The young shot-stopper, now firmly established at FC Barcelona under Hansi Flick, has also earned a place in the Spain squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking a major step in his career.

Speaking in an interview, Garcia reflected on his journey and compared the experience to former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who also had to wait for recognition at international level.

"I hope I can achieve the same as him - he won everything," Garcia said. "I'm really happy to be here and I'm looking forward to enjoying the journey and going as far as possible."

Garcia also praised young Barcelona and Spain teammate Lamine Yamal, who continues to attract huge attention despite his age.

"I think he's doing well, meeting his targets; little by little he's settling in with us," he said. "It's good for him to feel 100 per cent part of the team; he'll be ready for his debut."

On the demands of playing for Barcelona, Garcia admitted the scrutiny is constant but said he sees it as motivation rather than pressure.

"At Barca there's more expectation, more people are watching you, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing," he said. "It's positive that people feel this way about you."

He added that pressure is part of modern football at every level, especially at a club like Barcelona.

"We're used to the pressure," he explained. "At Barca, it's more evident in everyone. In every team there are high expectations. It's something you have from the moment you start in this world."

Garcia also spoke respectfully about injured Barcelona captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who will miss the World Cup through injury.

"It's a shame he's missing the World Cup through injury," he said. "He was in good form, playing very well. It's a real blow, and you have to support him."

Discussing competition within the squad, Garcia highlighted the positive atmosphere in the dressing room, including his relationship with Wojciech Szczesny.

"There are plenty of positives," he said. "He's a really funny bloke. We're very happy to have him with us. Everyone likes Tek."

With Spain coach Luis de la Fuente naming him in the final World Cup squad, Garcia now prepares for the biggest stage of his career, with Spain set to face Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in the group stage.

Steve Barker in awe of current Stellenbosch squad