How Gonzalo García Is Changing Everything at Real Madrid
Gonzalo García landed in the United States as just another prospect. A talented youth player, sure, but ready to be loaned out to a top-flight club for minutes. This plan was simple: gain experience, grow away from the spotlight, and maybe return to Real Madrid stronger. Five games later, García has flipped that script. There’s no debate now as the kid is not just staying. He is scoring goals and turning matches upside down.
It all started against Al Hilal when a stomach bug sidelined Kylian Mbappé for the group stage. Xabi Alonso made a bold call, starting García. Nobody expected it, but in just minutes, the striker showed his stuff: a goal, pressing, smart runs, and brains. He seized the moment. Since then, he has played every Club World Cup match, racking up four goals and one assist. Beyond the stats, he brings something you simply cannot coach: grit under pressure.
Real Madrid is coming off a solid win over Borussia Dortmund, after cruising past Salzburg and Pachuca. García shone in all of them. This is not luck or a lack of options. Xabi Alonso, who’s tracked him since his Castilla days, knows him inside out. That’s why he’s not afraid to start him, even though Mbappé still finding his form. Ahead of the PSG clash, the question isn’t if García plays, it’s where he will line up.
Signs indicate that García will start on the right wing, bringing speed and defensive hustle. That’s huge in a semifinal against super players like Ousmane Dembélé, Desire Doue, and PSG’s stars. Xabi Alonso wants balance in all the areas, and García delivers that without losing his attacking spark. This mix allows the coach to integrate Vinicius Júnior and Mbappé without compromising the team’s shape, keeping everyone firing on all cylinders.
