The Argentina National Team continues to make room for its young talents, and this time it was Franco Mastantuono who stole the spotlight in the narrow 1-0 victory over Chile in Santiago, during Matchday 15 of the World Cup 2026 Qualifiers. The River Plate midfielder, only 17 years old, had his first experience wearing the national jersey, and his debut left a lasting impression on both the coaching staff and his teammates.

The youngster came on in the 83rd minute, replacing Thiago Almada, and although he had little time on the pitch, he made his presence felt and even drew a yellow card after a quick burst forced Guillermo Maripán to foul him. Despite his brief appearance, it was enough to show why he's already on Real Madrid’s radar, with the Spanish club reportedly ready to pay his €45 million release clause.

Messi’s heartfelt gesture to Mastantuono in his Argentina debut

Although Lionel Messi didn't start, he came on in the second half for Nico Paz and shared minutes with Mastantuono. On the field, Messi tried to link up with the young talent, and they even created a few plays together. But it was off the field where the Argentine star once again demonstrated his leadership.

After the match, Messi didn’t speak to the media but expressed himself through a heartfelt Instagram post. Along with a “¡Vamos!” message celebrating the win, he shared five photos — four of them during the match — but the one that stood out showed him walking with Mastantuono and Kevin Lomónaco, another debutant. A clear sign of support and encouragement for the newcomers making their first steps with the national team.

The gesture didn’t go unnoticed and highlighted the leadership qualities of the captain, who was also seen sharing smiles with both players on the bench before coming on.

After the match, head coach Lionel Scaloni also praised the young player: “He has a bright future ahead. He’s only 17, and we need to be careful with him, but we believe he can be a key part of this team moving forward.” Scaloni admitted that they tried to protect him from media pressure: “We barely spoke to him during the camp. We didn’t want to overwhelm him emotionally before his debut.”

Argentina, already qualified for the World Cup, will host Colombia next Tuesday at the Estadio Monumental. However, all eyes remain on Mastantuono, who seems ready to start writing his own story with the Albiceleste.