Real Madrid player tells Xabi Alonso he 'wants to leave' after Club World Cup disappointment

A Real Madrid player has publicly requested to leave immediately after the Club World Cup.

Real reached the semi-finals of the Club World Cup, where they suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

It was manager Xabi Alonso's first loss in charge and denied him the opportunity to win a trophy at the first time of asking.

Lucas Vazquez and Luka Modric left the Bernabeu on free transfers immediately after the defeat, with both having had their contracts extended to cover the tournament.

Modric has since signed for AC Milan on a one-year deal.

There has also been an incoming, with former Real academy prospect Alvaro Carreras signing from Benfica.

Carreras - who formerly went under the name Fernandez - left Real to join Manchester United in 2020 before enjoying loan spells at Preston North End, Granada and Benfica.

After United surprisingly decided to sell Carreras to the Portuguese giants last summer, he enjoyed a fine campaign and has now sealed a move to Real worth an initial €45 million.

Now, another former Real academy star has said he needs to leave the club after missing out on the Club World Cup squad.

Alvaro Rodriguez, 20, was snubbed by Alonso in favour of 18-year-old striker Gonzalo Garcia, who went on to score three goals in the competition.

The Uruguay youth international scored his first La Liga goal against Atletico Madrid in February 2023, and made eight appearances during the season.

However, he only played twice in the following campaign and spent the 2024/25 season on loan at fellow La Liga side Getafe, where he scored three goals in 26 appearances in all competitions.

Upon his return, Rodriguez was not selected for the Club World Cup, and was not part of Real's initial pre-season training camp in the week before the squad departed for the United States.

Speaking to Post United (via AS), Rodriguez explained: "I'm 20 years old. I think I have to leave. I can't wait much longer for the first team.

"I'll continue on my path with the goal of returning. My dream is to play for Real Madrid and I'm going to fight to achieve it, but to do that I have to leave first.

"I could have gone to the [Club] World Cup, but I understand why they gave Gonzalo the opportunity."

Rodriguez added that, before he decided to join Real in 2020, he also had interest from local rivals Barcelona and Espanyol, as well as Manchester United: "My mother told my agent that I would only go to Madrid, and they hadn't called me yet. I think United also called about me. My manager even gave me an English dictionary."