Franco Mastantuono scored a stunning free-kick goal for River Plate in their 2-1 home win against Boca Juniors in the Superclásico of the Argentine Primera División.
At just 17 years old, the Argentine winger is already making headlines and attracting attention from Europe’s top clubs, including Real Madrid. He has earned a starting spot under coach Marcelo Gallardo, and in his first Superclásico, he scored a dream goal — one that he and River Plate fans will remember forever.
In the 25th minute, the home team was awarded a free kick 28 meters from the goal defended by Agustín Marchesín. Mastantuono stepped up and delivered a perfect, powerful shot over the wall, sending the ball straight into the top corner and igniting the celebrations of the more than 85,000 River Plate fans packed into the stadium.
How to watch the Argentine Primera Division: live stream, fixture and standings.
If a big club acquires him in the summer, I hope he gets loaned out to get regular minutes elsewhere and continue development, e.g. Como, Parma, Bologna, Genoa, Ajax, Marseille, Sporting, Porto, Benfica, Valencia, clubs of that calibre where he is more likely to start.
We have seen it work with our other promising youth: Soule at Frosinone, Carboni at Marseille before his injury, Perrone (Las Palmas first) and Paz at Como, Barrenechea at Frosine first and now on loan at Valencia from Aston Villa.