Alonso: Garcia not guaranteed first-team spot despite scoring run

Embed from Getty Images

Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso has not decided whether Gonzalo Garcia will be in his first-team squad for next season.

Garcia has scored three goals at the Club World Cup so far, including the winner in the last 16 against Juventus, and registered one assist. He is the only player to directly contribute to a goal in all of his team’s matches in the competition.

Only Michael Olise (five) has directly contributed to more goals at the competition, while Angel Di Maria leads the tournament’s scoring charts, with four.

Garcia’s shot conversion rate of 33.3% is also the joint-highest from players who have taken at least nine shots, alongside Kenan Yildiz.

The 22-year-old striker has started all four of Madrid’s Club World Cup games after Kylian Mbappe fell ill ahead of the opening match.

With the French star now returning, Garcia’s place in the first team will be on Alonso’s mind ahead of the 2025-26 season.

“Today we are thinking about the World Cup,” Alonso told DAZN.

“There will be time. I knew him well, I didn’t expect him to score three goals in four games, I won’t say that either, but I knew his pressure and his work and on top of that scoring goals. I trusted him and he is earning that trust.”

@gonzalo7garcia_ strikes again! pic.twitter.com/jrNpaTBakF

— Real Madrid C.F.