Let’s change Ballon d’Or so Trent can win it... and not Messi! BRAZIL LEGEND CAFU

similarities between him and me when I was playing.

“I would say he’s got a Brazilian instinct in the way he plays.

“My advice for him is simple: just keep doing what you have been doing for the last few years.

“Alexander-Arnold shouldn’t change his way of playing. Even if he makes mistakes, he should carry on doing what he’s doing.

“I think he has what it takes to become a Ballon d’Or winner.

“We have to change this paradigm where the Ballon d’Or is only won by attackers and strikers.

“People have to see that defenders are just as important as attackers.”

Alexander-Arnold has become king of the assists at Anfield as Jurgen Klopp aims to clinch the club’s first Premier League title after lifting the Champions League last year.

He has set up 28 goals in the last two seasons – and it has been suggested that any defensive flaws in his game could be overcome by pushing him into a midfield role.

Cafu is not so sure. He said: “It is AlexanderArnold’s natural instinct to attack – and it is also the way Liverpool play.

“This is one of his characteristics and he must not lose that. The defensive side depends a lot on the way the team play.

“Liverpool are a team that play on the attack, so he’s extremely important for their style.

“The role of full-back suits him better and I think he now has to get even better at doing what he already knows how to do.

“He has to play like one of the great full-backs, adapt to the position, become the best full-back in the world and then maybe there could be some sort of adaptation in terms of midfield.

“But, for now at least, he has to be the best full-back he can be.” Cafu is a big admirer of the job Klopp has done at Anfield.

The Brazilian will be in Berlin tomorrow for the 20th Laureus Awards in his role as a Laureus Academy member, when the Reds will be in the running to win the Team of the Year prize.

Liverpool have also been nominated for the Comeback of the Year for their thrilling 4-3 aggregate victory over Barcelona in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

And Cafu said: “Liverpool had an incredible season last year and they are repeating that this time. I think they deserve their nomination.

“The comeback against Barca was unbelievable and

Klopp deserves 100 per cent of the credit for how the team has now grown so well.”