Mastantuono: I'd love to return to River, thanks Demichelis, Gallardo | OneFootball

At 18 years old, Franco Mastantuono is living a dream present. He has established himself as a starter at Real Madrid, where he already scored his first goal against Levante, and in the last round of the South American Qualifiers he had the honor of wearing Lionel Messi’s number 10 for the Argentina national team. Beyond the current moment full of spotlights, the native of Azul keeps River very close to his heart: he thanked the fans for their affection, explained that both Martín Demichelis and Marcelo Gallardo were hugely important to his career, and he dreams of the possibility of returning.

After standout performances in River’s youth divisions, being called up to the U-17 World Cup in Indonesia a year younger than his teammates, and a preseason with the first team, Mastantuono made his professional debut on January 28, 2024, in the draw against Argentinos Juniors in the League Cup.

“Both Marcelo (Gallardo) and Martín Demichelis had a big impact on my career. They were my first coaches, I learned a lot from them, they made my dream of becoming a professional player come true and of playing in River’s jersey,” he explained in an interview with ESPN.

Since that hot summer day, the talented left-footer wore La Banda’s jersey on 64 occasions, in which he scored ten goals and provided seven assists. He also wowed the world with his play, leading Real Madrid to pay the 45 million euros of his release clause and Lionel Scaloni to make him the youngest debutant in the history of the Argentina national team.

“The fans meant everything to me. From the moment I stepped onto the pitch that first day, I felt the affection I had dreamed of since I was a kid. Going to the stadium to watch River. That affection was unique and I’m always grateful for it. I know many felt bad about my transfer (to Real Madrid). It bothered many; others understood it. I’m left with the affection they gave me, and I will never forget that in my life,” said Mastantuono, who holds no grudge against those Millonario fans who were upset that he left the club mid-year, just as the decisive stage of the Copa Libertadores was about to begin.

Although he is still very young and in the midst of developing his career, he has in mind returning to the club he loves in the future: “Honestly, I would love to come back to River someday. Then, in life, millions of things happen and you can’t know today what might happen in 10 years. But I love it; I watch every game. I feel a love for the club that, being far away, becomes even more evident. A club like River, with how big it is… It always makes you want to come back.”

For now, Mastantuono is in camp in Miami with the Argentina national team ahead of friendlies against Venezuela and Puerto Rico to be played in that U.S. city. Given the quality of the opponents and that these friendlies will help finalize details ahead of the next World Cup, it’s likely the 18-year-old will see minutes in both matches.

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