Del Blanco in with a shout for a call-up to Scaloni’s Argentina squad? | OneFootball

The rumor has started to gain a lot of traction and is having a strong impact at Unión. Mateo Del Blanco, is he on Lionel Scaloni's radar for the National Team?

Mateo Del Blanco has long since become much more than a promising prospect at Unión. Currently, he stands out as one of the most decisive players in the red-and-white squad, in a season where he has maintained a high level, showing personality, energy, offensive projection, and an ever-increasing influence on the team’s performance.

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

The turning point in his development came when Leonardo Madelón decided to bet on him as left back, following the serious injury suffered by Bruno Pittón midway through last year. Since then, Del Blanco not only adapted to the position: he made that spot his own with increasingly convincing performances. To his intensity up and down the field, he added composure in defense, intelligence going forward, and a decisive presence in the final third, with goals, assists, and performances that have placed him among the most valuable players in the squad.

A present at Unión that is backed by the numbers

The data also supports this growth process. So far in the 2026 Torneo Apertura, 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, delivered 5 assists, and totaled 1,427 minutes, becoming a key piece in the team’s structure.

To this, you have to add his participation in other competitions. In 2025, he also saw action in the Copa Argentina, Copa Sudamericana, and the Apertura, always maintaining a steady presence in the coaching staff’s plans. His journey shows clear evolution: from a promising youth to a consolidated starter, and from a consolidated starter to a decisive player.

From the transfer market to an unexpected stay

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

In addition to the supposed interest from abroad, Del Blanco was also linked with major Argentine clubs such as Racing, River, and Independiente, and was even mentioned in connection with Brazilian teams. But in the end, he stayed in Santa Fe, where the management still sees him as the main asset for the next transfer window.

In this context, there was also a significant change regarding his representation. Del Blanco strengthened his entourage by bringing in Cristian Berey from the KW agency, although until June he will continue to be jointly represented by Insúa Group, where Cataldo works. All this only reinforces the idea that his career is at a moment of strong projection.

A rumor that shakes things up: on the National Team’s radar?

In recent hours, information has emerged from Buenos Aires linking Del Blanco to the Argentina National Team, just under 100 days before the 2026 World Cup. The rumor suggests that, looking ahead to the next FIFA date, Lionel Scaloni is considering the possibility of observing some players from the local league, and among them is the Unión left back.

Argentina will not play the Finalissima, but is 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 domestic league.

And this is where Del Blanco’s name starts to make footballing sense. He plays in a position where the National Team has struggled to find much depth in recent times. Nicolás Tagliafico and Marcos Acuña remain the main references at left back, although both are currently less impactful than in previous cycles. Behind them, there hasn’t been a clear and sustained renewal. At one point, even Lucas Esquivel, another former Unión player now at Athletico Paranaense, was mentioned for that spot, and Scaloni himself publicly acknowledged him.

A distant possibility, but not impossible

Even so, the chance of seeing Del Blanco in an Argentina call-up today seems, at the very least, a bold rumor. Especially considering the context: there is very little time left before the World Cup starts, and Scaloni doesn’t usually open the door too much to players from the Argentine league in the final stretch of major tournaments. In this regard, even Ángel Di María, in a chat with TyC Sports and journalist Adriel Driussi, ironically remarked that the coach tends to look much more towards European football.

That’s why, at first glance, the information seems hard to confirm. But it’s also true that the rumor hasn’t died down and, on the contrary, has started to spread. And at Unión, naturally, it hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Unión gets excited both on and off the field

In Santa Fe, they’re rubbing their hands. First, because Del Blanco is going through a spell that gives the team stature and makes him a decisive tool in Madelón’s setup. But also because a possible call-up to the National Team, even if it’s just for a trial or a specific observation, would have a huge impact on his market value.

It wouldn’t just be sports news. It would also be a market signal. Unión knows that Del Blanco is currently its most important asset for a future transfer, and any mention linked to the national team would act as a first-class booster.

Meanwhile, the left back keeps doing his thing: playing well, growing match by match, and confirming that his name has ceased to be a promise and is now a reality. At Unión, they’re enjoying his present. And even though the National Team still seems a distant goal, the mere emergence of this rumor already shows just how high one of Santa Fe’s standout footballers has soared.

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