Garcia defeats Endrick

Real Madrid's board of directors made a surprising decision to let Gonzalo Garcia wear the iconic number 9 shirt, instead of expensive young talent Endrick.

Real Madrid decide the winner of the number 9 shirt race between Gonzalo and Endrick.

Real Madrid's No. 9 shirt has been vacant for some time now, after Kylian Mbappe switched to No. 10. Initially, many believed that Endrick would be given the No. 9 shirt. The Brazilian striker was promised to become the "new No. 9" at the club since arriving at the Bernabeu in 2024.

However, the rise of Garcia changed everything. At 21, Gonzalo went from a member of Castilla’s youth team in just a few months to star at the FIFA Club World Cup. Taking advantage of the absence of Mbappe and Endrick, Garcia showed leadership, maturity and an incredible goal-scoring ability.

In the tournament in the US this summer, he scored 4 goals in 6 matches, bringing performances that completely convinced coach Xabi Alonso. Real Madrid's decision to give Garcia the number 9 shirt is not only based on his professional achievements, it is also a clear message showing how much Real Madrid expect from this player.

According to AS , coach Xabi Alonso believes that Garcia will be an important piece in the Real Madrid squad in the new season. Meanwhile, not being given the number 9 shirt is a bad sign for Endrick. The Brazilian player's chance to play in the first team under Alonso will become more difficult.

Real Madrid had previously agreed to loan Endrick to Real Sociedad for the 2025/26 season. Everything was almost done, but the deal eventually fell through when the Basque club discovered the Brazilian striker was injured.

Now that the No. 9 shirt has been handed to another young star, the Brazilian striker faces an uphill battle. Competition for a starting spot in Real's attack is fierce, with the likes of Vinicius, Rodrygo, Brahim, Mbappe, and now Gonzalo Garcia.

Source: https://znews.vn/garcia-danh-bai-endrick-post1574518.html