The Spanish striker was a quintessential number nine: lethal in the box, commanding in the air, and wholly devoted to the club. Far from a flair player, Joselu's clinical edge, epitomised by his iconic brace against Bayern Munich, won the hearts of Real Madrid fans. His departure left a larger gap than expected.

Now, academy graduate Gonzalo Garcia has emerged as a prime candidate to take up the mantle.

The 20-year-old has scored an impressive 27 goals this season, two for the first team. Those strikes proved crucial: one clinched a Copa del Rey semi-final berth, and another heralded the start of Xabi Alonso's reign. Garcia has won the confidence of both Alonso and Joselu himself.

In a DAZN interview, Joselu lauded the youngster. "Gonzalo's madridismo shines through. He presses relentlessly and dominates aerial battles," he said.

Garcia's output, scoring or assisting every 50 minutes, is remarkable. Beyond numbers, Alonso has been struck by his mentality and maturity in initial training sessions.

Joselu, who shared a dressing room with Garcia in 2023-24, saw his potential up close. "He had a phenomenal season with Castilla, scoring loads of goals," Joselu noted. Garcia's 27 goals and five assists for Castilla mirror Joselu's own final season there (27 goals, four assists).

With Kylian Mbappe and Endrick injured, Garcia grabbed his chance in Alonso's starting eleven. He was relentless, linking play, topping the shot count, and scoring.

A second-half header nearly doubled his tally, only for Sevilla's Yassine Bounou to thwart him. Alonso's decision to play him for 90 minutes signalled strong faith.

Garcia's man-of-the-match performance left fans buzzing. "Starting in this shirt, which means the world to me, was unforgettable," he said post-match. He shared Alonso's advice: "Xabi told me during a break to stay high, fix the centre-backs, and exploit any errors to score."

Garcia's debut proved he's ready for the big stage.

Gonzalo Garcia rises to replace Joselu Mata's legacy at Real Madrid