Trent Alexander-Arnold has learned to turn a deaf ear to his detractors, with the Liverpool full-back refusing to get caught up in the criticism and debate that he often finds himself at the centre of.
The 2020-21 campaign has seen questions asked of a talented 22-year-old at domestic and international level for the first time in his senior career.
He was considered to have seen his standards slip in the middle of a testing Premier League campaign for Liverpool that eventually ended on a top-four high, with that wobble leading to him being left out of the last England squad.
What has been said?
Quizzed by The Athletic on how he has responded to the speculation regarding his place in Gareth Southgate's plans for this summer's European Championship, Alexander-Arnold said: "I don’t actively go looking to find it but yeah it’s been everywhere.
"Everyone has an opinion on stuff like that. It’s there on Monday Night Football or Match of the Day and they are programmes I watch. There’s been a lot of talk about me and it’s difficult to hide away from it.
"But I’d say I’ve got a buffer of reading things and not allowing it to get to me. I can read it or hear it and then just put it to the side. It’s not that it upsets me or fires me up in terms of creating a siege mentality."
The bigger picture
Alexander-Arnold is now aware that, as a Champions League and Premier League title winner, his every move is going to be dissected in minute detail.
With that in mind, the Anfield academy graduate is aware of the need to avoid getting caught up in each passing storm and allowing outside noise to become a distraction.
He has learned quickly how to handle his standing in the global game, with there only a "select few" that he now looks to for guidance and advice.
Alexander-Arnold added on his ability to deal with detractors: “Yeah, I’d say it came over time.
"At first, everything you read about yourself as a young player you believe is true. You think it’s real when that’s not really the case.
"I came to understand that, even though a lot of people offer their opinions, there are only a select few whose opinion really matters. Those are the people who make the decisions about your career and whether you play or not.
Those are the people I listen to. Those are the ones I care about the most."
Alexander-Arnold helped Liverpool to finish their 2020-21 campaign with five successive wins, allowing them to secure Champions League qualification, and is now waiting to discover whether he will be given a chance to add to his 12 England caps at the Euros.
Further reading
- How Liverpool can close the gap on Man City next season
- Emotional Wijnaldum says farewell to Liverpool
- Thiago awards personal 'trophy' in debut Liverpool campaign