When Real Madrid decided to pay €10 million to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold early—well before his contract ran out and ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup—many questioned the decision. Couldn’t they have just waited and gotten him for free?
But with Florentino Pérez in charge, it was clear the move was well calculated. The Real Madrid president knew that bringing in Alexander-Arnold before the high-intensity Club World Cup would allow the Englishman to train, adapt, and integrate into the system. It also meant manager Xabi Alonso would have his new fullback ready from the start of the tournament.
Financially, the logic made even more sense. When Real Madrid knocked out Juventus in the Round of 16, they earned a whopping €12 million—already more than the €10 million paid to fast-track Alexander-Arnold’s arrival.
And that was just the beginning.
So far, Real Madrid have earned a total of €55.2 million from the tournament—more than any other club participating in the competition. Simply by qualifying, they secured €31.4 million. Two wins and a draw in the group stage added another €23.8 million.
That means before even reaching the quarterfinals, Madrid had already covered the full cost of signing Trent.
But the cash keeps flowing.
Softfootball can confirm that if Real Madrid reach the semi-finals, they will earn another €19.4 million. If they advance to the final and lose, they’ll still pocket €27.7 million. However, if they win, they will take home €37 million from the final alone.
That means there’s up to €56.4 million still available in the final three games. If Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund in the quarterfinals and go on to lift the trophy, they could walk away with a total of €132.99 million from the tournament.
To put things in perspective: last year, Real Madrid earned €141 million for winning their 15th UEFA Champions League—ironically also against Dortmund.
So, not only has Real Madrid already recovered the money spent on Trent Alexander-Arnold, but they are also on the verge of turning that investment into a massive profit—on and off the pitch.
