Spanish-born midfielder Bruno Galassi has been called up to the Argentina Under-20 national team for their training camp in Ezeiza.
The Lazio player is the only footballer based in Europe included in the 24-man squad selected by head coach Diego Placente. The group began training yesterday at the national team complex as they prepare for next year's South American Under-20 Championship.
Galassi, who plays primarily as a defensive midfielder and can also slot in across the back line, arrives in camp after impressing in European club football. Placente, a former Argentina international defender who represented his country at the 2002 World Cup, has brought the squad together at the Argentine Football Association training centre in Ezeiza, located just outside Buenos Aires.
The South American Under-20 Championship, run every two years by continental governing body CONMEBOL, serves as the qualifying tournament for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. Argentina has won the global youth tournament six times, using their Under-20 squads to develop future senior internationals.
Development at Real Madrid academy
Galassi was born on February 7, 2007, in Lleida, a city in the western part of Catalonia in north-eastern Spain. He qualifies for three different national teams, holding Spanish citizenship by birth as well as Argentine and Italian nationality through his parents.
His connection to Argentine football comes from his father, Eric "Bocha" Galassi, who previously played as a professional footballer for Club Atlético San Genaro. The club is based in Santa Fe, an Argentine province celebrated for developing generations of international players and managers.
After his family moved from Catalonia to Madrid, Galassi entered the academy of Rayo Vallecano, a club based in Madrid's southern district of Vallecas. He later transferred across the capital to continue his youth career with Getafe.
In 2023, scouts from Real Madrid spotted his potential and brought him into La Fábrica, the club's celebrated youth academy based at the Ciudad Real Madrid training complex in Valdebebas. Speaking during an interview in 2025, Galassi explained that agreeing to the move was easy, remarking that the training facilities at Real Madrid felt like Disney.
European trophies and move to Lazio
Galassi established himself as a dominant presence in midfield, standing 1.84 metres tall with strong defensive instincts and tactical versatility. His performances helped Real Madrid collect major silverware across European youth football.
In 2024, he won the Puskás Cup with Real Madrid, an annual international under-17 tournament staged in Hungary and named after legendary Hungarian forward Ferenc Puskás. He followed that achievement by helping the club capture the 2025-2026 UEFA Youth League, the premier continental club competition for under-19 teams.
Those displays prompted Italian club Lazio to secure his signature on a long-term agreement. The Rome-based Serie A side signed Galassi on a contract running until June 2029 in a deal worth 4 million euros.
Under the terms of the transfer, Real Madrid retained a financial interest in the midfielder by negotiating a sell-on clause that entitles them to a percentage of any future transfer fee. Galassi is currently training with the Lazio first-team squad in the Italian capital.
Argentina youth recruitment strategy
His performances in Europe quickly drew the attention of Argentine scouts. Galassi came close to making his international appearance for Argentina at the recent South American Games, but an injury forced him out of the competition.
His call-up to Placente's Under-20 squad represents the next step toward a potential senior international career with the Albiceleste. It also continues a structured campaign by the Argentine Football Association to recruit dual-national players who were born abroad to Argentine families.
The recruitment drive is known in Argentina as the "Europibes" project, combining Europe with the popular Argentine slang term for young boys. The initiative actively monitors emerging talent across European leagues and invites eligible prospects into Argentine national youth squads.
The project first gained widespread international notice when full-back Pablo Maffeo received a senior call-up. Maffeo was born in Catalonia and developed in Spanish football before representing clubs including Manchester City and Mallorca.
Spanish dual nationals choosing Argentina
Several other prominent players born in Spain have decided to reject the Spanish national team, known as La Roja, to pledge their allegiance to Argentina. Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho was born in Madrid and played for Atletico Madrid's youth teams before choosing Argentina through his mother's heritage.
Midfielder Nico Paz took a similar route. Born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Paz developed in Real Madrid's academy before transferring to Italian club Como, opting to follow his father, former Argentina international Pablo Paz, into the Albiceleste setup.
Argentina's scouting network has also recruited talent directly from Spain's leading youth academies. Real Madrid goalkeeper José Alberto Castelau de Roa and Barcelona centre-back Nico Marcipar have both accepted invitations to play for Argentina's Under-17 national team.
In December 2025, Mallorca forward Alex Woiski confirmed his choice to represent Argentina rather than Spain. That same month, 22-year-old talent Joaquín "Oso" Martínez Gauna made his official Primera División debut for Sevilla FC in a league match against Valencia, with his display drawing immediate interest from Argentine scouts.
Preparations for the South American Championship
Galassi has now joined his new international teammates at the Ezeiza complex as Placente prepares his squad for next year's continental championship. As the only player in the 24-man group who plays his club football in Europe, Galassi faces a key test in proving his readiness for South American international football.
Under FIFA eligibility regulations, players with dual nationality can represent different countries in youth football without losing the right to switch before making a competitive senior appearance. Argentina will hope that integrating Galassi into the Under-20 setup early will cement his long-term international future with the national team.
