Mastantuono Reveals Key Conversation with Xabi Alonso That Decided His Signing for Real Madrid
Real Madrid’s new signing, Franco Mastantuono, has revealed that a conversation with coach Xabi Alonso was decisive in his decision to join the white club. Madrid confirmed earlier this month that the talented midfielder Mastantuono will join the team in August, upon turning 18, after agreeing to a six-season contract. At the moment, Mastantuono is with River Plate in the Club World Cup, where he has been a starter in the two matches played so far. The Argentinian team is preparing to face Inter in Seattle.Mastantuono added that the trust placed by the coach was key in his decision. “If the coach wants you, it’s a vote of confidence for a player. Leaving a big club like River isn’t easy, so his words motivated me a lot to take the leap.” Trained in River’s youth system, Mastantuono has already made history as the youngest goalscorer and the youngest debutant in the history of the Argentine national team. Real Madrid beat out competition from Paris Saint-Germain to secure the signing of the young talent, moving quickly to finalize the deal after having followed the player for the last two years. Mastantuono will become Madrid’s third signing this summer, after Dean Huijsen. Before joining the LaLiga giants, the player wanted to participate in the Club World Cup with River Plate. “We all know what Real Madrid is. It’s a dream to play there. It’s a very beautiful challenge for me. For me, Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world, the team that has won the most titles in Europe. Any player would want to play there. It’s a dream, I want to enjoy it,” commented Mastantuono. Alonso has described Mastantuono as “a kid with a fantastic present and an incredible future”. “The maturity he has on the field, he also transfers it off it,” Alonso said last week. “When I spoke with him, I saw his ambition, his maturity. In August he will be with us and will be an important addition to the team.”The way [Alonso] spoke to me was incredible. I am grateful for it, for the way he was with me. Our conversation influenced me a lot.
Franco Mastantuono
