From Blanco to a possible Argentina call-up under Scaloni? | OneFootball

The rumor started gaining a lot of traction and is having a strong impact on Unión. Mateo Del Blanco, in Lionel Scaloni's sights for the National Team?

Mateo Del Blanco has long become much more than a promising appearance at Unión. Currently, he stands as one of the most decisive players in the red and white squad, in a season where he has maintained a high level, with personality, range, offensive projection, and an increasing impact on the team's performance.

What he is showing in this Apertura Tournament only confirms all the good he displayed during the second half of 2025, when he finished the Clausura as the team's top assist provider, with five goal passes.

The turning point in his growth came when Leonardo Madelón decided to bet on him as a left-back, following the serious injury suffered by Bruno Pittón in the middle of last year. Since then, Del Blanco not only adapted to the position: he took ownership of that sector with increasingly convincing performances. He added poise to his intensity for going back and forth, showed judgment in attacking, and had a decisive participation in the final meters, with goals, assists, and performances that placed him among the most valuable players in the squad.

A present at Unión that supports the numbers

The data also supports this growth process. So far in the Apertura Tournament 2026, Del Blanco has played 10 matches, scored 2 goals, provided 1 assist, and accumulated 860 minutes. But his production had already been on the rise since 2025: in the Clausura he played 16 games, scored 1 goal, provided 5 assists, and totaled 1,427 minutes, becoming a key piece in the team's structure.

In addition to that, he participated in other competitions. During 2025 he also saw action in the Argentine Cup, South American Cup, and the Apertura, always with sustained presence within the coaching staff's consideration. The journey shows evident evolution: from a promising youth to a consolidated starter and from a consolidated starter to a decisive player.

From the market to an unexpected stay

With such performance, it was no surprise that in the last transfer market his name started circulating strongly. The agent Julio Cataldo had stated at the time that the player's future could be in Europe, highlighting the volume of offers and interests surrounding him. However, none of those negotiations resulted in a concrete proposal that satisfied Unión.

Besides the supposed interest from abroad, Del Blanco was also linked with major Argentine football clubs like Racing, River, and Independiente, and he was even mentioned in the orbit of Brazilian teams. But he ultimately stayed in Santa Fe, where the management keeps him as the main selling card for the next market.

In that scenario, there was also a significant move regarding his representation. Del Blanco strengthened his environment by incorporating Cristian Berey from the agency KW, although until June he will continue a joint representation with Insúa Group, where Cataldo works. All this only reinforces the idea that his career is experiencing a moment of strong projection.

A version that shakes things up: National Team radar?

Recently, a piece of information from Buenos Aires began gaining strength, linking Del Blanco with the Argentine National Team, just when there are less than 100 days left for the 2026 World Cup. The version indicates that, ahead of the next FIFA date, Lionel Scaloni is considering the possibility of observing some local players, and among them, the name of Unión's left-back appears.

Argentina will not play the Finalissima, but they are expected to have a friendly against Guatemala on March 31, most likely at La Bombonera. In this context, there is talk of a trial call-up for some players from the local tournament.

And this is where Del Blanco's name starts to make football sense. He plays in a position where the National Team has not found much replacement in recent times. The names of Nicolás Tagliafico and Marcos Acuña remain references at left-back, although both are experiencing a less impactful present than in other cycles. Behind them, there has not been a clear and sustained renewal. At some point, even, one of the names that was mentioned in that sector was Lucas Esquivel, another former Unión player, now at Athletico Paranaense, whom Scaloni himself publicly mentioned.

A distant possibility, but not impossible

Nonetheless, the chance of seeing Del Blanco in an albiceleste call-up today appears, at least, as a bold version. Especially given the context: there is very little time left before the World Cup begins, and Scaloni does not usually open the door too much to Argentine football players in the final stretch of major tournaments. In this regard, even Ángel Di María, in a conversation with TyC Sports and colleague Adriel Driussi, ironically hinted that the coach tends to look much more towards European football.

Therefore, initially, the information seems to have a side that is difficult to confirm. But it is also true that the rumor has not died down and, on the contrary, has started to multiply. And at Unión, naturally, it does not go unnoticed.

Unión dreams on and off the field

In Santa Fe, they are rubbing their hands. First, because Del Blanco is going through a present that gives the team hierarchy and makes him a decisive tool within Madelón's scheme. But also, because a potential call-up to the National Team, even if it were for a trial or a specific observation, would have a huge impact on his valuation.

It would not just be sports news. It would also be a market signal. Unión knows that Del Blanco is currently their most important asset for a future transfer, and any mention linked to the Albiceleste would act as a top-level enhancer.

Meanwhile, the left-back continues to do his thing: play well, grow game by game, and confirm that his name has ceased to be a promise to become a reality. At Unión, they enjoy his present. And although the National Team still seems like a distant frontier, the mere appearance of that version already marks how far the flight of one of the moment's footballers in Santa Fe has reached.

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