Fran Garcia is enjoying his best spell yet in a Real Madrid C.F. shirt, and he is doing it on the biggest stage of all: the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. The tireless left-back, who is often an unsung hero, took centre stage in his side’s quarter-final tie against Borussia Dortmund. He bagged a crucial goal that helped seal victory for Los Blancos and kept their hopes of winning more silverware alive.
His performance and impact on the game earned him the Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match Award. This was not just a flash in the pan. His performances at the tournament so far have been exemplary, and show that he is enjoying his best spell at the club since his return to his boyhood team.
In a squad that is brimming with talent, the 25-year-old has earned his place in the side through consistency, hard work, and the small details that set him apart from the rest. As well as finding the back of the net against Borussia Dortmund, he left his usual mark on the game: relentless bursts up and down the wing, sharp link-up play, and bravery in the tackle. His goal was more than just an individual reward. It is also a clear sign that Real Madrid have found a player they can trust for the highly-competitive left-back position.
There is one man who has been the driving force behind it all: Xabi Alonso. The coach who hails from Tolosa has managed to get the best out of Garcia by using a simple but effective approach: trust and clarity. With Xabi at the helm, he knows exactly when to cast off the shackles and when to drop back.
The coach himself was well aware of his potential from his coaching days at Bayer Leverkusen. In fact, the German outfit explored the possibility of securing his signature while he was strutting his stuff at Rayo Vallecano, but it was Real Madrid who exercised their buy-back option to bring him back to the club.
“We’re over the moon to have made it to the semi-final,” Fran Garcia told FIFA after the match. “The match ended in a crazy fashion. We had a stroke of bad luck with the penalty we conceded, but I’d rather focus on the positives,” he added.
“It’s such an incredible feeling. I always give it my absolute all to help the team, and I’m over the moon we’ve made it through to the semi-final,” Garcia said after being named player of the match.
When asked about his team’s ambitions for the tournament, he said: “The first winners of a new tournament will always go down in history, and we’re fully focused on making that happen. As far as I’m concerned, Real Madrid is the best team in the world, and we’re always one of the favourites no matter what tournament we’re playing in.”
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Real Madrid has been his home since he was a boy. Garcia joined Real Madrid’s youth academy as a youngster and honed his skills under the guidance of legends like Santiago Solari and Guti, two coaches who were key to his development at La Fabrica.
As he once said of his former coach, in an interview with Relevo: “Solari taught me that it’s not just about playing well, but about understanding that everyone needs to put a shift in to help the team.”
Guti showed him the importance of honing his technical skills and encouraged him to drop the restraints and be more attack minded. The Madrid-born coach showed faith in him by promoting him from the Youth B team to the Youth A team. His time at Valdebebas shaped the character of a footballer who understood the importance of being patient.
Another key person in his life, not as a coach but as a mentor, was Roberto Carlos, who is better qualified than anyone else in his position, and who gave him words of wisdom. The Real Madrid ambassador remained close to Garcia and played a key role in his development, both during his time in the youth ranks and again following his return to the first team. The best possible mentor, not only to help him be the best left-back he can be, but also to help him understand what it means to play for Real Madrid.
It has not all been plain sailing, however. He has had to contend with some serious injury setbacks, especially to his right shoulder. In 2017, while plying his trade for the Youth A team, he dislocated the shoulder and tore his labrum, which forced him to go under the knife and left him sidelined for nearly three months.
During his spell in the youth ranks, he had to deal with seven separate partial shoulder dislocations and relapses. As he revealed in the Real Madrid TV documentary Campo de Estrellas, it was a ‘dark period’ during which he even toyed with the idea of quitting football. However, he stuck with it, and every setback only served to make him stronger and more determined.
Now, at the Club World Cup, Fran Garcia is the epitome of a player who knows how hard it is to reach the top level, and, more importantly, to stay there. His goal against Borussia Dortmund will go down as a pivotal moment in the tournament if Xabi Alonso’s side manage to lift the trophy. For the defender, each game in this tournament is a reward for years and years of hard work and persistence.
His journey is proof that Real Madrid’s academy still continues to churn out first-team players of the highest quality, who are shaped by patience, excellent coaches, and sheer hard work. And that sometimes, even where there are bumps in the road, like with his shoulder problems, perseverance and persistence are enough to overcome any setback. Fran Garcia has earned his moment. And the Club World Cup is the perfect stage for him to show that to the world.
