Phoenix 24
When humor slips into football’s most serious locker room, even the stars loosen their armor for a moment.
Madrid, October 2025. The latest video released by Real Madrid’s media department offered a rare glimpse of the team’s lighter side. Recorded after training, the segment asked a simple, almost trivial question: “Which celebrity do you look like?” What began as an exercise in laughter ended up revealing the nickname that has already made Franco Mastantuono part of the club’s inner circle.
Éder Militão compared himself to former NBA champion Shaun Livingston, while Thibaut Courtois chose tennis legend Novak Djokovic. Endrick, smiling, said he resembled rapper 50 Cent. Some teammates, such as Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, preferred to stay silent, amused by the unexpected question. Brahim Díaz and Jude Bellingham teased each other over supposed physical similarities, and David Alaba delivered the most self-confident response: “I look like myself, David Alaba,” which drew laughter across the room.
Then came Mastantuono’s turn. Calm and slightly amused, the 18-year-old Argentine midfielder from River Plate looked at the camera and said, “They call me Eminem here,” pointing toward the field where his teammates were stretching. The confession instantly sparked reactions online. Fans picked up on the parallel with the American rapper, noting the platinum-blond haircut and relaxed style that have made Mastantuono stand out since joining the Spanish giants.
In the sporting arena, the young midfielder’s adaptation has been as swift as his acceptance in the locker room. Under Xabi Alonso’s management, Mastantuono has started most matches this season, contributing one goal — in the victory against Levante — and one assist in the Champions League clash with Kairat Almaty. At just eighteen, he has gone from promising prospect to reliable rotation player in one of the most competitive squads in Europe.
Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, rose from Detroit’s underground scene to global fame with albums such as The Slim Shady LP and The Marshall Mathers LP. His sharp lyrics, blonde look and rebellious charisma shaped a generation. The comparison, half playful and half sincere, captures something of Mastantuono’s personality: confidence without arrogance, individuality within the collective.
Real Madrid’s present form reinforces that mood of ease and dominance. The team leads La Liga with twenty-one points from eight matches, two ahead of Barcelona, and will visit Getafe this weekend in search of a new victory. In the Champions League, the record remains perfect after wins over Olympique Marseille and Kairat Almaty. Next up is Juventus, a tougher test that could confirm the club’s near-flawless start to the season.
The nickname “Eminem” may have begun as a joke, but in Madrid’s dressing room it already sounds like a badge of belonging. Between laughter, rhythm and goals, Mastantuono seems to have found his tempo — both on the pitch and behind the scenes.
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