Touted as a major prospect, the attacking midfielder will have a chance to shine for the Millonario at the new Club World Cup.
Argentine football has long been a cradle of talent. The latest name to emerge is Franco Mastantuono, who dons the River Plate jersey. Despite being just 17, the attacking midfielder has already been announced by Real Madrid. The deal between the player and the club was finalised last Sunday.
River will be able to count on Mastantuono for the Club World Cup, with the tournament in the United States marking his farewell. Los Merengues have secured the Argentine's arrival for the 2025/26 season.
Trivela spoke with Argentine journalist Santiago Sourigues from the website “**Top Mercato**” to understand why the attacking midfielder has attracted so much attention in such a short time.
River Plate's Franco Mastantuono celebrates after scoring on April 27, 2025
Meet Franco Mastantuono
Here’s Santiago’s summary of River Plate’s homegrown talent. Franco Mastantuono has always stood out for his skill in the youth ranks. At the end of 2023, the attacking midfielder gained notoriety by leading Argentina’s U-17 team to fourth place at the World Cup.
Since then, he has joined the U-20 national team. The following year, Mastantuono made his professional debut for River thanks to Martín Demichelis. The then-coach put his faith in the youngster and gave him a run of games.
With the return of Marcelo Gallardo to River Plate in August 2024, the Argentine gem initially lost some ground, but quickly won over the new boss. This season, Franco Mastantuono has been playing at his best, taking center stage.
Mastantuono for River Plate in 2025: Libertadores, Argentine League, and Argentine Cup
Matches: 19
Goals: 7
Assists: 4
One of the most iconic moments for the Argentine attacking midfielder so far was his stunning free-kick goal against Boca Juniors. Beyond his technical quality, Franco Mastantuono impresses with his maturity to stand out in South America’s most emblematic derby.
PSG and Real Madrid vied for the Argentine talent
It’s no surprise that the attacking midfielder’s days at the Millonario are numbered. PSG and Real Madrid were among the favorites to sign the Argentine, and Los Merengues came out on top. The team even enlisted Xabi Alonso to call and help convince the youngster, who chose to join the Spanish side.
On the other hand, River tried to play hardball regarding the release date for the Argentine midfielder. River Plate director Stefano di Carlo recently stated that the Argentine coaching staff wanted to keep Franco Mastantuono until the end of 2025.
River Plate demanded payment of the €45 million release clause (about R$292.5 million) to let the midfielder go, which put off the Parisians. Real Madrid, however, agreed, making the Argentine the most expensive sale in the country’s history.
Mastantuono will turn 18 on August 14, the date when he’ll be eligible for an international transfer. However, as an Italo-Argentine, he could have moved to Spain before coming of age. At Real Madrid, he’ll be under contract until June 2031.
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi pictured in June 2025
Heir to Lionel Messi?
Santiago Sourigues lists the main qualities of River’s Argentine attacking midfielder: “left-footed, skillful, and physically imposing for his age.” These traits explain why Franco Mastantuono draws so many comparisons to Lionel Messi.
While the Inter Miami star nears retirement at 37, River Plate’s attacking midfielder is emerging as one of the leading candidates to succeed the number 10 jersey for Argentina’s national team.
Coach Lionel Scaloni called up Mastantuono to the senior Albiceleste squad for the first time for the June FIFA window. In the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, the Millonario gem has already made his debut for Argentina—becoming the youngest player ever to take the field for the national team.
This article was originally published on Trivela.
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