Franco Mastantuono, River Plate's 17-year-old attacking sensation, considered the future of South American football, has been dramatically called up to Lionel Scaloni's 28-man Argentina national team squad. Mastantuono earns the prestigious opportunity to play alongside Lionel Messi ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia. Conversely, Manchester United's promising talent Alejandro Garnacho was unfortunately excluded from the squad once again.

Mastantuono's selection is no coincidence. He delivered an astonishing performance in the recent Argentine Apertura league, scoring 7 goals and providing 4 assists. He left a strong impression, particularly with a picturesque free-kick goal in the Superclásico match against rivals Boca Juniors. He is one of only three local league players included in this national squad, alongside Kevin Lomónaco (Independiente). Notably, Belgrano de Córdoba's surprise defensive call-up, Mariano Troilo, is also a noteworthy selection.

 
Messi's Return, New Faces, and Unfortunate Omissions

Lionel Messi, who missed the previous call-up due to injury, returns to the squad, adding significant weight to the team. Enzo Barrenechea, who was previously called up while at Valencia but didn't get playing time, has also been given another chance. These four players (Mastantuono, Lomónaco, Troilo, and Barrenechea) replace Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool, Nicolas Dominguez of Nottingham Forest, Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United, and Valentín Castellanos of Lazio. It is understood that Garnacho and Castellanos were excluded from this squad for tactical reasons.

The squad features a significant contingent of Atlético Madrid players. A total of five Atlético players will wear the Argentina jersey: Rodrigo De Paul, Nahuel Molina, Julián Álvarez, Ángel Correa, and Giuliano Simeone. Additionally, Giovani Lo Celso of Real Betis and Juan Foyth of Villarreal have joined, demonstrating the strong presence of European-based players. Notably, Valentín Barco of Strasbourg is expected to be a backup left-back for Nicolás Tagliafico.

There are also some unfortunate omissions. Benjamín Domínguez, who was in the previous squad, and Santiago Castro, who recently won the Coppa Italia with Bologna, have been excluded from this roster.

 
World Cup Qualifiers and Upcoming Schedule

Having already secured their World Cup qualification and leading the South American qualifiers with 31 points, the 'Albiceleste' Argentina plans to enhance team cohesion through the upcoming qualification matches. Argentina will kick off with an away match against Chile on Wednesday, June 5th, followed by a home game against Colombia on Monday, June 10th. Afterward, they will host Venezuela in September and conclude their qualifying campaign with an away match against Ecuador.

This call-up is expected to be a crucial opportunity for young players to gain experience and for the team to define its direction towards the 2026 World Cup. The emergence of new talents like Mastantuono, in particular, inspires optimism for the bright future of Argentine football. All eyes of football fans worldwide are now on what kind of synergy he will create alongside Messi.

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