Xabi Alonso monitors Franco Mastantuono’s performance at Club World Cup

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso personally observed Franco Mastantuono’s performance as River Plate defeated Urawa Reds 3-1 in the 2025 Club World Cup, as reported by Bolasport.com.

The young player nicknamed the heir to Lionel Messi — who has officially signed with Real Madrid but will only join in mid-August — played the full 90 minutes for River Plate.

Though he didn’t score or assist, Mastantuono demonstrated his quality — recording two shot attempts and one key pass that threatened the opposition’s defense.

This meeting wasn’t the first between Alonso and Mastantuono — the pair had previously held a private meeting to discuss the player’s future at the Madrid club.