Mastantuono's World Cup Dream Hangs in the Balance

Lionel Scaloni is sharpening the blade. And one of Argentina’s brightest young talents may feel the cut.

According to AS, 18-year-old forward Mastantuono is fighting to keep his World Cup dream alive as the reigning champions move towards their final squad decision this weekend. He arrived at the Lionel Messi training complex in Buenos Aires on the back of a turbulent first season in Madrid, a campaign that brought 23 appearances but not the sort of headline-grabbing impact that guarantees a seat on the plane.

What he does have is perfect fitness. What he does not have is certainty.

Scaloni and his staff are running the rule over every name on the preliminary list, weighing roles, profiles and balance rather than reputation or romance. The coach did not hide the fact that some calls are still hanging in the air.

“We still have some doubts that we’ll resolve in the coming days,” he admitted, outlining a selection process driven by form and functionality rather than sentiment.

He later doubled down on that point, stressing that survival in this cut-throat final phase depends on “the players’ performance, that they arrive in top form.” In other words, if Mastantuono stays behind when Argentina depart, it will not be because of any physical problem. It will be because, in Scaloni’s tactical jigsaw, his piece does not quite fit.

The teenager’s hopes now rest on a set of fitness tests that have nothing to do with him. Nahuel Molina, Nico Gonzalez and Gonzalo Montiel are all working through specialised assessments as they race to prove their readiness. Any setback for that trio could open a tactical slot, a late twist that drags Mastantuono back into the picture just as the door seems to be closing.

The stakes are brutal. Argentina are not just travelling to another tournament; they are heading out to defend their world title, with Group J fixtures against Algeria, Austria and Jordan setting the tone for an entire campaign. Scaloni cannot afford passengers. Every place must carry a clear purpose.

For Mastantuono, the message could not be harsher or more simple: his body is ready, his future is not. Whether that changes now depends less on what he does in training and more on how the medical reports land on the manager’s desk in the coming days.