Juan Cruz Mesa

Juan Cruz Meza came through River Plate's academy from 2018, and by his teenage years he was already collecting silverware with the club's junior sides: the Novena División title in 2022, then a double in 2024 with the reserve team, lifting the Copa Proyección against San Lorenzo and the Trofeo de Campeones on penalties against Vélez Sarsfield. That run persuaded River to tie him down, and in June 2024 he signed his first professional contract, complete with a $30 million release clause; the deal was later extended to the end of 2028.

His first-team debut came on 13 July 2025, away to Platense in the Liga Profesional, a match River won 1-0.

Meza has also been part of Argentina's youth setup, capped twice for the under-16s in 2024 with a goal to his name, before stepping up to the under-17s in 2025, where he played seven times and scored against Paraguay at the South American U-17 Championship. He was part of the squad that won the Copa L'Alcudia, though when Argentina qualified for the under-17 World Cup in Qatar, he was left out of the final 21-man list.