It seemed that Gonzalo had earned himself a place in the Real Madrid squad after his outstanding performance in the Club World Cup. The tournament’s top scorer not only dazzled, but also inspired fans who were in desperate need of home-grown players, youth players who have felt the white shirt since they were children. The player seems set to be a fixture in the team next season, but this is not reflected at Real Madrid.
Gonzalo wins over Real Madrid
From day one, he has been one of Xabi Alonso‘s picks. He didn’t hesitate to start him in the first game of the Club World Cup, where he was named MVP, and since then, he has enjoyed the full confidence of the coach and has responded with goals, dedication, and hard work, playing simple, associative football, with one or two touches, and helping out in defense, being the first to press. All of this explains the confidence the new coach has placed in him, and he has earned it on the pitch.
Real Madrid in search of a number 9
Real Madrid has been missing a number 9 all season. After the departure of Joselu last summer, the team has been without a striker capable of finishing off balls when the game is at a standstill, when the opponents are locked in defense and there is no other option but to cross the ball. The goal for next season was to find a player with a similar profile to the former Real Madrid player, but it was no easy task. The idea was to look for a veteran player, for two or three seasons, who would take on a secondary role, who could contribute between 15 and 20 goals coming off the bench and who had nothing to prove in the world of football.
However, it seems that everything has changed with the arrival of Gonzalo. He is not the pure number 9 that Real Madrid had in mind at the beginning, but he knows how to move like one inside the area. He has a first touch worthy of the best in this position and has proven his skill in heading the ball (he already did so against Celta in the Copa del Rey before the Club World Cup). It looks like he will be a first-team player in every sense of the word next season. But it is surprising that, despite belonging to Real Madrid, the club has left him out of the first team.
Gonzalo, out of the official squad
Gonzalo is now a member of the Real Madrid squad, and his goals and impact on the field are earning him the trust of his teammates, coaching staff, management, and fans. However, it is surprising that, as of today, the player does not belong to the Real Madrid squad.
On the Real Madrid website, in the first team squad, the young footballer does not appear among the team’s players, nor is there any trace of him. Although this is normal, as Gonzalo is still legally a Castilla player. The same thing happened with Raúl Asencio, and this case is even more striking, as the Canary Islander has been part of the first team squad since before 2025. However, both are still registered with the reserve team and, therefore, their official team is Real Madrid, as reflected on the club’s website, which is why both have a shirt number above 25, reserved for players in the lower categories.
However, given the impact of both players, there is no doubt that when Real Madrid officially announces the start of the new season, both players will be registered as members of Real Madrid’s first team.