For that to happen, Madrid would need to make room — and that means potentially selling both Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo. No decision has been made, bu

Cristiano Ronaldo also changed his shirt number early into his Madrid career. Like Mbappe, the Portugal international wore the No 9 after joining the club from Manchester United in the summer of 2009. He inherited Raul’s No 7 shirt from the 2010/11 season onwards.

As the only two natural strikers in Alonso’s squad, both Endrick and Gonzalo would fit the mold of the No. 9 shirt at Real Madrid. Yet the “heated” battle between the two players puts the club in a tricky position, forced to choose between the teenage sensation they once believed in or the breakout star that more-than proved his worth this summer.