Xabi Alonso has shed fresh light on why Gonzalo García is seeing fewer minutes, even after his standout World Cup run. Speaking with reporters, the Real Madrid boss said that García’s situation is a direct result of Kylian Mbappé returning to full fitness.
SoftFootball recently reported on how Thibaut Courtois called the Frenchman a leader, noting Mbappé’s growing leadership influence, which has shifted the team’s dynamics in attack.
Alonso, in a post shared by Fabrizio Romano on his official X account, did not hide his admiration for García, who was one of the stars of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. But he admitted that having Mbappé available again naturally changes the picture.
Fabrizio Romano posted:
Xabi Alonso on Gonzalo García limited minutes: His performance at the World Cup was spectacular. But we didn’t have Kylian Mbappé.
Now we have Kylian. Gonzalo may not be playing all the minutes he deserves, but he’s very intelligent… he’s always ready.
SoftFootball’s breakdown of Madrid’s recent draw against Girona also highlighted how Mbappé continues to shape the team’s forward line, which makes Alonso’s juggling act even trickier.
García became one of the biggest revelations of the Club World Cup, scoring four goals in six matches and stepping up when Mbappé was out due to illness.
Those performances pushed Madrid to pause their search for another striker. Alonso praised him again this week, pointing out his 25 goals for Castilla and saying the 21-year-old is where he belongs. His rise even earned him a new contract until 2030 with a one billion euro release clause, a clear sign of how highly the club rates him.
Alonso has hinted that there may be room for both Mbappé and García to feature together at times. His view is that their styles can complement each other depending on the needs of the match, which gives Madrid useful flexibility. With Vinícius Júnior and Endrick also in the mix, it has created a competitive but healthy battle for places.
Looking ahead, Alonso insists García will get more chances in the second half of the season. The coach knows he must keep the forward motivated and ready, especially with Madrid fighting on multiple fronts.
How Alonso manages this balance might end up shaping Madrid’s attack long-term, even as Mbappé continues to dominate the headlines.
