Franco Mastantuono Out of the World Cup: Scaloni's Radical Decision

One of the biggest surprises around defending world champions Argentina's 2026 FIFA World Cup squad has emerged. According to reports by one of the most reliable names in Argentine football journalism, Gastón Edul, Lionel Scaloni has not included Real Madrid's 18-year-old Argentine star Franco Mastantuono in the 26-man squad traveling to North America. This has become one of the most discussed decisions of recent weeks.

The scale of the decision is particularly striking. Mastantuono was a player Scaloni frequently included in the latter stages of the CONMEBOL qualifiers and recent international friendlies. While fully healthy, he was selected for three consecutive FIFA international windows; he only missed out during a brief injury layoff between October and November 2025. In total, he had logged four senior caps for the national team — three of which were World Cup qualifiers and one a friendly.

The main reason for Scaloni's hard call is reported to be Mastantuono's recent dip in form at Real Madrid. The young player transferred to the Spanish giants from River Plate after the FIFA Club World Cup last year; however, Real Madrid's trophyless season also affected his individual development graph. Argentina's midfield stage is already very strong; Scaloni prioritized other names with the criteria of "current form and physical readiness."

How the decision was communicated to Mastantuono also stands out as a detail that will go down in history. According to Edul, Scaloni personally delivered the bad news to Mastantuono on the phone. Scaloni, who repeated his statement that "it will be painful for some guys and joyful for others" at a press conference once again, used a strategy of waiting until the last moment.

Argentina must announce its 26-man official squad to FIFA by June 1; the official announcement will come on Friday, May 29. The Albiceleste will compete in Group J alongside Algeria, Austria, and Jordan. Veteran names like Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, and Cristian Romero form the backbone of the squad. The defending champion Argentina is aiming for the first back-to-back championships in its history in North America.

For Mastantuono, this can be considered a very harsh blow; but the young player has a long career ahead. The opportunity to appear in Europe's talent showcase in 2030 is still in his hands.   (TyC Sport).