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Five young talents to watch at the Club World Cup
The Straits Times
|June 14, 2025
FRANCO MASTANTUONO (CLUB: RIVER PLATE, AGE: 17, ATTACKING MIDFIELDER)
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Widely regarded as the latest Argentinian football prodigy after his River debut in January 2024, the left-footed playmaker has established himself as a starter with coach Marcelo Gallardo's Buenos Aires-based side.
This year, he has racked up seven goals and four assists in 19 games across all competitions for River, prompting Lionel Scaloni to hand him his first cap in Argentina's 1-0 win over Chile in Santiago just a week ago. At 17 years and 296 days, he became La Albiceleste's youngest debutant in a competitive match. The talented teenager will get a chance to show why Real Madrid triggered his US$45 million (S$58 million) release clause in a deal that will be completed after the Club World Cup. River take on Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds (June 17), Mexican side Monterrey (June 21) and Italian giants Inter Milan (June 25) in Group E.
This story is from the June 14, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
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