Franco Mastantuono

Franco Mastantuono is an Argentine attacking midfielder whose left foot supplies both passes and shots. He has described the right side and central attacking positions as his familiar territory. That combination helps explain his appeal: he can receive away from the middle, then bring the attack towards goal rather than simply stay wide to cross.

Born in Azul, in Buenos Aires province, Mastantuono played tennis as well as football before committing to River Plate's youth setup. He joined the academy in 2019. He later explained that playing for River had been his childhood ambition and that his parents supported his decision to pursue football.

His first-team breakthrough came in January 2024. The following month he became the youngest goalscorer in River's history, and in March he won the Argentine Super Cup with River. Those milestones put a senior debut, a scoring record and a team trophy into the opening months of his professional career.

Set pieces gave him another way to influence a match. Against Boca Juniors in April 2025, he opened the Superclásico scoring with a direct free kick. It was a clear example of his ability to threaten goal from a stationary ball, alongside the passing vision highlighted when Real Madrid announced his signing.

Mastantuono made his senior Argentina debut against Chile in June 2025, coming off the bench for Thiago Almada in a World Cup qualifier. His early international breakthrough did not lead straight to a World Cup place: he was absent from the final 26-player squad Argentina announced for the 2026 tournament.

Real Madrid's signing agreement took effect in August 2025. His first goal for the club, against Levante that September, showed a different finishing option. After receiving a crossfield pass from Vinícius Júnior on the run, he changed direction and scored with his right foot. The move demonstrated how controlling a switch of play can turn a wide starting position into a direct chance.

In August 2026, Madrid announced an agreement to loan him to Fiorentina. The move added Italian football to a development path that had already taken him from River's academy to senior football in Argentina and Spain, with experience in both central and wide attacking roles.