Facundo Quiroga, head coach of the Argentine youth divisions, handed a first-ever call-up to the goalkeeper, who currently plays for Real Madrid’s ‘Cadete B’ side. This selection has caused a stir within the Spanish federation, as the player had previously been called up to Spain’s U15 roster.

Mauro Del Castillo Mustafá—a goalkeeper like his father, who played for Argentino de Quilmes in Argentina—was born on February 2, 2011, in the Spanish capital. He joined Real Madrid’s academy in 2024 from Rayo Vallecano and he is the only player based abroad in the current youth call-up and began training this week at the AFA headquarters alongside the rest of the squad.

To date, only Paz and Garnacho have successfully broken into the senior team. Meanwhile, Mallorca defender Pablo Maffeo, also born in Spain, was called up for two World Cup Qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil, though he did not see any minutes.

Additionally, Spanish-born goalkeeper Jose Alberto Castelau and German-born forward Can Armando Guner have also committed to Argentina, having represented the nation at the U17 World Cup.

Alarm bells ringing in Spain

In Spain, the news is being viewed through a completely different lens. With the number of such cases rising, the Spanish soccer community is viewing the situation with growing concern rather than sympathy.

In fact, Mundo Deportivo reports that La Fábrica—the renowned Real Madrid youth academy—is witnessing several of its top prospects choose to represent other nations despite being born in Spain and having developed within the Spanish youth system.

Mauro Del Castillo is merely the latest example in a list that extends beyond those leaning toward Argentina. In fact, Del Castillo has a teammate in the ‘Cadete B’ side, Gorka Abascal, who also decided to play for Colombia after making his debut for Spain this past November.

Various outlets are also highlighting other recent departures, such as center-back Edu Valentin, who is already serving as a captain for Romania, and Leo Lemaitre, who opted for France despite having previously featured in several matches for Spain.

As Manchester United prepares to face Fulham at Matchday 2 of the Premier League, there are some names missing from the starting eleven. Names like Andre Onana, Benjamin Sesko, or others like Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund are missing.

As for Onana, manager Ruben Amorim, said his starting goalkeeper will be Bayindir. When asked about it, he said “It’s the kind of decision that the manager has to make.” Hence, Onana is out of the squad right now by manager decision.

As for Garnacho and Hojlund, it seems like the team has moved on from them and it’s actively trying to ship them out of the club. They are not part of the squad as Ruben Amorim doesn’t see them as a good fit.

Why is Sesko not playing?

Sesko, on the other hand, is a brand new signing with lots of hypes around him. However, he is on the bench. Amorim told the media that this was because the player “has been with us for two weeks, he’s trying to understand everything. We need to be patient a little. We just want to win the match and try to help all our players.”

Sesko debuted with the team last week but wasn’t able to make much as he barely touched the ball. However, after Manchester United spent 76.5 million euros, he is destined to be a prominent player on the squad.

United must have a bounce back season

United is a giant. However, that giant is suffering from one of the worst eras in history. They escaped relegation last season, but this team should clearly be fighting for the top spots in the Premier League, not for the bottom ones.

If this season doesn’t go well, you can expect heavy changes from the manager to the roster they have. In the end, it’s been a wild time ever since legendary Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down as a manager more than 10 years ago.

On Wednesday, the Catalan side confirmed the signing via its official channels: “FC Barcelona and Manchester United have reached an agreement for the loan of the player Marcus Rashford until 30 June 2026. The agreement also establishes an option to buy the English forward.”

The announcement was also shared by Rashford on his personal Instagram account, where Garnacho replied. “Let’s gooooo,” wrote the Argentine winger, along with two saluting face emojis, expressing his excitement for his former teammate’s new destination.

Garnacho’s reaction drew attention not just because of his relationship with Rashford—whom he played alongside at Old Trafford from 2022 to 2024—but also because it fueled speculation about his own future. Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano highlighted the comment and noted that this comes “while he’s also prepared to leave Man United this summer.”

Garnacho reportedly turned down chance to play with Ronaldo

Alejandro Garnacho has repeatedly spoken about his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, which is evident in his playing style and goal celebrations that often mimic the Portuguese star. The two shared a brief stint at Manchester United before Ronaldo’s departure to Saudi Arabia at the end of 2022.

This summer, rumors emerged suggesting that Garnacho could join Al Nassr for the upcoming season. But according to Mundo Deportivo, the young winger declined the opportunity, prioritizing staying in Europe to maintain top-level competition—especially with his place in the Argentina squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026 still uncertain.

In this context, head coach Ruben Amorim excluded Garnacho from Manchester United’s squad for their U.S. tour, which kicks off Saturday with a friendly against West Ham United. With his exit from the club appearing imminent, clubs reportedly interested in signing him include Tottenham, Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Atletico Madrid.

