Mastantuono ready to follow in the footsteps of Di Maria, Higuain at Real Madrid – ‘Now it’s my turn’ | OneFootball

Earlier this week, Franco Mastantuono was unveiled as a Real Madrid player as the youngster donned the number 30 shirt that he used to wear at River Plate.

Although Mastantuono has been currently registered as a reserve team player, Xabi Alonso has big plans for him, including handing him his debut in the upcoming league opener against Osasuna.

In a recent interview with the club’s official media, Mastantuono talked about his Real Madrid move and the legacy left behind by previous Argentine players at the club.

Mastantuono on joining Real Madrid

It is no secret that Mastantuono was always interested in joining Real Madrid despite receiving offers from several other top clubs across Europe.

“Why did I choose Real Madrid? Well, there’s no clear explanation. It’s the greatest club in the world, and playing here has been my dream since I was young,” he said.

The youngster revealed how he felt when Los Blancos first approached him when he was just 17.

“Wonderful, wonderful. I’m a simple person, from Azul, a small city. When something huge like this happened, I felt amazed, and when it became official, it was a dream come true,” he said.

Franco Mastantuono will be Real Madrid’s latest Argentine star. (Photo courtesy: Real Madrid official website)

Mastantuono also reflected on his first memory of Real Madrid, which was under Zinedine Zidane when the club secured three back to back Champions League titles.

“Winning the Champions League three times, I watched them win it three times in a row. I witnessed the Real Madrid era, where they won six titles in 11 years. It was an amazing thing, and I watched it closely because I’m a passionate fan,” he said.

Mastantuono on Argentine players at Real Madrid

For a club whose biggest icon is Alfredo Di Stefano, Real Madrid surprisingly have had very few number of Argentine players at their club in the 21st century.

Talking about Argentine players at Real Madrid, the former River Plate starlet said, “It’s always wonderful to see Argentine players in Europe, especially at Real Madrid.

“Recently, the duo Di Maria and Higuain were among the team’s biggest stars. Now it’s my turn, and that makes me very happy.”

It is clear that Mastantuono is ready to make a difference at Real Madrid after joining the club on a big-money deal from River Plate this summer.

Real Madrid, though, have no desire to haste things and want the youngster to fully get used to Spanish conditions before he can relied to make a difference.