Madrid's Mastantuono faces Argentina World Cup squad chop

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Real Madrid starlet Franco Mastantuono faces a nervous wait as he risks being dropped from Argentina's final World Cup squad. Despite reporting for international duty in peak physical condition, the teenage attacker could still be omitted by manager Lionel Scaloni before Sunday's deadline due to purely tactical considerations.

Madrid starlet risks omission

According to a report from AS, Mastantuono is at risk of missing out on a place in Argentina's final World Cup roster. The 18-year-old forward joined the national camp at the Lionel Messi training complex in Buenos Aires at the end of a difficult debut season in Madrid that saw him make 23 appearances. While his physical fitness is exemplary, a place on the plane to the tournament is far from assured. Ultimately, should the youngster be left out, his omission will stem strictly from the manager's tactical blueprint rather than any underlying injury concerns.

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Scaloni keeps options open

The technical staff are carefully evaluating every preliminary player ahead of the weekend deadline. Addressing the selection dilemma, Scaloni said: "We still have some doubts that we’ll resolve in the coming days."

He later emphasised that the ultimate criterion for surviving the impending squad reduction remains "the players' performance, that they arrive in top form". Consequently, Mastantuono's potential exclusion would be a purely tactical decision.

AFA split over youngster

Opinions are divided within the Argentine Football Association regarding the forward's immediate international integration. The player remains on the list of alternatives alongside Emi Buendia, Matias Soule and Agustin Giay, waiting to see if any injured squad members drop out.

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Injury list alters dynamics

Mastantuono’s tournament hopes hinge on dynamic fitness tests for injured trio Nahuel Molina, Nico Gonzalez and Gonzalo Montiel. Should any of these squad members fail their specialised assessments, tactical openings will emerge before Scaloni finalises his roster for the upcoming challenges ahead. The reigning champions desperately need their squad fitness sorted before kicking off their world title defence in Group J against Algeria, Austria and Jordan.