Garnacho’s numbers

Since making his professional debut in April 2022 at just 17 years old, Garnacho has played 144 matches for Manchester United across the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, UEFA Champions League, and Europa League, scoring 26 goals.

For much of his three-year spell with the Red Devils, Alejandro was seen as one of the club’s brightest young talents—performances that eventually earned him a call-up to the Argentina national team. He made his official debut in June 2023 and secured a spot in the 2024 Copa America, where Argentina were crowned champions. However, in subsequent call-ups, he has fallen out of favor with head coach Lionel Scaloni.

The surprise stems from Garnacho’s rare experience. He’s played alongside both legends: Messi with Argentina and Ronaldo during his early days at Manchester United. Garnacho has publicly expressed his admiration for Ronaldo on several occasions, even mimicking the Portuguese icon’s trademark goal celebrations.

That’s why his recent comment raised eyebrows. Following Lamine Yamal’s sensational performance for FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, United star Garnacho replied to a social media post about the 17-year-old winger with a simple but powerful phrase: “Best player in the world,” followed by a mind-blown emoji—an unmistakable sign of awe.

Yamal’s performance leaves Europe speechless

Garnacho’s praise wasn’t without justification. In the first leg of Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League semifinal clash against Inter Milan, Yamal delivered one of the most remarkable individual performances in recent memory. The match ended in a dramatic 3–3 draw at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, but Yamal’s impact was undeniable.

Barcelona fell behind just 45 seconds into the match—one of the fastest goals ever scored in the knockout stages—courtesy of Marcus Thuram. Inter doubled their lead in the 21st minute through Denzel Dumfries, putting the Catalans on the ropes early. But as football fans know, a 2–0 scoreline is often described as the most deceptive in the game.

Yamal took over

The teenage sensation ignited Barcelona’s comeback with a moment of brilliance, dribbling through tight coverage from the right wing into the box before unleashing a thunderous left-footed strike that bent past Inter keeper Yann Sommer. It was a goal of sheer quality—technique, timing, and power combined.

Yamal continued to terrorize Inter’s defense, particularly tormenting Federico Dimarco. Ferran Torres later equalized to make it 2–2, but Dumfries struck again with a header in the 63rd minute to give Inter a 3–2 advantage.

Still, the drama wasn’t over. In the closing stages, Yamal once again made his presence felt—cutting inside the box, feinting past defenders, and threading a perfect pass to Pedri. The midfielder’s shot ricocheted off the post, hit Sommer’s back, and trickled into the net to tie the match at 3–3.

Yamal finished the night with an overall match rating above 9.5—an extraordinary number by Champions League standards. At just 17 years old, he is already putting in performances that rival seasoned veterans on soccer’s biggest stage.

Even Neal Maupay, who was once called up by France, and Pablo Maffeo, who received a November 2023 Argentina call-up but didn’t play, have publicly stated their preference for playing for Lionel Messi’s team.

Meanwhile, players like Mateo Retegui have gone the opposite route, opting for Italy after finding no room in Argentina’s stacked roster. This echoes past decisions from Mauro Camoranesi and Pablo Osvaldo, who both represented Italy under similar circumstances.

On the flip side, Brazil has seen an intriguing case emerge. Enzo Alves, the son of Real Madrid legend Marcelo Vieira—who earned 58 caps for Brazil and won the 2013 Confederations Cup—has chosen to represent Spain. Born in Madrid during Marcelo’s storied tenure with Los Blancos, Enzo has embraced his Spanish roots over his Brazilian heritage.

The young striker has already made waves in Spain’s youth setup, tallying five appearances for the U-15s, one for the U-16s, and three for the U-17s. Most recently, he found the back of the net during Spain’s 3-3 draw against Austria in the UEFA U-17 European Championship qualifiers.

Enzo Alves shines in Real Madrid’s youth ranks

Likely influenced by his father, Marcelo, Enzo Alves has carved out a promising path at Real Madrid. Already part of the club’s youth setup, the striker signed a contract that keeps him at the academy until mid-2027.

Last season, Enzo netted an impressive 32 goals in just 14 matches for his age group, showcasing his elite scoring ability. Now playing for Real Madrid Juvenil C, he’s taken another step forward in his development.

His promotion to the U-17s could pave the way for him to compete in the UEFA Youth League in the near future, signaling a bright future for the young talent.

According to Sky Sports, Manchester United’s board and Amorim have identified a short list of players considered essential for the club’s future. These players, who are seen as key assets for upcoming challenges, include Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo, Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, Andre Onana, Lisandro Martinez, Manuel Ugarte, and Rasmus Hojlund.

However, one surprising omission is Alejandro Garnacho. The recent winner of the Puskas Goal of the Year at FIFA’s The Best ceremony had been highly valued by the club, fans, and analysts alike, but since Amorim’s arrival, his prominence has waned.

