Mastantuono spoke ahead of the World Cup: «I’m happy» | OneFootball

Franco Mastantuono, a year ago, moved from River to Real Madrid in a historic transfer, with the prospect of becoming Argentina’s new football star. Now, ahead of the 2026 World Cup, his presence on the squad list is uncertain. And before the final call-ups are confirmed, Mastantuono spoke.

“I’m happy, I really wanted to be here”, Mastantuono told ESPN upon his arrival in Argentina this Monday. The Real Madrid player gave no clues about whether he will be at the World Cup. “Always nervous, but it’s nice when this happens, so now we wait. It was a difficult season, but I learned a lot and next season will surely be better”, the attacker added.

Is he going to the World Cup?

“The list is pretty clear”, said Gastón Edul, the journalist who covers Argentina’s day-to-day for TyC Sports. “It’s still uncertain whether Franco Mastantuono will go to the World Cup or not. That’s the big question. Right now, it’s up in the air because of the way he’s coming in. The same goes for Colo Barco, although I see him more likely to go than not”, the journalist said.

“Out of Medina, Senesi, Barco, Mastantuono, Lo Celso and Prestianni, three of those six will go. In my opinion, it’ll be Senesi, Barco and Lo Celso”, Gastón Edul said ahead of Scaloni’s final decision, when he will reveal the players on the definitive squad for the 2026 World Cup.

“In midfield, Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister and Exequiel Palacios are confirmed. Barco and Lo Celso are battling for a spot. In attack, Giuliano Simeone, Nico González, Thiago Almada, Lionel Messi, Nico Paz, Lautaro Martínez, Julián Álvarez and José Manuel López are going”, Edul added.

What’s going on with Mastantuono?

“I don’t know if Scaloni has drawn any firm conclusions, but if up to now you had the chance to move up the ladder, I don’t think there are players who have moved up or down. But there are players who could have taken a step forward and didn’t, like Mastantuono. If the squad were picked today, he wouldn’t be in it. But if he starts playing again and gets continuity, then we’re talking about something else”, journalist Diego Monroig said on ESPN.

“It’s going to depend on the kind of activity he gets at Real Madrid. Scaloni already knows what he can bring. They’re different kinds of players, but on the squad list he’s being linked to a battle with Prestianni. If Mastantuono goes back to Real Madrid and maintains — or repeats — what he had been showing, it’s going to be difficult”, the journalist added.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.