Latest news with #FrancoMastantuono
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Real Madrid summer signing shares details of Xabi Alonso's role in his transfer – ‘He made me feel motivated'
Real Madrid summer signing shares details of Xabi Alonso's role in his transfer – 'He made me feel motivated' Real Madrid's summer signing Franco Mastantuono has shared details about his decision to join the European champions. The talented Argentine forward, who is just about to turn 18, will officially be presented as a Real Madrid player next month. Advertisement Los Blancos paid around €63 million to secure him from River Plate, a club he admits was very hard to leave. In an interview with TyC Sports, Mastantuono opened up about the move and highlighted the role of Xabi Alonso in convincing him. 'I spoke with Xabi and he was very kind to me. The way he talked made me feel motivated to take this step. He spoke honestly, and for me, that was important. 'Leaving River isn't easy—we all know that—but his phone call made things simpler and gave me peace of mind,' said Mastantuono. The young forward also revealed that this wasn't the first time Madrid showed interest. Advertisement 'About a year or a year and a half ago, I had a conversation with Real Madrid, but at that time nothing came of it. 'I renewed my contract with River, and at the start of this year, my idea was to stay there. I wasn't thinking about leaving,' he added. A dream move for Mastantuono Real Madrid placed a strong bet on Mastantuono. (Photo by) Things changed quickly when Madrid approached him again in the middle of the year. The Spanish giants showed how much they valued him, and that helped Mastantuono make up his mind. 'It felt like a dream. They made me feel special, and I saw it as a personal challenge I couldn't turn down. Everything happened very fast after that,' he confessed. Advertisement Mastantuono is clear about his long-term plans.'My dream is to stay at Real Madrid for many years. I don't think about any other club in Europe. 'Real Madrid is the most important club in the world. This opportunity is something beautiful, and I'm going to enjoy it as much as I can. 'It's the most important club in the world, and I don't know if I've ever dreamed of this, but for it to happen to me like this is a beautiful thing,' he said.
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Argentine giants under pressure, surprise champions reset as Clausura starts
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Boca Juniors and River Plate head into Argentina's Clausura (closing) championship aiming to restore their status at home after painful Club World Cup group-stage exits, while surprise champions Platense defend their title under new leadership. Despite their historic achievements, Boca and River endured a humbling first half of the season. River finished the Apertura (opening championship) strongly but stumbled in the quarter-finals, losing on penalties to eventual champions Platense. Their Club World Cup campaign did little to ease pressure on coach Marcelo Gallardo as his side managed only one win, against Japan's Urawa Reds, as they failed to reach the knockout stage. Losing teenage sensation Franco Mastantuono to Real Madrid further weakened River and, with no big-name signings yet, the Clausura presents them with an opportunity to regroup. They will open the campaign with a marquee match-up on Sunday against Platense. Bitter rivals Boca's outlook is not much brighter. Under Fernando Gago they showed some consistency but never convinced and a painful 2–1 Clasico defeat by River late in the Apertura proved the final straw as the coach departed. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore ST will have Govt's 'full confidence and support' in its mission: PM Wong Singapore ST will aim to become an indispensable partner to S'pore's communities: Editor Jaime Ho Singapore Heartbeats & Headlines: ST's 180-year legacy comes to life in immersive exhibition Singapore Trusted news, smarter experience with new Straits Times website and app Singapore Community space Stranger Conversations blossoms as a 'library of human stories' and life experiences Singapore Judge declines to void alleged sham marriage in S'pore, says it is for Parliament to decide Singapore New list of technologies that reduce carbon footprint of buildings to be ready by Q1 2026 Singapore Man who killed 5-year-old daughter gets life sentence after he appeals against 35-year jail term Boca's Club World Cup journey was equally disappointing, capped by being held to a shock draw by amateur side Auckland City that sealed their group-stage elimination, despite the incredible support of travelling fans across the United States. With World Cup winner Leandro Paredes returning from AS Roma and manager Miguel Angel Russo given time to steady the ship, Boca will look to improve. They open their campaign on Sunday at home to Argentinos Juniors. FRESH STARTS Challengers will not be in short supply. Rosario Central topped Group B in the Apertura but stumbled in the quarter-finals against eventual finalists Huracan. Now, the return of club great and national icon Angel Di Maria has reignited belief that early promise can turn into a serious title push. Among the tournament's long shots, all eyes will be on Platense as they try to prove their Apertura title was no fluke. The surprise champions are set to begin a new era, after coaching duo Favio Orsi and Sergio Gomez resigned just 10 days after lifting the trophy. In their place is Cristian Gonzalez, tasked with keeping the momentum alive at a club unaccustomed to life at the top. "In the first training session, I congratulated these guys because they want more," Gonzalez said during his presentation. "They convey to me that desire to keep competing, to want to win." REUTERS
Business Upturn
09-07-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
Real Madrid show interest in this world-class left-back