Under the new coach, Garnacho has started three matches (in each, he was substituted) and come off the bench in three others. In those appearances, he failed to score or provide any assists, and his level has not matched the expectations set in previous seasons. He was also notably left out of the squad for Manchester United’s most important match of the season so far, the victory over Manchester City.

What’s next for Garnacho?

Although Garnacho is not considered essential by Amorim, he also isn’t expected to be part of the player clear-out during the upcoming transfer window. According to reports, players such as Marcus Rashford, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Christian Eriksen, Casemiro, and Antony are more likely to be shown the door.

Garnacho’s absence from both the “untouchables” and “outgoing” lists suggests that Manchester United will not actively look to sell him. However, should a convincing offer come in, they may consider allowing him to leave. Reports from The Sun indicate that Atletico Madrid is one of the European giants monitoring the situation closely.

Garnacho and the Ronaldo comparison

Since making his debut at Manchester United at just 17, Alejandro Garnacho has often been compared to Cristiano Ronaldo and referred to as CR7’s potential ‘successor.’ Both players are right-footed, occupy similar winger roles (with Ronaldo also playing there early in his career), and share comparable attributes such as explosiveness, speed, and a knack for long-range shooting.

Garnacho has embraced these comparisons, often citing Ronaldo as one of his inspirations. The two even formed a close relationship during their brief time together at Manchester United. As Lionel Messi‘s teammate in the Argentina national team as well, Garnacho has access to a wealth of experience and role models to help him develop into a top-level star.

Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho has won the FIFA Puskas Award 2024 for his incredible overhead kick goal against Everton. The Argentine joins a prestigious list of winners over the years. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been nominated several times, but have they ever won it?

Ronaldo actually was the first-ever winner of the Puskas Awards in 2009 for his goal against Porto during the UEFA Champions League 2008-09, beating Andres Iniesta’s goal against Chelsea in the same competition (which ended up second).

Meanwhile, Messi has never won the award despite being the player with the most nominations ever. He has been nominated a total of seven times (in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019), and he has been placed second in three occasions (2011, 2015, and 2019). Ronaldo, on the other hand, has been nominated twice.

So, in that sense, Garnacho is the second Argentine to have ever won the award, only behind Erik Lamela, who received the honor in 2021. Brazil is the country with more wins (three): Neymar (2011), Wendell Lira (2015) and Guilherme Madruga (2023).

This year, Garnacho became the 16th player to win the award. “It was a great goal, of course. But there is a lot more to come, and a lot more to look forward to. Thank you for all the support,” Garnacho said in a video shared during the ceremony.

Messi and Ronaldo also missed a place in the FIFPro Best XI

This year, Messi and Ronaldo didn’t make the cut for the FIFPro Men’s World XI for 2024. Both players had been nominated, marking 18 nominations for the Argentine and 16 for the Portuguese, extending their historic records.

Ronaldo’s last inclusion in the lineup was in 2021. This is also the first time since 2006 that Messi has missed out, ending his impressive 17-year streak. Despite this, Messi still holds the record with 17, while Ronaldo has been chosen 15 times.

“When people at the club are losing jobs…we have to put standards really high. The way you train is really important,” Amorim said, in a clear message for both players after the Manchester derby.

Amorim’s arrival follows several instances where certain players’ attitudes were criticized in the media. Now in charge of the dressing room, he has set clear expectations and demands a much higher level of commitment from all players.

He implied that Rashford and Garnacho had not been training at the required level: “New week, new life. If they train well, they will compete for a place in the team. We need Rashford and Garnacho. It was not a disciplinary thing. We have to improve our standards inside and outside the pitch,” Amorim said.

Manchester United players improving under Amorim

While he has established strict rules in the locker room, Amorim has not punished the players but instead emphasized that no one is guaranteed a place in the squad if they fail to perform at the highest level.

Everything points to Amorim’s new rules being well received by the squad, with individual performances seeing a noticeable improvement. Players now understand that hard work and quality training are rewarded, increasing their chances of starting or earning more minutes on the field.

Those whose performances had previously fallen short, such as Andre Onana, Harry Maguire, Diogo Dalot, and Casemiro, have all raised their game and become highly competitive once again.

Which changes has Amorim implemented at Man United?

In addition to the changes in rules and expectations within the dressing room, Rubem Amorim has implemented the same tactical system he used at Sporting Lisbon: a 3-4-2-1 formation.

The primary goal of this setup is to strengthen Manchester United’s defense, an area that has long been a weakness for the club. Currently, the defensive trio consists of Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, and Matthijs de Ligt. The speed and intelligence of Martinez and De Ligt have significantly enhanced Maguire’s performance, allowing him to look more comfortable. As a result, he has become a key figure in the team’s build-up play, with his exceptional passing vision proving vital in initiating attacks.

