For all the success stories of academy graduates starring in the Premier League, there are countless more forced to leave the game after failing to earn a professional contract. Those who spend their youth in top academies can see their education impacted, with knock-on effects on career prospects after giving up on their football dream.
Alexander-Arnold is one of a number of Premier League stars to have come out of the academy system and made it to the very top, but the majority of youngsters aren't as successful. The appearance allowed him to paint more of a picture of the situation faced by academy players as a whole, not just those who make it to the top.
