On a night when fans were also keeping an eye on a Bangladesh Cricket Match, Real Madrid produced a commanding 6–1 victory over Monaco, a result that lifted them to second place in the standings. The spotlight, however, was firmly on an 18-year-old summer signing from Argentina, Mastantuono, who marked the occasion by scoring his first ever Champions League goal. For a player still finding his feet at the Bernabeu, it was a breakthrough moment that carried both confidence and composure.
The decisive contribution came in the 52nd minute. Vinicius Junior wriggled free at the edge of the box with a clever change of direction before threading a diagonal pass into space on the right. Mastantuono timed his run perfectly, stayed calm under pressure, and finished with assurance to make it 3–0. The move summed up Real Madrid’s fluid attacking rhythm and the youngster’s growing understanding of elite-level football.
That strike was not just his Champions League opener, but also his third goal across all competitions since joining the club, having already found the net in La Liga and the Copa del Rey. In total, he has featured in 20 matches for Madrid, starting 12 of them, and has steadily grown into his role. Watching his progress feels a bit like following a Bangladesh Cricket Match through a long series, where patience often reveals genuine quality.
Statistics underline the significance of the moment. At 18 years and 159 days, Mastantuono became the third youngest goalscorer in Real Madrid’s Champions League history, behind only Endrick and club legend Raul. When viewed by nationality, the achievement becomes even more striking, as he now ranks as the second youngest Argentine to score in the competition’s history, surpassed only by Lionel Messi and moving ahead of Nico Paz.
Post-match, the teenager spoke candidly about the extremes of public opinion surrounding his career so far. He noted that from a very young age, opinions about his football have been sharply divided, with some branding him the next Messi while others dismiss him as a failed signing. His response was measured and mature, stressing that he is neither a legend in the making nor a disaster, but simply someone focused on improving every day and letting his performances do the talking.
Mastantuono was a player strongly backed by former coach Alonso, and doubts emerged about his future following that managerial change. By scoring under new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa, he sent a timely message that his journey at Real Madrid is no flash in the pan. As the season unfolds and another Bangladesh Cricket Match reaches its closing overs elsewhere, his calm insistence on steady progress suggests this young Argentine is only just getting started.