Real Madrid have been on the headlines since Xabi Alonso took over the managerial role. By Ravi Kumar Jha Published on July 9, 2025, 08:55 IST Real Madrid have been on the headlines since Xabi Alonso took over the managerial role. Their signings have been fantastic so far, with Huijsen (from Bournemouth), Alexander Arnold (from Liverpool), and Franco Mastantuono (from River Plate). They are eyeing another signing in the market as they want PSG's left back Nuno Mendes. The PSG's left back has been phenomenonal since his joining at the Ligue 1 side and the deal looks very very difficult. However, this is just a report from MARCA and nothing has been advanced yet. Real Madrid have dominated the headlines this summer after club legend Xabi Alonso took over as manager. The Spanish giants have wasted no time in reshaping their squad, making waves with a series of high-profile signings. So far, Los Blancos have added defensive prodigy Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth, experienced right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool, and Argentine wonderkid Franco Mastantuono from River Plate. Each of these signings highlights Madrid's intent to build a squad for both present dominance and future success. However, Real Madrid may not be done yet. According to a report from Spanish outlet MARCA, the club has set its sights on Paris Saint-Germain left-back Nuno Mendes. The Portuguese international has been a key figure at PSG since his arrival, known for his pace, technique, and attacking prowess down the left flank. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Ravi kumar jha is an undergraduate student in Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia and Mass Communication. A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication and he also has a genuine interest in sports. Ravi is currently working as a journalist at
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
New Chelsea signing nominates two teenage sensations in a future Ballon d'Or tussle
Chelsea have been quite active in the summer transfer window as they have signed some extremely talented young players. One such player has to be Palmeiras' star player Estevao Willian, who will move to Stamford Bridge after the ongoing Club World Cup. Advertisement The Blues forked out €34 million (£30m/$40m) fee plus €23m (£20m/$27m) in bonuses for the highly rated 18-year-old in 2024. Estevao is easily one of the top talents to come out of Brazil this summer. He has been a standout player for Palmeiras over the years and has continued that form in the Club World Cup. The young winger has big dreams as he feels he could be a Ballon d'Or contender in a few years. He also nominates a couple of players with whom he would like to share the podium. The last couple of seasons have seen the rise of Lamine Yamal at Barcelona. The Spanish star has been a standout player for club and country already. So he is expected to rule world football for some years. Advertisement 📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp Similarly, Franco Mastantuono is another year tipped to reach the top as he begins his journey with Real Madrid. The young Argentine has the skillset to flourish in the Spanish capital. Estevao has followed both their journeys and believes that he could compete with them as he embarks on a new journey into Europe with Chelsea. "[Yamal] is a fantastic young man, a great player who had an incredible season. I followed him closely in the Champions League, and I was really rooting for him and Raphinha, especially. Mastantuono is also a great player who's been growing a lot. I've also followed his games since he's been playing in South America. He has incredible potential," Estevao told AS in an interaction. Advertisement When asked about the possibility of battling the duo for the Ballon d'Or, Estevao said, "I sincerely hope so. We're all the same age, and it would be incredible and very interesting to find ourselves in that situation." What did Estevao say about his playing style? Estevao has drawn comparisons with Neymar as he hails from Brazil, but he was given the nickname Messinho for his similar playing style to Lionel Messi. Palmeiras Estevao 03102025 "I see myself more as having a style similar to Messi's, a person who just wants to play football and have a family, which is the most important thing to me." Advertisement The teenager has been exceptional for Palmeiras at the Club World Cup as he guided them to the top of Group A, finishing over teams like Inter Miami, FC Porto and Al-Ahly. They also edged past Botafogo in the round of 16 to progress to the quarterfinal against Chelsea on Friday, July 4, in Philadelphia. All eyes will be on Estevao as he will go up against his new team in which could be his last game for Palmeiras if the Blues secure a win. Chelsea news and related links
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
🤝 Deal agreed: Lucas Cepeda set for River Plate move
The 22-year-old Chilean footballer is close to joining River Plate to strengthen Marcelo Gallardo's squad for the second half of the year. River Plate is not wasting time in the transfer market. After selling Franco Mastantuono to Real Madrid, River Plate starts to invest the fresh money in new faces to join the first team's training as soon as possible. Advertisement According to journalist Germán Garcia Grova, a specialist in the transfer market, River verbally agreed on the signing of Chilean Lucas Cepeda and has sent a formal proposal to Colo Colo to buy 70% of his pass. Cepeda, 22 years old, would arrive in Núñez in exchange for 4.5 million dollars. Colo Colo would conditionally retain a percentage for a future sale, but would release the young striker immediately. Lucas Cepeda is making a leap from Argentine football after playing 56 matches with the Colo Colo jersey, where he has scored a total of 13 goals and six assists. Meanwhile, he has already represented the Chilean national team in seven matches, in which he stood out with three goals and two assists. Advertisement The departure of Paraguayan Adam Bareiro to Fortaleza freed up a foreigner slot and Gallardo has chosen Lucas Cepeda as a priority reinforcement for this transfer window. The other new face will be Maximiliano Salas, who has to resolve his departure from Racing. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here. 📸 RODRIGO ARANGUA - AFP or licensors
