/8aMMdnH99I
— England (@England) September 29, 2026
Real Madrid News
Mourinho has already called up one of Real Madrid academy’s biggest prospects to first-team training
Real Madrid have an excellent academy model that most clubs around Europe would envy.
La Fabrica is not just a source of talented starlets for the first team. In fact, that may be the least important prong of Madrid’s academy.
Very few players, such as Raul Asencio and Thiago Pitarch, have stepped up from the academy and earned a place in the first team.
The academy has also proved to be a source of income for the club, with Madrid generating close to €210 million from academy-related operations in the summer.
Now, according to Diario AS, Los Blancos youngster Cherif Fofana is emerging as one of the names to watch at Valdebebas.
The highly rated academy prospect has already been given an opportunity to work alongside Mourinho’s senior squad. He has also been dubbed the ‘little Kante’.
Mourinho has already taken a look
Mourinho inviting Cherif into the senior environment is significant. First-team training does not guarantee competitive minutes, but it is an important first step.
At Madrid, minutes are not easy to come by with a squad as talented as theirs, but Cherif training with them will be valuable exposure for him.
It also provides an opportunity for him to become familiar with Mourinho’s expectations before any potential first-team opportunity arrives.
Madrid have already seen that pathway work with academy talents such as Asencio and Pitarch, who have progressed and become genuine first-team options.
Another prospect emerging from La Fabrica
Cherif is another product of a recruitment and development system designed to identify players capable of eventually competing at the highest level.
Not every highly rated youngster will establish himself at the Bernabeu, and Madrid know that better than anyone.
The important part is creating a pathway where the best prospects are continually exposed to higher standards.
Training under Mourinho represents precisely that kind of step. Cherif cannot afford to slack off now and needs to keep improving and developing.
The 16-year-old central midfielder seems to have a huge future in the game, and it remains to be seen how his progression at Madrid plays out.
