Franco Mastantuono Breaks Messi Record With First Career Hat-Trick

Franco Mastantuono has finally delivered the kind of performance Fiorentina fans were waiting for. The Argentine attacking midfielder scored his first goals for the Italian club with a stunning hat-trick—and in the process, broke a record previously held by Lionel Messi.

Mastantuono scored in the 29th, 30th and 84th minutes as Fiorentina defeated Venezia 4-2 at the Pierre Luigi Stadium. The three goals gave the 19-year-old his first hat-trick in professional football.

But the achievement was significant for another reason. At 19 years and 28 days old, Mastantuono became the youngest Argentine player to score a hat-trick in a single match in one of Europe’s top five leagues.

The record had previously belonged to Messi.

Mastantuono Surpasses Messi’s Record

Messi scored his famous hat-trick for Barcelona against Real Madrid in the March 2007 El Clasico. He was 19 years and 259 days old at the time.

For years, Messi held the record for the youngest Argentine to score a hat-trick in a match in Europe’s top five leagues.

Mastantuono has now surpassed that mark at just 19 years and 28 days.

Another Argentine, Mauro Icardi, had previously come close. He scored a hat-trick for Sampdoria against Pescara in 2013 at the age of 19 years and 343 days.

From Real Madrid to Fiorentina

Expectations around Mastantuono have been high since he arrived in Europe. After joining Real Madrid last August, he was regarded as one of Argentina’s most exciting young talents, with some even comparing him to Messi.

However, breaking into Real Madrid’s star-studded starting XI proved difficult. Although he made 35 appearances last season, he rarely started regularly.

A year later, Real Madrid sent him on loan to Fiorentina in August as he looked for more opportunities and regular football.

His start in Serie A was far from spectacular. Fiorentina failed to win any of their first three league matches, while Mastantuono was still waiting for his first goal for the club.

That changed dramatically against Venezia.

First Professional Hat-Trick Carries a Touch of Messi

Mastantuono’s first two goals against Venezia also carried echoes of Messi’s trademark style. On both occasions, he cut inside from the right before curling the ball into the net with his left foot.

It was the first professional hat-trick of his career. He had previously scored four hat-tricks at youth level during his time with River Plate.

Before Mastantuono, the most recent Argentine to score a hat-trick in Europe’s top five leagues was Giovanni Simeone, who scored three goals against Napoli on April 29, 2018.

Mastantuono Leads Fiorentina to First League Win

Mastantuono’s hat-trick helped Fiorentina secure their first Serie A victory of the season.

The performance could prove to be an important turning point for the young Argentine, who arrived in Italy under enormous expectations after his move from Real Madrid.

It was the ninth hat-trick of the season across Europe’s top five leagues. Among South American players, two of those hat-tricks have come from Argentines, with Alavés forward Lucas Boyé also scoring three against Osasuna.

But Mastantuono’s achievement stands out.

At only 19, he has already broken a record once held by one of Argentina’s greatest-ever footballers. More importantly, he has opened his Fiorentina goalscoring account in spectacular fashion and announced himself as a player ready to make his mark in European football.