With less than six months to go until the FIFA World Cup 2026It is normal for transfer rumors to circulate among players looking to increase their chances of participating in the world’s biggest football tournament. Argentinian prodigy Franco Mastantuono was at the center of such speculation Real Madrid.
A few weeks ago, Mastantuono’s name appeared right in the news media rumors of a possible departure from the Spanish side during the January transfer windowgiven the limited opportunities he has been given under head coach lately Xabi Alonso.
However, the reality seems to be far removed from those reports. “Real Madrid are considering Franco Mastantuono not being available for loan in January, that has never been possible.” Journalist Fabrizio Romano reported this through his official on Tuesday X account.
The 18-year-old winger had started the 2025/26 season in strong form, regularly showing flashes of the talent that prompted Los Blancos to pay a significant fee to River plate for him. But a groin injury completely changed his situation and put Franco in an unexpected position.
Mastantuono wore Argentina’s number 10 jersey during the qualifying match against Ecuador in September.
After that injury sidelined him for four games – and forced him to withdraw from the Argentina national team squad for the October international break – Mastantuono abruptly lost his place at Real Madrid. He remained on the bench for five games without playing, logging just 67 minutes in two games The League and the King’s cup.
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Mastantuono’s chances of playing in the 2026 World Cup
In part, the rumors linking Franco Mastantuono with a possible move in the January transfer window were based on the winger’s need for more playing time at club level to secure his place Argentinaselection for the 2026 World Cup.
Over the course of this year, Mastantuono experienced a meteoric rise on the international stage. He was a replacement for The Argentinian U-20 team at the South American tournament in January, but his performances for River Plate and subsequent transfer to Real Madrid led to his national team debut in June. A few months later he even wore shirt No. 10 Lionel Messi‘s absence.
These milestones appeared to position the young winger as a near lock among the 26 players expected to be selected Lionel Scaloni next summer. However, his current lack of minutes at Real Madrid could prove costly as other players vying for the same role steadily gain ground.
Mastantuono’s competition with Argentina
Franco Mastantuono is part of a long list of young attacking players who will compete for a place in the World Cup with Argentina. One of its strongest competitors is Nicholas Pazwho had an excellent year with Like 1907 in Serie A and it is almost certain that he will be back at Real Madrid next summer.
Claudio Echeverri found himself in a situation similar to Mastantuono’s at Bayer Leverkusen and agreed to move there Girona looking for more consistent playing time. Gianluca Prestianni of Benfica and Alejandro Garnacho of ChelseaAnd Matias Soule from AS Roma belong to the other players who complete that group.
In addition to the emerging talents, established stars are also competing for places in Scaloni’s selection. Giovani Lo Celsocurrently in the margins at Real Betis, could join Inter Miami in search of more minutes; Angel Correa flourishes at Tigres in Mexico; And Nicholas González And Thiago Almada are well integrated at Atletico Madrid. Clearly there won’t be room for all of them in Argentina’s squad, and the next six months will be decisive in that competition.
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