Mastantuono is introduced by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez during his presentation on 14/8. Photo: Real Madrid

Mastantuono is introduced by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez during his presentation on 14/8. Photo: Real Madrid

Sporting a fresh haircut and platinum blonde hair, Mastantuono was officially presented by Real Madrid on 14/8, his 18th birthday, receiving the number 30 jersey. The deal was finalized in mid-June, but Real Madrid waited until the young Argentine midfielder turned 18 to make the announcement.

With a total transfer fee of 73.8 million USD, including a 52.5 million USD release clause from his former club River Plate and additional fees, Mastantuono's transfer ranks among Real Madrid's top 10 most expensive signings. It also marks a historical moment for the Madrid club. Previous direct transfers from River Plate to Real Madrid were exclusively forwards: Eduardo Anzarda and Oscar Mas in the 1990s, and Gonzalo Higuain in 2007.

Mastantuono's arrival ends Real Madrid's 11-year absence of an Argentine player since Angel di Maria's departure in 2014. Real Madrid's history, shaped by the legendary Alfredo Di Stefano, boasts the second-highest number of Argentine players. Including Mastantuono, 29 Argentines have played for Real Madrid, just two fewer than the number of Brazilians. Over the past decade, with the absence of Argentines, Brazil has been Real Madrid's primary source of talent.

Real Madrid faced stiff competition from several major clubs, including PSG, to secure Mastantuono. As the midfielder revealed, he only agreed to join Real Madrid after a personal phone call from the new coach, Xabi Alonso.

"It's true that many clubs were interested in me. I respect them all. I was fortunate to speak with Luis Enrique, a great coach whom I hold in the highest regard. He was very straightforward with me. I want to thank him and congratulate him and PSG on their recent European Super Cup victory," Mastantuono added during his presentation.

Alonso and Enrique aren't the only ones who recognize the 18-year-old's potential. According to Argentine newspaper La Nacion, even Lionel Messi exclaimed, "This kid is good!", while observing one of Mastantuono's training sessions with the Argentine youth team in 2024.

Mastantuono poses with his idol Messi during an Argentine youth team training session in 2024. Photo: Ole

Mastantuono poses with his idol Messi during an Argentine youth team training session in 2024. Photo: Ole

At the time, Messi was training with the national team at their training center on the outskirts of Buenos Aires and stopped by to watch a youth team practice. Rarely one to offer public commentary on football, Messi made an exception that day. Standing on the sidelines, he praised Mastantuono, a left-footed winger like himself, with a fluid playing style and powerful shots. Mastantuono was only 16 then.

What Messi observed is now evident to millions. Despite living a normal teenage life, Mastantuono has continuously broken Argentine football records. In 2/2024, he became River Plate's youngest goalscorer, netting against Excursionistas in the Argentine Cup at 16 years, 5 months, and 24 days old. In 4/2024, he broke his own record in the Copa Libertadores (South America's equivalent of the Champions League) with a goal against Libertad of Paraguay at 16 years, 8 months, and 10 days old. In 4/2025, he scored a stunning free-kick, becoming River's youngest goalscorer in the Super Clasico against Boca Juniors at 17 years, 8 months, and 13 days old.

Not only did Mastantuono become a standout player for River Plate in 2025, but the South American giant's jersey also began to feel too small for him. In Argentina's 1-0 victory over Chile in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on 6/6 of this year, Mastantuono made history again. Coming on as a substitute for Thiago Almada in the 84th minute, he played alongside Messi and became the youngest player to debut for Argentina in an official match at 17 years, 9 months, and 22 days old, surpassing both Diego Maradona and Messi himself.

Mastantuono embraces Messi during the match against Chile in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on 6/6. Photo: AFA

Mastantuono embraces Messi during the match against Chile in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on 6/6. Photo: AFA

Mastantuono's uniqueness lies not only in his football talent but also in his versatility in other sports. Left-footed in football, he played tennis right-handed as a child. Born in Azul, in the heart of Buenos Aires province, 300 km southwest of the capital, Mastantuono grew up in a middle-class family, a departure from the backgrounds of most South American footballers. With a sociologist mother and a father who owns a football school, Mastantuono was initially steered towards a career in tennis. At 11, he was among the top 5 young tennis players in Argentina.

"Franco played tennis like a madman. But he was very good, with quality forehands and powerful shots. He liked to control the score and dominate the court," recalls 18-year-old Argentine tennis player Valentin Garay. Garay faced Mastantuono in a national tournament in Tucuman when they were both 9. "It was scorching hot that day. Franco beat me 7-5, 6-0. In the second set, he completely overwhelmed me; I couldn't see the ball. Franco was very talented, but also incredibly strong mentally," Garay adds.

However, at 11, Mastantuono decided to leave tennis to focus on football, joining the River Plate academy – a club renowned for producing creative and attacking players, from Alfredo Di Stefano and Omar Sivori to Ariel Ortega, Pablo Aimar, Javier Saviola, and Julian Alvarez.

Mastantuono during his childhood tennis days. Photo: La Nacion

Mastantuono during his childhood tennis days. Photo: La Nacion

In River's youth ranks, Mastantuono was always seen as an "old soul." Unlike his peers, he played only one match for the reserve team before making 64 appearances for Real's first team, scoring 10 goals and providing 7 assists in a year and a half. A teenager with maturity beyond his years, he demonstrates composure on the pitch, readily taking decisive penalties in tense matches.

This self-assuredness was evident during his Real Madrid presentation. When faced with a tricky question from the press about who the best player in the world is, Mastantuono didn't hesitate: "The best player in the world is Messi. I'm Argentine."

Mastantuono identifies as a forward, left-footed, starting as a number 10, but now plays more offensively, usually from the right wing or cutting inside. He prefers scoring to assisting, though he acknowledges the importance of both skills for his current position. However, he affirms his willingness to play wherever the coach requires. "I like the positional and tactical play in La Liga. I think that will help. The pace of the game in Europe is higher, but I hope I can adapt quickly," the new Real Madrid signing adds.

Mastantuono dribbles the ball during the Super Clasico against Boca Juniors in the Argentine league. Photo: AFP

Mastantuono dribbles the ball during the Super Clasico against Boca Juniors in the Argentine league. Photo: AFP

Mastantuono's musical taste is also unique: he loves rock and roll – a rarity for his age. While his peers are into trap, urban music, reggaeton, or cumbia, Mastantuono immerses himself in the sounds of rock. He's a fan of the band Las Pastillas del Abuelo and is even friends with their frontman, Piti Fernandez. He's moved by the music of Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota – a legendary Argentine band – attends concerts by Los Ratones Paranoicos, and shares photos on Instagram with music from Los Rodriguez, the Argentine-Spanish band led by Andres Calamaro. Despite his passion for music, Mastantuono maintains his studies: during his time with River, he diligently kept up with his math studies.

In the book "Dios es redondo" (God is Round), Mexican writer Juan Villoro once predicted: "If River discovers a star, it means he's only 20 goals away from being bought by Parma." The era of Parma or Italian clubs dominating the transfer market is over, and Mastantuono only scored 10 goals for River, half the journey outlined by Juan Villoro. But that was enough to bring his rock style and powerful shots to Real Madrid. And Messi saw it coming.

Compiled by Hoang Thong