On January 31, 2006, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a boy was born who was named Gianluca Prestianni. And now, almost 20 years later, he is on everyone's lips, as Argentina heads into the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada without a clear leader.
Lionel Messi is 38 years old and is not expected to replicate his feat from 2022. And that is precisely why the Argentine people are looking for a new talisman. And Gianluca Prestianni , along with Nicolás Paz Martínez (Nico Paz), are being promoted by a population desperate to defend the gold from Qatar.
The Factory
Prestianni is a product of the legendary academy of Vélez Sarsfield , and he thus comes from a club that has previously had José Luis Chilavert , Diego Pablo Simeone , Mauro Zárate , Nicolás Otamend , Thiago Almada and Manuel Lanzini on its payroll.
Prestianni made his professional debut for Vélez Sarsfield in May 2022 in the Copa Libertadores at just 16 years old — an early sign of the club's confidence in his talent. He eventually established himself in the first team and scored his first goals in the Argentine league during the 2023 season.
His performances quickly attracted attention in Europe, and in 2023 he was included in The Guardian's list of the best players born in 2006 .
First stop: Benfica
In January 2024, Prestianni signed a transfer to Portuguese side Benfica , where he signed a contract that runs until 2029. The transfer fee was around €10 million with a high buyout clause, signaling how highly the club values him.
But due to his young age, Gianluca Prestianni had to go through Benfica B before he could gradually establish himself in the first team. Because even though he got a taste of first-team football in both the 2023/2024 season and the 2024/2025 season, his breakthrough really came this season.
And now, 15 games into the season, he has managed to score two goals, provide one assist, pick up three yellow cards and one red card. But he has been involved in 11 games, and he is really starting to make a name for himself.
With his low center of gravity, extreme acceleration, and not least his ability to both dribble and control the ball at high speed, he has become a favorite inside the Estádio da Luz. And with these skills, it is no wonder that thoughts turn to another Argentine with a low center of gravity and good ball control. An Argentine who is only 4 centimeters taller, but far more meritorious.
The time after Messi
There are many similarities between today's squad and the group that won World Cup gold in Qatar. But there are also some fundamental differences. And the biggest, and most crucial, is probably that Messi is three years older. And after three years of playing football in MLS, it has been a long time since the 38-year-old Messi has felt consistently good opposition. And you decay quickly when you are not challenged.
If we turn back the clock a few years, Gianluca Prestianni close to making his debut for the Italian national team. Robert Mancini made an attempt to bring the 17-year-old Prestianni in, just a few weeks after he had succeeded in getting the Italian-Argentine striker Retegui to make his debut for the Italian national team. But Gianluca Prestianni remembered where he came from, and in November 2025, his international debut for La Albiceleste in a friendly match against Angola.
Next stop?
The versatile magician can play on the right wing as well as in central midfield, and is equally at home making through passes as he is dribbling down the wing. His speed comes in handy either way, and his skills are of such high quality that we'd be surprised if he's not already on the radar of most of Europe's biggest clubs.
But do they dare to wait until after the World Cup?
