Real Madrid star with 'Zinedine Zidane qualities' tipped to succeed Lionel Messi as Argentina’s next No. 10

Brizuela, once responsible for identifying talents at River Plate, vividly recalled the day he first laid eyes on Franco Mastantuono. It was during a scouting visit to Azul, a modest town in the Buenos Aires province, when the player was merely nine years old.

During an ordinary youth match, a single moment stood out. "In a swarm of children, he made a targeted control and made a pass that ended in a goal. That's when I said: this is a child prodigy," explained Brizuela to Radio Marca.

“The difference wasn't just in what he did, but in how and when he did it. He's the prototype of the European footballer. I always said he was meant for Real Madrid".

Brizuela believes Mastantuono will feature in Argentina’s squad at the next FIFA World Cup and even assumes he’ll inherit the symbolic No. 10 jersey, currently worn by Messi. 

"I'm sure he'll be at the next World Cup. He's the heir to the Argentina national team's No. 10," he said. "He likes to be the leader of the orchestra; he needs to have the ball. He has a chessboard in his head. He has Zidane qualities; he's a fine, elegant player with a white boot.”

For now, Mastantuno remains in a holding pattern. Due to age restrictions, he cannot fully integrate with the Real Madrid senior squad until he turns 18 on August 14. Once that milestone is reached, he will be eligible to participate in full training sessions with the first team.

Mastantuono's debut may not come immediately, but there is growing belief that he could feature in the squad sooner rather than later, especially as Xabi Alonso will look to rotate his squad. Los Blancos open their 2025-26 La Liga campaign on August 19 with a home fixture against Osasuna. While it’s unclear whether Mastantuono will feature in that game, the spotlight will certainly be on the young Argentine as soon as he begins his journey with the Spanish giants.