River Plate’s Lautaro Rivero: from transfers to Argentina call-up | OneFootball

From selling cookies at traffic lights to a call-up from Lionel Scaloni to the National Team. The story of Lautaro Rivero, 21 years old, central defender for River Plate, is one of the most surprising and moving among the new faces of the “Scaloneta” called up for the October friendlies in the United States.

Lautaro Rivero, from the market and alfajores to the National Team: the fairy tale of the River defender called up by Scaloni

Rivero was born in 2003 and grew up in the youth sector of River Plate. However, his adolescence was not easy: to help his family, he did various jobs, selling alfajores, flowers, and notebooks in markets and on the streets of Buenos Aires. “I took advantage of the holidays with the youth team to work, but I never stopped training,” he said in an interview.

The turning point at Central Córdoba

In 2024, Rivero’s career took a decisive turn: on loan at Central Córdoba in Santiago del Estero, he established himself as a starter and experienced a historic night with a victory in the Copa Argentina against Vélez. An image of him, years earlier, selling cookies at street intersections went viral, turning him into a symbol of sacrifice and redemption.

In the Copa Libertadores, he also stood out against top-level opponents like Flamengo at the Maracaná. His performances convinced Marcelo Gallardo to bring him back to River Plate, where he quickly became a regular starter in defense.

The call-up to the National Team

Today, Rivero is at the peak of his young career: Scaloni has included him among the players called up for Argentina’s friendlies against Venezuela and Puerto Rico. A milestone that confirms his growth and projects him onto the international stage alongside champions like Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez, and Lautaro Martínez.

Scaloni’s call-ups – October 2025

Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez, Gerónimo Rulli, Walter Benítez, Facundo Cambeses

Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Leonardo Balerdi, Nicolás Otamendi, Marcos Senesi, Lautaro Rivero, Marcos Acuña, Nicolás Tagliafico

Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Aníbal Moreno, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Nicolás Paz, Giovani Lo Celso, Alexis Mac Allister

Forwards: Thiago Almada, Giuliano Simeone, Nicolás González, Franco Mastantuono, Lionel Messi, José Manuel López, Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez

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