Franco Mastantuono Draws Stunning Comparison to Ex-Real Madrid Player

A former player sees similarities between Franco Mastantuono and James Rodriguez.
IMAGO / Camilla Stolen

Real Madrid officially announced this week their third signing of the summer, landing highly rated Argentine prospect Franco Mastantuono. Los Blancos are said to have triggered Mastantuono’s release clause, reportedly worth $51 million (€45 million).

However, due to FIFA regulations, the midfielder won’t officially join the club until he turns 18 on August 14, similar to how Endrick’s move was handled last year.

MORE: Real Madrid Complete Signing of Franco Mastantuono as Date He Will Join Revealed

Franco Mastantuono
IMAGO / NurPhoto

The question now is: for those who haven’t closely followed River Plate, who does Mastantuono resemble? It’s a starting point to understand the kind of potential he carries.

Javier Saviola appeared on Radio MARCA and weighed in on the topic. With the excitement of Mastantuono’s Real Madrid signing still fresh, the former Argentine striker offered a personal take on the rising River Plate star, highlighting which player the youngster reminds him of.

For me, he has nothing to do with Lamine Yamal, but he does resemble James Rodríguez.
Javier Saviola
James Rodriguez at Real Madrid
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Moreover, Saviola spoke about the player making the jump from Argentine football to La Liga as a teenager.

The hardest part is leaving your environment, stepping out of your comfort zone. Surrounding yourself well and adapting quickly is key. If you can handle the pressure of playing at River, you’re ready for Madrid.”
Javier Saviola

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Eduardo Razo
EDUARDO RAZO

Eduardo is an experienced freelance football writer covering Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG On SI. He also covers PSG for PSG Talk and French football for Ligue 1's official English website. He's contributed to NBC Sports' regional sports networks, including NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, providing in-depth sports content for those markets.