In some respects, Xabi Alonso`s initial matches managing Real Madrid were more noteworthy for who was absent rather than who was present. Kylian Mbappe was sidelined for the group stage due to gastroenteritis, while the ongoing speculation surrounding Rodrygo`s future saw him start only one of the first four Club World Cup fixtures. This unexpected situation, however, created the ideal stage for the surprise standout of Real Madrid`s progression to the tournament`s quarterfinals: Gonzalo Garcia.
The 21-year-old homegrown talent might have started the competition merely filling in for more prominent attackers not in the lineup, but he has rapidly established himself alongside Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham. He made his fourth tournament start on Tuesday and repaid Alonso`s confidence by scoring the decisive goal in the win against Juventus in the round of 16, his third goal of the competition. His latest was a header, instinctively flicked into the net from a well-delivered cross by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Garcia is now among the leading scorers in the tournament, tied with top forwards like Bayern Munich`s Harry Kane and Manchester City`s Erling Haaland, all with three goals. This marks a significant change from his status within the squad just weeks ago. Before the Club World Cup commenced, he had only made six appearances for the senior side, possibly reflecting former manager Carlo Ancelotti`s less pronounced focus on developing young players. It remains to be seen if Alonso will alter this approach, but Garcia`s rise is nonetheless symbolic of the environment fostered by the revamped Club World Cup format, encompassing both its benefits and drawbacks.
Even as teams from outside Europe`s elite leagues get their moment in the spotlight, the tournament structure still largely favors the top clubs. This theoretically provides managers with opportunities to experiment with tactics and personnel in the early phases. This is particularly pertinent following a demanding season and even more so for Real Madrid, with this tournament serving as an initial glimpse into Alonso`s strategic vision for the team as they gear up for the upcoming season.
Based purely on Garcia`s performances, Alonso`s willingness to experiment has paid off – he has accumulated three goals and one assist in 293 minutes, creating three scoring chances. Alonso has already drawn comparisons between Garcia and Real Madrid`s legendary goalscorer and fellow academy product, Raul. Garcia`s key attribute might be his versatility, capable of playing anywhere across the attacking front line, a quality somewhat different from the team`s high-profile but perhaps less adaptable forwards. He is playing a crucial role as Alonso begins to refine his ideal version of the team, one he hopes will emulate the high-pressing style of his successful Bayer Leverkusen side, aligning with current tactical trends in football.
Looking beyond Garcia`s individual output, Alonso`s overall strategy appears to be progressing. Weeks after a challenging 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal to open the competition, they delivered a dominant, attacking display against Juventus on Tuesday. While not always aesthetically pleasing, they significantly outshot Juventus 21-6 and arguably would have scored more than one goal if not for Michele Di Gregorio`s ten saves for the Italian team. Real Madrid achieved this performance by blending established players and newcomers, a mix likely to define Alonso`s initial months. Mainstays Bellingham and Vinicius contributed multiple shots, Dean Huijsen showed more comfort in his new role as a ball-playing defender, and Alexander-Arnold underlined his potential as a top summer signing with an assist.
Garcia`s emergence, however, furnishes Real Madrid with a level of depth and adaptability that was occasionally lacking as they finished the previous season without domestic or continental trophies. This bodes well for their prospects in the Club World Cup, especially following Manchester City`s unexpected elimination on Monday, and could very well ignite optimism for the season ahead.