Real Madrid's 21-year-old striker Gonzalo Garcia stepped up in Kylian Mbappe's absence, scoring the winner against Juventus to book a Club World Cup quarter-final clash with Borussia Dortmund.
In the heat and humidity of Miami, a 21-year-old academy starlet showed the world why Real Madrid rarely panic when their superstars are sidelined. As Kylian Mbappe watched from the bench, still recovering from illness, it was Gonzalo Garcia – a player once known only to the faithful followers of Castilla – who delivered the blow that sent Juventus packing and propelled Real Madrid into the quarter-finals of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
It wasn’t just any goal. It was a header with purpose, precision, and perfect timing. In the 54th minute, Garcia met a floated cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold – the Englishman's first assist for his new club – and buried it past Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio. One-nil. Game over. Real Madrid were through.
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Garcia now has three goals and an assist in four tournament appearances. But it’s not the numbers alone that have tongues wagging in Madrid — it’s how he’s carrying himself. Confident, clinical, composed. Just like a certain Raul Gonzalez Blanco once did in the same white shirt.
“That’s What a Striker Is Meant to Do”
Madrid boss Xabi Alonso, himself a club legend and now architect of a new era at the Bernabeu, didn't hesitate to draw parallels with greatness.
"That's what a striker is meant to do: to score, be in the right position at the right moment," Alonso said post-match. "He played well again."
Alonso, who has watched Garcia closely through his Castilla days, added: "He's a typical No.9 who knows how to wait for his opportunity and moves well. He reminds me of Raúl, always in the right position, waiting for the opportunity, getting chances and fighting for them. I'm very happy for him, and we need more of him."
It’s no coincidence that Garcia’s name is now being whispered in Premier League circles. Reports suggest at least three English clubs are monitoring the forward, whose release clause sits at a modest 50 million euros. But for now, Garcia isn’t listening. His heart – and his ambition – appears to lie with Real Madrid.
Mbappe Returns, but Garcia Shines
For much of this tournament, Garcia has been Madrid’s main man in attack — a responsibility thrust upon him when Kylian Mbappe was ruled out due to gastrointestinal illness. On Tuesday, the roles reversed. Garcia started. Mbappe came on in the 68th minute.
But while Garcia made headlines, Mbappe struggled to make an impact. The Frenchman, usually the showman in white, was quiet in his brief cameo. Alonso, however, remained optimistic.
"I think day by day he will be better, and from now until the quarter-finals on Saturday, in 3-4 days, he will be better. We will keep watching him. I talk to him every day about how he's feeling, and well, I think he will be much better for the quarters," said the Madrid coach.
Alonso also added, "He [Mbappe] is good enough to come on in the second half for a few minutes, depending on the circumstances in the game."
Madrid didn’t need Mbappe at his best to get past Juventus. But as the tournament progresses and the stakes rise, Alonso knows he’ll need his superstar back — even as a new one emerges.
A Gritty Victory in the Florida Heat
The victory in Miami wasn’t just about Garcia. It was also a test of Real’s character. Juventus, under Igor Tudor, had started brightly. Randal Kolo Muani and Kenan Yildiz gave the Spanish side a few early scares, but Madrid weathered the storm.
Thibaut Courtois was a calming presence in goal. Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde pushed forward, creating several second-half chances before Garcia broke the deadlock. Even Alexander-Arnold, still settling into his new environment, showed why Madrid brought him in.
Alonso was pleased not just with the goal but the way his team dug deep.
"We had to be patient, we had to mature into the game. We didn't score that second goal to give ourselves a bit more margin. But it is a knockout game... With the players and myself, you know you have to grit your teeth and do what you have to do. And in the end, we had to hold on a bit, and I'm happy about that too."
Tudor, meanwhile, admitted his Juventus side simply ran out of steam.
"In the end there were 10 of them asking to be substituted. Obviously you can't do that but there was an incredible tiredness," he said. "There is the tension of the game which burns energy but then there is the heat and humidity," he added, also noting the toll of a long season.
A Reunion Awaits in the Quarters
Real Madrid’s reward? A clash with Borussia Dortmund — a rematch of the 2024 Champions League final that Madrid won.
Dortmund booked their spot after edging past Monterrey 2-1 in Atlanta, with Serhou Guirassy scoring both goals. The German club's coach, Niko Kovac, is under no illusions about the challenge that awaits.
"Real has a great team, they have many good individual players," said Kovac. "If we put everything on the pitch, (giving) the same performance as we saw today, I think that we will have a good chance."
Dortmund will be without Jobe Bellingham, suspended for the quarter-final – a blow, especially considering the personal subplot of a potential face-off with his older brother Jude in a battle of elite footballing siblings.
Gonzalo Garcia: Madrid’s Next No.9?
There’s a long way to go in the tournament. Mbappe may yet roar back to life. But right now, Madridistas are dreaming of a future where Gonzalo Garcia wears the iconic No.9 shirt and leads the line for a new generation.
From Castilla's quiet stadiums to Club World Cup glory in front of 62,000 fans in Miami — Garcia’s rise has been meteoric. And he’s just getting started.
