Why Gonzalo Garcia Should Be Real Madrid’s New Number Nine

It has been a busy summer for Real Madrid. Los Blancos have replenished their defensive core with Dean Huijsen, Alvaro Carreras, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, whilst they’ve also added Franco Mastantuono to the mix, spending a total of €167.5m on new signings. In terms of outgoings, Los Blancos have lost two veteran leaders in Lucas Vazquez and Luka Modric, whilst they’ve also changed managers, replacing Carlo Ancelotti with Xabi Alonso.

There are still a few questions that need to be answered, however, as they enter the 2025/26 season. For example, what does the future hold for Rodrygo Goes? Do Real Madrid need to add another central midfielder to their squad? Is it time to cash in on Vinicius Junior?

One question that is far more trivial but still somewhat important is what will happen to the club’s vacant number 9 shirt. Kylian Mbappe spent his rookie season at Real Madrid wearing the #9, only to trade it for the number 10 after Luka Modric’s contract was not renewed. In doing so, he now wears the same number for club and country. It’s now up to Real Madrid to find a worthy recipient of a number that has been worn by various icons like Cristiano Ronaldo, Alfredo Di Stefano, Karim Benzema, and Ronaldo.

There are a few potential options for the number nine. For example, teenage forward Endrick Felipe could be in line for it as a confidence-booster, having racked up seven goals in 37 appearances despite playing second-fiddle to Mbappe in his debut season, whilst Mastantuono could also be given the number nine as a motivator. However, perhaps the most likely option is none other than Gonzalo Garcia.

Born in Madrid, Garcia joined Real Madrid’s academy in 2014, spending four years there before heading to Mallorca in 2018 alongside his family. After one year in the Balearic Islands, Garcia returned to the Spanish capital and continued his development at La Fabrica. Garcia received his first call-up to the senior team on August 29, 2023. Three months later, Garcia would make his first appearance for Real Madrid, playing 12 minutes on his debut against Cadiz before playing another five-minute cameo facing Granada.

It seemed that Garcia was headed for a breakout campaign in the first team, but instead, the arrivals of Endrick and Mbappe kept him firmly in the Castilla set-up. He did grab his debut goal against Leganes in the Copa del Rey quarter-final last season, but he wasn’t able to make his second first-team appearance until May following Endrick’s hamstring injury, coming off the bench in their final three matches and bagging an assist against Sevilla. After equalling Mariano Diaz’s record with 25 goals during a single Real Madrid Castilla season, Garcia was finally going to get a chance in the senior setup.

With Endrick not travelling to the United States and Mbappe being sidelined with a stomach virus, Garcia went from third-choice to first-choice and was finally given an opportunity to shine as the starting centre forward in the FIFA Club World Cup. He grabbed it with both hands, scoring in a 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal in their tournament opener, bagging an assist against Pachuca, and adding another goal in their final group game with Red Bull Salzburg. He continued his stellar form in the knockout rounds, scoring the sole goal of the match against Juventus, and breaking the deadlock with Borussia Dortmund too. And whilst he struggled in the semifinal defeat to PSG after being shoehorned out wide, he nevertheless finished the tournament as the Golden Boot winner.

As Real Madrid’s squad makeover continues to take shape, it appears ever more likely that only one player between Endrick and Garcia will be remaining put at Real Madrid and challenging Mbappe for the starting centre forward role. Whoever ends up getting the #9 could be an early sign of the winner, or vice versa. Both players are far too talented to stick around as the third-string option, but both are also reportedly keen to at Real Madrid.

Something’s gotta give… The only question is, what exactly?