Real Madrid is focused on preparing for its debut tonight in the Club World Cup. At 9 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami (9 p.m. Spanish time; 3 p.m. local time; Telecinco and Dazn), Xabi Alonso’s era kicks off with the goal of winning the title. Two of the signings confirmed by the Whites will be available for the match: Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The third player is Franco Mastantuono, who has signed with Real Madrid to improve the midfield, but will not arrive until August when he comes of age. Meanwhile, the Argentine is playing in the tournament with River Plate, having made his debut on Tuesday with a victory.
Ceballos, Brahim, and Huijsen talk about Mastantuono
The player’s arrival is eagerly awaited at Real Madrid, where there are already many players in midfield, which could cause a minor earthquake. After the last training session before the Whites’ debut, not only did Xabi Alonso speak, but three players also spoke to the journalists, and all had words for their future teammate.
Dani Ceballos, who will be in direct competition with the Argentine, admitted that he does not know the player very well, having never seen him play, but made it clear that he has no doubts about Mastantuono’s talent, warning him of the high standards expected at the Santiago Bernabéu. “Personally, I haven’t seen him, only a couple of times with the Argentine national team. The truth is that he is a guy with a splendid future. If Real Madrid has signed him, it’s because he has the ability to play for this club. Let’s hope he does well with his club now, that he doesn’t get injured, that he comes back to us soon and that we can get to know him. Let’s hope he adapts to what European football demands, which is very different from South American football. Let’s hope he’s with us soon so we can make him feel like one of the team,” said the Seville-born footballer, whose future at Real Madrid is still to be decided.
For his part, another member of Real Madrid’s midfield, Brahim Díaz, who is about to renew his contract, also had words for his future teammate, highlighting the talent and potential that Mastantuono seems to have and that he will have to demonstrate at the Santiago Bernabéu. “I’ve seen something, not much to be honest. It’s true that you can see he has great talent, he’s very good with his left foot and he’ll also contribute a lot to us,” said the Malaga-born player.
For his part, Dean Huijsen, who has also just signed his contract as a new signing for Real Madrid and will presumably make his debut with the team tonight, summed up the general expectation of the group. “I think we’ve all seen a little bit of what he can do: he’s a young player with a lot of potential. We’re looking forward to getting to know him.”
Mastantuono’s arrival date
His teammates will have to wait a couple of months to see him in action and integrated into the group. As Real Madrid announced in its official statement, Franco Mastantuono will become a Real Madrid player on August 14, 2025, as soon as he comes of age. It will be his first foray into European soccer, and he will do so playing for none other than Real Madrid. His national team, Scaloni, has already described the move as “a huge thing.”