Franco Mastantuono has the Real Madrid 'gene' as Xabi Alonso waxes lyrical about 18-year-old's bright start since River Plate transfer

Snatched from River in a blockbuster €45 million ($53m/£39m) deal, Mastantuono has wasted no time announcing himself on the biggest stage. In La Liga, he has already found the net against Levante, becoming the fourth youngest player ever to score for Los Blancos. In Europe, he’s broken records too: the youngest starter in Madrid’s glittering Champions League history, surpassing Endrick’s previous benchmark. For a teenager fresh from South America, the speed of his rise has been nothing short of breathtaking.

Ahead of the Madrid derby, Alonso hailed the impact of Mastantuono and said: "Franco has a lot going for him. He's only 18 years old. The adaptation has been very good. I love how competitive he is. He has a lot of energy. Then we have to get him in order. But that competitive gene is fundamental to our team. We're going to enjoy it. We have everyone ready. Everyone has recovered well. There's no injury or anything. We'll decide tomorrow."

Mastantuono's CV already reads like a fairy tale. He was the youngest player ever to pull on the Argentina shirt, making his debut at just 17 years and 296 days. Earlier this month, he even wore the sacred No.10 in Lionel Messi’s absence, a shirt that carries the weight of a nation.

All eyes now turn to the Metropolitano, where Madrid face cross-city rivals Atletico this Saturday. Diego Simeone’s side are floundering, but derbies in this city are never a dull affair. For Mastantuono, it’s a chance to prove he can handle the intensity of Madrid’s fiercest battle. And should he sparkle in the cauldron of a derby, the hype will explode to even greater heights.