A man with short blond hair, dressed in a dark suit and black tie, smiles while speaking at a podium with the Real Madrid crest in the background.
FIRST TEAM

Mastantuono's most Madridist message during its presentation

The Argentine attacking midfielder, who has just arrived at the white team, is very clear about it

The undisputed protagonist of this Thursday, August 14, has been Franco Mastantuono. The South American player, on the very day he turned 18 years old, was presented as a new footballer for the white squad in a ceremony at Ciudad Real Madrid, in Valdebebas. That event unfolded as usual, but it left multiple details to analyze.

One of the most discussed was his brief but forceful intervention at the beginning of the ceremony. After Florentino Pérez's words, which officially opened the presentation, the new merengue attacking midfielder offered an explanation of what his time with the team would be like.

Soccer player with short blond hair smiles while pointing at the Real Madrid crest on his white jersey during the day at a training field.
Franco Mastantuono trying on Real Madrid's kit for the first time | Real Madrid Confidencial

In addition to promising that he will give everything for Real Madrid's jersey, he revealed one of the reasons that led him to reject the offer sent from Paris. When it seemed that he had everything ready to head to the Parc des Princes, the sudden intervention of the executives led by Florentino Pérez completely changed the mind of the former millionaire footballer.

"You're going to have a fan on the field", said Franco Mastantuono, speaking about his strong bond with Real Madrid. Indeed, the '30' merengue himself made it clear that the greatest team in the world is the squad he plays for today. Not even River Plate, the historic team where he developed as a footballer and thanks to which he reached the European elite, comes close to the white squad.

From the heart

The closeness between Franco Mastantuono and Real Madrid is not only related to what happened during this summer transfer window, when his signing was finally completed. The first contacts between the merengue sporting management and the Argentine attacking midfielder's entourage took place in mid-2024, the midfielder's first year with River Plate's first team.

What seemed like a confirmed transfer, through a release clause of €45 million, (US$48.8 million) ultimately came to nothing. The white team decided to distance itself at the last moment, leaving many doubts about a new attempt to secure his services. It did not seem that the white club had given Mastantuono another chance.

A group of men in suits pose for a photo while one of them holds a white soccer jersey with the name Mastantuono and the number 30; in the background, an image of a modern stadium can be seen.
Franco Mastantuono poses with part of Real Madrid's board of directors | Real Madrid Confidencial

But the activation of maximum alert in the Valdebebas offices came as a result of PSG's activity. In a gesture of Madridism, like the one he showed today during his presentation at the Valdebebas Sports City, Mastantuono rejected continuing negotiations with the rouge-et-bleu team.

The arrival of the Argentine '30' in Spain's capital is also thanks to Franco Mastantuono himself, his ability to reject a better contract in economic terms sent from Paris... in exchange for the glory that comes with playing for Real Madrid, wearing the same number that made him notable in the European football elite at River Plate.

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