The midfield consists of four players, including two wingers, Diogo Dalot or Tyrell Malacia, and Noussair Mazraoui. These two players have a challenging role, as they are key to the offense, occupying the entire wing. However, they also contribute defensively, helping to press after losing possession. The two central midfielders change depending on the match, with Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, and Bruno Fernandes all featuring heavily in the seven games coached by Rubem. The only player who seems to be struggling is Christian Eriksen.

Up front, the attacking trio includes Rasmus Hojlund or Joshua Zirkzee, Amad Diallo. Rashford or Garnacho have also been used, except this weekend. Meanwhile, Mason Mount has integrated well into the rotation, playing a versatile role similar to Bruno Fernandes. He rotates between midfield and attack, becoming a key contributor in both areas.

These tactical adjustments have been a resounding success, with Manchester United not only improving their overall performance but also climbing in the Premier League standings.

Argentina closed a successful year, in which they won the 2024 Copa America, with a victory that secured their first place in the standings of the 2026 World Cup Qualifying. As La Albiceleste continue to be one of the strongest national teams, Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho has spoken about his ambitions with his country and what it is to play with Lionel Messi.

“Playing for Argentina and with Lionel Messi is a dream,” Garnacho told FIFA about sharing the pitch with the Inter Miami star. This year, he has three appearances with the team, providing an assist for Paulo Dybala against Chile for the Qualifiers.

However, the 20-year-old admits that he has to “keep working, try to play better and better.” He also said that while he didn’t have much play time during the 2024 Copa America, in which he was mostly on the bench, it was “an incredible moment.”

“Hopefully, for the next World Cup, I will be ready to play, and we will try to win,” he concluded. Argentina are en route to qualify for the tournament, which will take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Lionel Scaloni doesn’t lack options for Argentina’s attack. Apart from the established stars such as Messi, Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez, there are rising talents such as Valentin Castellanos, Giuliano Simeone and Garnacho himself who will try everything to earn a place in the squad.

Lionel Messi’s 2026 World Cup participation is still in doubt

As the 2026 World Cup is getting closer, the question of whether Messi will be part of the team or not hangs in the air. The Argentine captain has said several times that he hasn’t made a decision, and that he just wants to live “day by day.” However, there are hopeful signs that he is, at least, considering playing in the tournament.

One, and probably the most important, is the reports that he wants to renew with Inter Miami until 2026. According to what Miami’s co-owner Jorge Mas told the press, they are in talks to extend his contract with the team another year.

Argentina sits first with 18 points, followed by Colombia (16) and Uruguay (15). Nicolás González and Paulo Dybala are also out, with River Plate’s Marcos Acuña set to be placed on the injury list as well.

The latest player to join the list is Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho, as TyC Sports reporter Gaston Edul indicates that the winger has been removed from the squad.

Alejandro Garnacho’s Injury Status

According to ESPN, Alejandro Garnacho is experiencing pain in his left knee, which is the reason for removing the 20-year-old from the team. Garnacho has seven caps for Argentina and this season has scored 1 goal in 7 matches for Manchester United.

Scaloni will have to balance his squad with up to five notable absences and the return of Lionel Messi, who missed almost two months recuperating from an ankle injury and is now playing to a good level in MLS with Inter Miami.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Son: A Fan of Garnacho

One fan of Garnacho who will be sad to see him miss Argentina’s matches is Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., who was doing his homework while wearing Garnacho’s Manchester United kit, as an Instagram post was shared by Cristiano Ronaldo’s partner, Georgina Rodríguez.

The Manchester United sensation came on after 79 minutes for Lautaro Martinez, but his time on the field was enough for him to leave his mark on the game. In fact, Garnacho got to assist one of his idols.

Shortly after the 20-year-old provided an assist for Dybala’s goal in Buenos Aires, a picture of a young Garnacho with a Dybala shirt went viral on social media. And the winger even reacted to the picture with an emotional message: “Just football.”

The picture of a young Alejandro Garnacho with the Dybala jersey in 2016 went viral thanks to the winger’s brother, Roberto, who shared the photo on his X (formerly Twitter) account. A dream come true.

A special night both for Garnacho and Dybala with Argentina

The 3-0 victory against Chile was quite special for this promising duo on the Argentine national team. While Dybala got to score in his return to La Albiceleste after missing the 2024 Copa America, Garnacho got to play in Argentina for the first time.

Until today, the Manchester United youngster had only played for Argentina in China, Indonesia, Bolivia, and the United States. Will we see more of Dybala and Garnacho together on the international stage? With Angel Di Maria retired and Lionel Messi in his twilight years, fans hope a new duo is born in Argentina.