Franco Mastantuono, A promising tennis player who everything changed: at 16 years old, on Sunday he can debut in River’s first team
Claudio Echeverri and Franco Mastantuono are two of the most repeated names in recent years in the hallways of the Monumental and the Hurlingham and Ezeiza properties. Two exquisite numbers 10, with different characteristics but united by the River Plate gene: elegant football. The first already dazzled and was sold to Manchester City at the age of 18 and with six official matches in the first division. The second is beginning to show his first touches with the professional team, he had good income in the preseason friendlies and, at only 16 years old, he will have the possibility of going to the substitutes’ bench this Sunday against Argentinos Juniors. An opportunity as deserved as it was unexpected for someone who was a promising Argentine tennis player and chose to be a soccer player .
Who is Mastantuono? He is an offensive midfielder born on August 14, 2007 in Azul, Province of Buenos Aires, who signed for River at 12 years old, an age to play in children’s teams. Left-handed, 1.72 meters tall and without matches in the Reserve, he made the leap to the fifth division in 2023 at the age of seventh and stood out with income in the Under 17 World Cup with the Argentine team . Engaging by nature, he is the great promise of the youth teams behind Diablito Echeverri, to the point that River, in August of last year, signed him his first professional contract until December 2025, with an exit clause of 30 million euros . which rises to 35 million 10 business days after the closing of each transfer market.
Who is Mastantuono? He is an offensive midfielder born on August 14, 2007 in Azul, Province of Buenos Aires, who signed for River at 12 years old, an age to play in children’s teams. Left-handed, 1.72 meters tall and without matches in the Reserve, he made the leap to the fifth division in 2023 at the age of seventh and stood out with income in the Under 17 World Cup with the Argentine team . Engaging by nature, he is the great promise of the youth teams behind Diablito Echeverri, to the point that River, in August of last year, signed him his first professional contract until December 2025, with an exit clause of 30 million euros . which rises to 35 million 10 business days after the closing of each transfer market.
At the same time, and at only eight years old, he had a test in his city in which he dazzled the recruiter Daniel Brizuela, who spent two years insisting with phone calls and visits to the house in Azul to convince him to join the Millionaire. Only in 2019, when he spent a full week practicing, did he decide to choose soccer: he moved to the boarding house and was signed to play in the League. His first match was on the last date against Banfield and he became champion at River Camp, but in 2020, when he was incorporated to play in AFA and participated in a tournament in Ayacucho. After the pandemic, he did the preseason with the ninth division and never stopped his progress.
A fan of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Phil Foden , he once highlighted that he watched Nacho Fernández, Matías Suárez and Julián Álvarez a lot during River matches to incorporate concepts and movements. “Leader by nature,” coaches and teammates who had him in the minor categories, of which he was captain, describe him . Owner of the stopped ball and with a great one against one, in his first three games with the fifth during the second half of last year he scored three goals and earned Diego Placente’s summons to the U-17 World Cup in Indonesia, where he played six of the seven games, all as a substitute, and completed 146 minutes.
A fan of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Phil Foden , he once highlighted that he watched Nacho Fernández, Matías Suárez and Julián Álvarez a lot during River matches to incorporate concepts and movements. “Leader by nature,” coaches and teammates who had him in the minor categories, of which he was captain, describe him . Owner of the stopped ball and with a great one against one, in his first three games with the fifth during the second half of last year he scored three goals and earned Diego Placente’s summons to the U-17 World Cup in Indonesia, where he played six of the seven games, all as a substitute, and completed 146 minutes.
In turn, Martín Pellegrino, who was his coach for two years in the ninth and eighth, tells LA NACION the characteristics that make Mastantuono a differential player: “Franco is a mixed midfielder, left-handed, with an exquisite punch and a dribble. difficult to decipher . He has a good aerial game, a lot of physical power, because he is very strong and he is also a very winner. He has a very positive mentality, he knows how to adapt quickly to the demands asked of him. He must go with caution, calmly, since he is leaving his second cycle of adolescence. He has to prepare and train for the first division, which requires demands from adult and mature players to face it.”
In turn, Martín Pellegrino, who was his coach for two years in the ninth and eighth, tells LA NACION the characteristics that make Mastantuono a differential player: “Franco is a mixed midfielder, left-handed, with an exquisite punch and a dribble. difficult to decipher . He has a good aerial game, a lot of physical power, because he is very strong and he is also a very winner. He has a very positive mentality, he knows how to adapt quickly to the demands asked of him. He must go with caution, calmly, since he is leaving his second cycle of adolescence. He has to prepare and train for the first division, which requires demands from adult and mature players to face it.”
Mastantuono was part of the second 45 minutes of the opening friendly of the millionaire preseason against the MLS team and then entered against Rayados de Monterrey (by Facundo Colidio at 62′) and against Pachuca (by Esequiel Barco at 67′) , thus accumulating 96 minutes in three presentations. His task, both in games and in training, left coach Martín Demichelis very satisfied , to the point that he will be called up for the initial matches of the League Cup, in the midst of a squad reduced between games, call-ups and injuries: Today the coach has only 21 players, with the youth players included. His debut seems inevitable.
“When I train or when I go to sleep I think about making my debut at Monumental and fulfilling my dream of playing for River. Being here in the pension, getting up and seeing the Monumental in front is something incredible, which I enjoy and motivates me a lot to be able to wear the River shirt, which is everyone’s dream. And this is also for my family, who is with me in good and bad times,” said Mastantuono in an interview with the club when he was just playing in the ninth division. Today that dream is close to coming true.