Trent Alexander-Arnold and Liverpool youngster Rio Ngumoha have an unusual detail in common, with both opting to have their first names displayed on their shirts

Football fans may have noticed an unusual detail on the back of both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Rio Ngumoha's shirts, with the pair opting to display their first names rather than their surnames.

Both Alexander-Arnold and Ngumoha are in England's squad for the Nations League game against Croatia, with the former Liverpool defender earning a place in Thomas Tuchel's starting XI. At the same time, Ngumoha started from the bench.

During the first half at Wembley Stadium, ITV co-commentator Lee Dixon asked fellow commentator Sam Matterface why Alexander-Arnold had his first name on the back of his shirt. Matterface explained that Ngumoha and Jobe Bellingham also have their first names displayed on their shirts.

The decision for Ngumoha is a personal branding choice which is allowed under UEFA and FIFA regulations, provided the name uses the Latin alphabet and contains no special characters.

For instance, Virgil van Dijk has just 'Virgil" on the back of his shirt, while the late Diogo Jota chose "Diogo. J" as he wore it at his previous club, Porto.

Ngumoha first adopted his given name during Liverpool's pre-season in July 2025 and has continued to use it in the Premier League, the Champions League, and for England. However, FA Cup rules require players to display their surnames, which is why Ngumoha displayed his earlier this year.

Alexander-Arnold made the change after joining Real Madrid in 2025, opting to use his first name to simplify the name displayed on his shirt. He explained the decision during his unveiling press conference at the Bernabeu.

“Quite an easy explanation to that, to be honest,” he said. “I’ve always found that when I travel to Europe that the whole name situation confuses a lot of people.

"People call me Arnold, Alexander, Alex, Trent. So I thought, let’s make it easy, Trent on the back, be known as Trent.”

Since completing his high-profile move from Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold has struggled to establish himself at Los Blancos. His second season in Spain has proved particularly challenging, with the defender falling behind Denzel Dumfries and club captain Federico Valverde in the battle for the right-back position.

Competition for places and regular rotation have also restricted his opportunities, leaving him with limited appearances during the 2026-27 campaign.

Meanwhile, Ngumoha has risen through the ranks since joining from Chelsea, making an impression last season when called upon, and has since taken a more prominent role in the team under Andoni Iraola this campaign.

The winger was one of the few positives to emerge from an otherwise disappointing campaign last season and has continued to impress this term. He earned further recognition during the Champions League clash with Villarreal, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd after delivering a performance that outshone his teammates'.