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A Galactico in the making - Gonzalo Garcia's breakout and what it means to Real Madrid
For a club that prides itself on assembling the world’s most dazzling constellation of football stars, the emergence of a homegrown striker has always carried an extra emotional resonance.
Real Madrid haven’t seen a true academy-bred forward command the world stage since Raul donned the iconic No.7 shirt with fearless grace. Now, at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, 21-year-old Gonzalo Garcia is forcing that comparison back into the headlines – and not without merit.
Garcia has scored three goals and notched one assist in four games at the Club World Cup, a tournament many expected to be dominated by names like Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Júnior.
Instead, it’s the Castilla product who has seized the spotlight. With Real Madrid through to the quarter-finals after a 1-0 win over Juventus in the first knockout round, Garcia is the team’s joint-top scorer in the tournament—ahead of Bellingham, ahead of Endrick, and ahead of expectations.
He began his run with a poised finish against Al Hilal, followed by a striker’s goal in a commanding win over Red Bull Salzburg. But the decisive header against Juventus, a towering effort from a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross, felt like a true breakthrough moment.
With each goal, the comparisons to club legend Raul have grown louder. After the Salzburg match, manager Xabi Alonso – who took over from Carlo Ancelotti this summer – offered a striking observation.
“I knew him well,” the new Madrid coach said. “He is a typical No.9. In some aspects, he reminds me of Raul – he’s always in the right position and always waiting for the chance. His work ethic is great.”
That comparison is not one handed out lightly in Madrid, least of all by a man like Alonso, who played alongside Raul and understands the club’s DNA better than most. But what makes Garcia’s rise all the more remarkable is how quickly it has unfolded.
A rare and true academy forward
Born in Madrid in 2004, Garcia joined the club’s youth setup as a 10-year-old. He quickly impressed at every level, known more for his intelligent movement and dogged work ethic than any one dazzling attribute.
His 2022-23 season with Juvenil A saw him score 35 goals in 43 games across all competitions. That form translated smoothly into a strong 2023-24 with Castilla, and then an outstanding 2024-25 campaign, where he scored 25 goals in 36 matches for Raul’s side.
Yet for all that promise, few could have predicted his impact on this stage. Heading into the Club World Cup, Madrid’s attacking depth – featuring Mbappe, Endrick, Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Brahim Diaz – meant it was unclear whether Garcia would even get minutes. But Alonso has trusted him.
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After the Juventus match, the manager made it clear just how much faith he had.
“I didn’t expect him to score three goals in four games,” Alonso said. “But I knew that he puts in a lot of effort, he exhausts defenders, he presses hard, he works hard and he helps the whole team. I trust him.”
That trust has paid off. With Mbappe working back to full fitness after a virus and Endrick still adapting to the pace and structure of European football, Garcia has started three of Madrid’s four Club World Cup matches. In return, he’s provided relentless pressing, link-up play and, crucially, goals.
His effort against Juventus was emblematic of his skill set: good positioning, aerial ability, and fearlessness. He drifted between centre-backs, timed his run perfectly and met Alexander-Arnold’s curling ball with a thudding header.
No frills. Just efficiency.
Despite the rising hype, Garcia has kept his feet firmly planted. In a post-match interview with El País, he responded humbly when asked about comparisons to Raúl: “Being compared to Raúl is a big deal,” he admitted.
That humility has long endeared him to coaches and team-mates. During his Castilla days, Raul himself reportedly praised the young striker’s attitude, though he stopped short of anointing him a successor.
Garcia trained frequently with the first team under Ancelotti but didn’t get many minutes – a handful of substitute appearances and one Copa del Rey start. It’s Alonso who has provided him with a consistent stage.
Cool, calm and grounded
With the Club World Cup quarter-final looming – a marquee showdown against Borussia Dortmund – Madrid fans are beginning to wonder if the club might not need to spend wildly on another star striker in the near future. Garcia, after all, has not only delivered statistically but has also handled the pressure of elite competition.
Perhaps more than anything, what sets Garcia apart is his temperament. He rarely gestures in frustration. He defends from the front. He celebrates goals with restraint, often pointing skyward in quiet tribute. In a team full of global stars and marketing juggernauts, his quiet consistency stands out.
He may not yet have the aura of a Galactico. But he’s got something just as valuable: the grounding of Valdebebas, the support of a manager who believes in him and a nose for goal that can’t be taught.
Real Madrid
With three goals already and Madrid two wins away from lifting yet another piece of international silverware, Garcia isn’t just be filling in – he might be starting something far greater.
Whether he continues this form beyond the Club World Cup remains to be seen. The return of Mbappe and Endrick’s development will complicate squad selection. But Garcia has done something few academy players achieve at Real Madrid: he’s made himself undroppable, not with flash, but with fundamentals.
A Galactico? Maybe not yet. But for the first time in years, Madridistas can dream of something even better: a striker they raised themselves, wearing the immaculate all-white with pride, scoring goals on the world’s biggest stages. And that, for this club, means everything.
