Argentina's coach Scaloni highly praises the Real Madrid star

After Argentina’s dominant 6–0 win against Puerto Rico in a friendly match, coach Lionel Scaloni expressed particular praise for the young players.

In the post-match press conference, the 46-year-old coach emphasized the roles of two young prospects: “Mastantuono and Nico Paz are very important players for us. Both are left-footed, play similar positions but have different characteristics. They are still very young and not yet regular starters, but our plan is to give them opportunities to gain experience. I believe they can definitely coexist in the future.”

Franco Mastantuono, an emerging talent from Real Madrid, is only 17 but has already been called up to the Argentina national team. In the previous training camp, he attracted attention when given the legendary number 10 jersey, famously associated with Lionel Messi.

Although he missed the match against Venezuela due to a minor injury, Mastantuono returned to Madrid to continue training with the first team, demonstrating significant progress at the highest level.

Meanwhile, Nico Paz, currently playing for Como in Serie A after moving from Real Madrid, is also showing clear development. The 21-year-old midfielder was given a full 90-minute start against Venezuela by coach Scaloni and came off the bench in the win over Puerto Rico.

His versatility, ball control, and sharp tactical thinking make him one of the promising midfielders for Argentina’s future.

For Real Madrid, Mastantuono’s growing trust at the national level clearly reflects the club’s investment strategy in youth. Meanwhile, Nico Paz, a product of the club’s academy, shows steady development despite playing abroad.

Coach Scaloni affirmed he is gradually building a deep squad where talents like Mastantuono and Paz will soon become key players. “The next generation of Argentina is taking shape, and they are an essential part of our long-term plan,” the coach concluded.