At Real Madrid, everyone is looking at a new figure. He didn't come from outside, he didn't cost millions, and he wasn't part of the initial plans. But he is shining in his own right. His name is Gonzalo García, and many are already daring to say that he is "the new Benzema".
A club world cup full of surprises
Real Madrid have arrived at the Club World Cup with ambition. With Xabi Alonso in charge, it seeks to show its new face to the world. The tournament has changed its format. Now there are more teams and a higher level. Winning it won't be easy, but it's the great challenge of this new stage.
The Basque coach knows it, which is why he has asked for important reinforcements. Names like Dean Huijsen and Alexander-Arnold have arrived, and Álvaro Carreras is close. But in the midst of the signings, something unexpected appeared: a talent that was already at home.
Gonzalo García and the immediate impact
Gonzalo García had already left a good impression in preseason. But what he is doing now has exceeded all expectations. In his first match, he scored; in the second, he was even more decisive.
Against Pachuca, Gonzalo showed his class. He didn't just participate in the game; he improved it. He dropped into midfield, linked up with the central midfielders, opened up spaces, combined with the wingers. As if that weren't enough, he assisted Arda Güler with a first-touch pass, a technical gesture that inevitably recalled Karim Benzema.
Comparisons with a legend
Karim Benzema wasn't a traditional "9". His way of playing made him a perfect hybrid between striker and attacking midfielder. He thought like a "10", finished like a "9", and assisted like a midfielder. His legacy at Madrid is unquestionable.
Now, at just 19 years old, Gonzalo García is starting to show flashes of that same profile. He is intelligent, plays with composure, doesn't seek the spotlight, but ends up being key. He has vision, technique, and a maturity that surprises. It's no coincidence that Xabi Alonso trusts him so much.
The future is already here
Gonzalo still has a lot to learn, no one doubts it, but he already has the hardest thing: talent. He also knows the club. He knows what it means to play for Real Madrid; he has that competitive DNA the club values so much.
If he keeps growing at this pace, he will be a key piece in the new project. There won't be any need to look outside for what is already in Valdebebas. Madrid have found a striker who scores and makes others play, and that, here, is worth gold.
Gonzalo García isn't the new Benzema. He is the first Gonzalo García, but his way of playing reminds us that legends don't always leave. Sometimes, they simply are reborn in others.