Garcia's growing importance

• Gonzalo Garcia's 54th-minute header booked a spot in the last eight for Real Madrid
• Castilla youth product keeps making an impact
• 21-year-old has drawn comparisons to Raul

Gonzalo Garcia leaped up, floating in the air. He sensed Trent Alexander-Arnold’s swinging cross and took a few steps forward, unnoticed. Seeing Pierre Kalulu battling with Antonio Rudiger, he accelerated. As the ball came right at him, he moved perfectly, and with flawless technique, he headed to the side and struck it with power. Goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio was helpless to stop it, even though the ball was far from out of reach. Garcia ran to a corner in the Hard Rock Stadium, patted the badge, jumped and roared with fury.

With the goal, the 21-year-old academy product earned Real Madrid C.F. a 1-0 victory against Juventus FC, qualifying them for the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. It was the forward’s third goal of the tournament, following strikes against Al Hilal (1-1) and FC Salzburg (3-0).

However, the goal that qualified the Merengues for the next round is not the only weapon in his arsenal. There’s more: Gonzalo Garcia adds so much to Xabi Alonso’s squad that, at times, his goal contributions seem like nothing out of the ordinary.

“Garcia is a great striker," Thibaut Courtois told FIFA after the match. "We know each other well. He’s been training with us for a couple years now. He’s a good striker, he scores a lot of goals, he makes his presence known in the box and is good with his head. He helps us in many ways."

Real Madrid are adapting to the new coach’s style while focusing on the need to win and go as far as they can in the tournament. Alonso, who took over less than a month ago following a successful tenure at Bayer Leverkusen, opted for a direct, aggressive style of play. The team has already shed its skin if you compare it to the widely successful period under Carlo Ancelotti.

At times, Real Madrid plays with a 3-5-2, sometimes with a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, but whatever the formation, they stay on the front foot, pressure high and stay compact in order to win the ball back as quickly as they can so that, once in possession, they’re as close to the opposing goal as possible.

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When you look at it from this viewpoint, Garcia is a perfect fit. His pressure doesn’t wane. The striker positions himself between opposing defenders and pushes them inside, where more of his teammates are waiting to win the ball back.

Alonso likes to pressure high up, and to do this, Garcia is a perfect fit because he’s energetic and fast. He also can read how opponents are going to try to play out.

“Garcia’s playing is spectacular," Federico Valverde to FIFA. "First, I want to congratulate him for what he’s achieving. In the end, he deserves it. He played for a long time with Castilla and always worked hard in the first team’s shadow. He deserves it. He needs to keep working like that, working with humility. He’s a good person, so I’m happy for him."

Real Madrid began the tournament under a cloud of doubt, especially in the first half of their opening match, when Simone Inzaghi’s Al Hilal rode them roughshod by denying them possession, winning most of the 50-50 balls and exploiting the wings. Garcia was the one who stood up to lead the team while the going was tough with a nice strike from the left side.

Garcia was born in Madrid and joined the Merengues' youth academy in 2014. He has stood out in every category on his way to the first team, and his progression comes as no surprise to the club, which has witnessed his rapid rise and outstanding skill. This season, he has played for Real Madrid Castilla, the club’s reserve team, where he has been coached by club legend Raul, with whom many see similarities. His goal against Salzburg in the Group H finale was a stunning strike that left the Madrid faithful bedazzled.

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Compared to Raul, he seems to be faster and more dynamic, however he does appear to have inherited his coach's knack for coming through when it counts the most.

Garcia is a joy to watch and continues to amaze, but he knows that at Madrid it’s one match at a time. Against Juventus, a certain Kylian Mbappe watched from the bench, and when Alonso subbed him in, Garcia received a standing ovation from the crowd at the Hard Rock Stadium. The young striker left his place to the Frenchman in the 68th minute.

When asked post-match whether Garcia might return to the bench after the consistent performances he's turned in, Alonso responded: “I’m not even thinking of preparations for the next match yet. Obviously, I’m happy for Gonzalo, but I’m also happy for the team as a whole. I believe we got better as the game went on, our play improved.”