{"id":15376,"date":"2026-01-21T08:30:56","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T08:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=15376"},"modified":"2026-01-21T08:30:59","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T08:30:59","slug":"franco-mastantuono-the-first-champions-league-goal-and-the-road-to-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/franco-mastantuono-the-first-champions-league-goal-and-the-road-to-2026","title":{"rendered":"Franco Mastantuono: The First Champions League Goal and the Road to 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A star is born (officially) at the Bernab\u00e9u. But what does this landmark goal mean for his World Cup chances and his immediate future in Madrid?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wednesday, January 21, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

REAL MADRID, SPAIN<\/strong> \u2013 It took 51 minutes on a Tuesday night in January for the murmur of potential to turn into the roar of arrival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Real Madrid<\/a><\/strong>‘s emphatic 6-1 demolition<\/a> of AS Monaco<\/a><\/strong>, 18-year-old Franco Mastantuono<\/a><\/strong> didn’t just score his first Champions League<\/a> goal; he offered a glimpse of the future that Madridistas have been waiting for since his summer arrival.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Franco
(Via 365Scores)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Slipped in by Vin\u00edcius J\u00fanior<\/a><\/strong>, Mastantuono\u2019s finish was clinical\u2014a left-footed strike that settled any lingering nerves and announced him on the European stage. But beyond the goal, the performance raises massive questions for the remainder of the 2025\/26 campaign: Is he finally ready to be a starter? And can he force his way into the Argentina<\/a><\/strong> squad for the 2026 World Cup<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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