Franco Mastantuono was Real Madrid‘s third official signing this summer. The player was unable to join River Plate for the World Cup and will arrive at Valdebebas in August when he comes of age. It is a great challenge for such a young player who has never had any experience in European football. The Argentine gave an interview to Tyc Sports to talk about his signing and revealed the role Xabi Alonso played in his decision to sign for the Whites.
A very convincing Real Madrid
Franco Mastantuono confessed in the interview that he had no intention of leaving River Plate, but Real Madrid came along and convinced him. “I first had a chat with Real Madrid about a year or a year and a half ago, I think. It didn’t go any further, the chat was very good but it didn’t lead to anything. I then renewed with River and spent the whole of last year playing.
The truth is that if you had asked me at the beginning of this year, my intention was to play for River, I had nothing else on my mind. Madrid made me think and showed me the affection they had for me and how much they wanted me to be there. For me, it was a dream, and obviously I saw it as a very personal and very nice challenge. That’s when I made the decision, halfway through the year. The truth is that it was resolved in a few days, but it was very nice,“ said the Argentine player.
The role of Xabi Alonso
The footballer also acknowledged the role of Xabi Alonso in his signing. ”I spoke with Xabi, and he was really nice to me. The conversation I had with him motivated me a lot to make the decision. He spoke to me sincerely, and I think that was very important for me. Leaving River is not easy, we all know that, but it made it a little easier for me that he called me the way he did, and that’s also why I think I made the decision,“ said Mastantuono.
An ambitious Mastantuono
”As I told you, I’m going to adapt to Real Madrid, start playing and winning, which is what matters at that club. I want to win a lot with Real Madrid. If you ask me what my goal is, it’s to win a lot of titles: fight for the Champions League, win La Liga… those are the goals I have in mind. Obviously, first I have to adapt and be able to be there. But if you give me goals, I have that. The truth is, I don’t think about the Ballon d’Or,“ he revealed. ”When you’re from Argentina, you see Real Madrid as something very far away. It’s like something you can’t reach. Knowing that in a few days I’ll be there obviously moves me, it excites me, but as I said, I don’t want that excitement of playing for Real Madrid to take away from what I want to do as a soccer player and what I want to help with next season,” he added.
Farewell to River
Mastantuono gave details about his farewell letter to River: “I wrote it when we were coming back from the Club World Cup. I didn’t want to talk after that moment. My mother helped me a lot because she also experienced it all very personally. I wrote, deleted, said this, said that… How could I make it sound like I really meant what I was saying? It was something that was happening to me and is still happening to me, because I don’t usually show myself on social media, and this was a moment to say a few words that I felt, that I had inside me, that I wanted people to hear because I was making a decision in my life that wasn’t easy. I wanted to communicate it, I think it was all from the heart and what came out at the time.”