Since joining Real Madrid, Franco Mastantuono has frequently been compared to Lamine Yamal because of his playing style and the fact that Yamal plays for Barcelona, Madrid’s archrival. Some have also drawn parallels to Lionel Messi, noting that the young star is left-footed like the Inter Miami captain.
The comparisons gained even more attention during Argentina’s World Cup qualifying loss to Ecuador, when Mastantuono wore the iconic No. 10 jersey left vacant by Messi, who did not travel for the match.
Speaking to the media, Leonardo Balerdi, captain of Olympique de Marseille and Mastantuono’s teammate on the Argentina national team, put the comparisons in perspective. He emphasized that Messi is one of a kind and that no one else will match him.
“Franco is phenomenal. You always want him close because he’s dangerous, and when he cuts inside he can do a lot of damage. He’s a great player, and I hope he does very well,” said the 26-year-old center-back, who started in Marseille’s recent Champions League loss to Real Madrid.
Franco Mastantuono of Real Madrid during the game against Olympique de Marseille. (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
“He has to make his own path, focus on himself, and stay calm because he has the talent to achieve great things. He shouldn’t try to emulate Messi—there’s only one Messi, and anyone compared to him is going to come up short,” he added.
see also
Argentine rising star Nico Paz reveals Lionel Messi’s influence on his impressive form
Scaloni explains why Mastantuono wore Messi’s No.10
In the press conference following Argentina’s loss to Ecuador, Lionel Scaloni explained the decision to give Mastantuono the iconic No. 10 jersey normally worn by Messi.
“Originally, Thiago Almada was going to wear it, but he couldn’t participate in the match. So we gave it to Franco. We didn’t want to risk Thiago in this game,” Scaloni explained.
Amid the ongoing comparisons, the two players have spent very little time on the pitch together. They first shared the field in a World Cup qualifier in June, appearing for just 11 minutes in a 1-0 victory over Chile, with both coming off the bench. They played together again in the final qualifier against Venezuela, this time both starting, and Mastantuono was substituted in the 63rd minute.
