A glimpse of Real Madrid's $72m teen Mastantuono, Ramos rises again, PL fixtures announced

New York Times

5 hours ago

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Hello! He's stolen one of Lionel Messi's records, he's got a wicked free kick on him, and his price tag was $72million. Say hello to Real Madrid's new teenage marvel.
On the way:
👋 Introducing Mastantuono
🏆 Ramos being Ramos
📅 2025-26 EPL fixtures drop
🫢 Goalkeeper's 1,375th game
The onset of the Club World Cup followed a rush to conclude transfers in time for it. Hundreds of millions of dollars changed hands in the days before it began. Real Madrid were so set on taking Trent Alexander-Arnold (or 'Trent', as he wishes to be known from here on) that they paid more than £8million ($11m) to speed up his arrival from Liverpool.
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The exception to the rule was Franco Mastantuono, who is primed for a dramatic change of scenery, but not until after the Club World Cup finishes. Last Friday, Madrid finalised the terms of a move to the Bernabeu, an investment that will cost them dear. The midfielder, however, is in the U.S. with River Plate, and if they and Madrid advance to the Club World Cup's knockouts, he could play against the team who have effectively already bought him.
Mastantuono is only 17 and, as a South American, FIFA rules prevent him from switching to a European team until he turns 18. He holds an Italian passport but sources have told our Madrid reporter, Mario Cortegana, that the process of hastening his transfer would be unduly complex — so the transfer will complete on August 14, Mastantuono's 18th birthday.
For some time now, Mastantuono has been making headlines in Argentina. Recently, he broke Lionel Messi's record as the country's youngest debutant in a competitive match. Before that, he drew wider attention by lighting up a Superclasico between River and Boca Juniors with a beast of a free kick. Last night, a global audience got a peek at him as he and River overcame Japan's Urawa Reds (and the biggest tactics board in history, below) 3-1 at the Club World Cup.
He's a hot prospect, but he's not coming cheap. So what are Real getting for their dosh?
Considering that Mastantuono is yet to cut his teeth in European football, the figures involved are sizeable. It's no speculative punt, put it that way. River will receive £38.5m — a club-record sale, beating Enzo Fernandez's transfer to Benfica in 2022 — via a release clause but in total, including tax and other fees, Madrid are in for £54m. For context, Endrick cost them £29m from Palmeiras last year.
Watching Mastantuono yesterday, one word came to mind instantly: lively. He progresses play, he has a sweet range of passing — his floated ball to the left wing (top of section) set in motion the attack leading to River's first goal — and his energy is infectious. What we need to discover is how well that skill set will translate when the opposition are Barcelona, rather than Urawa Reds.
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Our tactics expert, Ahmed Walid, put the teenager under the microscope to see how his game stood up to scrutiny. River fielded him as a right-sided forward in Seattle but he roamed like a playmaker, to good effect. He is two-footed, he manipulates possession in tight areas, and by the time I got to the end of Ahmed's analysis, Madrid's outlay made more sense. Expecting him to be the second coming of Messi is too much — but he has star potential in his own right.
If you'd asked me to put money on one player who would shake up the world order in the United States, I'd have thrown my life savings at Sergio Ramos. The Club World Cup is the old warhorse in his element, the ego still raging after all this time.
Monterrey, the Mexican side who convinced the 39-year-old to take up a post-European adventure with them in February, are rank outsiders in the U.S., a scenario that the uncompromising Ramos must love. They collided with Inter in Pasadena yesterday and you'll never guess who stole the show.
Ramos drew first blood, gave it the Cristiano Ronaldo 'siu' celebration and generally did his bit to take Inter (who must be knackered after a depressing end to their season and the loss of Simone Inzaghi as head coach) to places they didn't want to go. Jack Lang described the centre-back choosing Mexico over Saudi Arabia or MLS as a 'rebel' move, and that's pretty much Ramos to a 't'. The years are showing but the swagger will persist until the grim reaper comes calling.
Inter got out of dodge with a 1-1 draw, which was as much as they deserved. A little like Xabi Alonso at Madrid, Inzaghi's replacement, Cristian Chivu, has been pitched in at the deep end with next to no preparation time for FIFA's money-spinning tournament. Priority one for him? Restore Inter's vigour, because it's patently flagging.
The fixture list for the 2025-26 Premier League season dropped from a height this morning. Head to our landing page for all the nuts and bolts.
Disclaimer: I'm fully aware that every club plays every other club eventually, and that the precise schedule is largely inconsequential. But to give you a taster, I've identified a few standouts.
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Arsenal at home on weekend one — August 16 to August 19 — is sink or swim for Manchester United. An early chasing from Mikel Arteta is Ruben Amorim's worst nightmare. Manchester City versus Liverpool on November 8 will be a useful demonstration of how the balance of power between them lies; likewise, Arsenal-City in September. And set aside November 22 for Thomas Frank's first taste of a north London derby. Speaking of sink or swim.
(Kick-offs ET/UK time. All Club World Cup matches are shown on DAZN in the U.S. and UK, as well as the other channels stated.)
FIFA Club World Cup: Group G: Manchester City vs Wydad, 12pm/5pm — Channel 5 (UK); Al Ain vs Juventus, 9pm/2am; Group H: Real Madrid vs Al Hilal, 3pm/8pm — TNT, Fubo/Channel 5; Pachuca vs Red Bull Salzburg, 6pm/11pm.
Concacaf Gold Cup: Suriname vs Mexico, 10pm/3am — Fox Sports, Fubo, ViX/Premier Sports.
We're 10 games into the Club World Cup, with 0-0 draws running at a rate of 30 per cent. But let's take a moment to celebrate last night's goalless slog between Fluminense of Brazil and Germany's Borussia Dortmund.
Fluminense's goalkeeper, Fabio, is 44. He made his pro debut in 1997 (I mean, Jesus, I was still at school). Yesterday's appearance was his 1,375th, edging him closer to Peter Shilton's all-time record, which officially stands at 1,390. Goals or no goals, it was something to write home about.