Surprise at the Camp: Real Madrid's Franco Mastantuno Crashes Argentina's Training
12 November 2025
Surprise at the Camp
Franco Mastantuno, Real Madrid's rising star, caused a stir by appearing at Argentina's training camp in Spain this November.
According to Argentine sports network Deportes, although he had not been called up due to a sports hernia in the groin area, the 18-year-old arrived by car, driving three and a half hours from Madrid to Alicante to join his fellow Argentines.
He could not train because of the pain, but asked the staff led by Lionel Scaloni for permission to stay with the squad and observe.
Scaloni and his aides agreed that he could remain with the team until Thursday, continuing his medical and rehabilitation program, though he would not travel with the team to Angola for the friendly in Luanda.
Originally from River Plate, Mastantuno joined Real Madrid this past summer for around €30 million; despite his youth, he has already earned three caps for Argentina this year and wore the No. 10 shirt when Messi was unavailable.
Having played 12 matches for Real Madrid this season, he has one goal and one assist, and was considered a trusted option by coach Xabi Alonso before the injury sidelined him in recent weeks.
Madrid continues a careful plan to develop the young talent physically and technically, with an emphasis on building strength to support a gradual return to action.
He is currently on a structured program tailored to his needs to keep him as a core piece of the club's long-term strategy.
According to AS, the sports hernia is a significant issue; players like Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams note that this injury prevents full performance, underscoring how tough it can be.
Franco has felt the pain daily; his first absence came from a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool and has since faced other setbacks—now the focus is daily rehab rather than sprinting back to the pitch.
The club's plan stresses a slow, methodical return, and Alonso trusts Mastantuno enough to deploy him in nine of Real Madrid's twelve matches this season, totaling 689 minutes.
While the numbers are modest, the club views them as part of a natural development curve for a 16-year-old breakout who has become a confidence asset for the manager.
Comparisons are drawn with peers who arrived in Madrid at a similar age, such as Vinícius Jr., Rodrygo, Fede Valverde, and Endrick, who all followed different development trajectories.
For Madrid, the message is clear: the pathway to a fully realized star is a long one, and patience is part of the plan to protect a rising talent from rushing back too soon.
Punchlines time: If patience were a sport, Mastantuno would be sprinting in slow motion. And if injuries were a transfer, he’d be prompting a multi-year loan to the rehab department — with options to renew the rehab for complimentary snacks at the club cafe.
