Why Real Madrid are spending €40m on River Plate and Argentina's Phil Foden-esque teenagerThe 17-year-old has already made a name for himself in River Plate's history, and now it seems like he's headed for the Bernabeu.
Oh, here we go again! Real Madrid is on the hunt for yet another young talent from South America. It’s interesting how Los Blancos have shifted their approach to transfers lately. Gone are the days of the Galactico model; now they’re focusing on scooping up a bunch of exciting young players from across the ocean.
And it looks like Franco Mastantuono is their latest find. The attacking midfielder has been making headlines over the past couple of seasons with River Plate. Can you believe he became the youngest goal-scorer in the club's history? His dribbling skills and striking ability are just something else.
But, seriously, who is this Mastantuono guy? Where does he come from, and what’s next for him? Is he really ready to shine in La Liga? Let’s dive into Madrid’s next big South American project…
Back in the day, Mastantuono had a tough time picking just one sport. He was born about 300 kilometers south of Buenos Aires in a lively little town called Azul. From a young age, he was all about sports—playing both tennis and football like a pro.
It’s kind of wild to think about how differently things could have turned out. When he was just 10, River Plate offered him a spot in their academy, but he turned it down. His family was really keen on him pursuing tennis instead, so he played local club football for a year.
But then in 2019, River came knocking again, and this time he couldn’t resist. Sure, his youth career faced some bumps thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, but once football kicked back into gear in Argentina, he hit the ground running. He was a top scorer at various youth levels and even got called up to River’s Under-17 team when he was just 15.
Since then, it’s been all about progress for Mastantuono. His first senior goal—a beautiful volley that sealed a win against Excursionistas in the Copa Argentina back in February 2024—made him the youngest goal-scorer in the club's history, breaking a record that Javier Saviola held.
But then, things got a bit tricky for him. The coach, Demichelis, wasn’t too keen on giving Mastantuono a lot of game time, which left fans frustrated as River struggled in the league. They ended the 2024 season in fifth place, and Demichelis ended up being let go. Club legend Marcelo Gallardo took over, and Mastantuono signed a new contract to stay until 2026.
Fast forward to the 2025 season, and he was back in the groove, becoming a regular in the first team. One of his standout moments? That incredible free-kick in a Superclasico against Boca Juniors. What a goal! It even got him a call-up to the senior Argentina team, making him the youngest player to ever appear in a competitive match.
Mastantuono is really known for his electrifying dribbling, sharp passing, and that killer left foot. People have even compared him to Phil Foden from Manchester City.
But hey, he’s still working on some parts of his game, like getting stronger and improving his right foot. Even so, his talent has caught the eye of top European clubs. PSG was pushing hard for him, but it looks like Madrid has won this round. Exciting times ahead!
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The 17-year-old has already made a name for himself in River Plate's history, and now it seems like he's headed for the Bernabeu.
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