Javier Mascherano reportedly set to be named new Inter Miami coach

Last Updated: November 22, 2024By Chief Editor

Lionel Messi reportedly has a new coach, with ex-Argentina, Barcelona teammate Javier Mascherano to take charge of the Herons in 2025.

Argentina U23 manager Javier Mascherano is reportedly set to join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami as their new head coach following reports that Tata Martino is set to step down Friday and depart the South Beach club due to “personal reasons.”

Mascherano played alongside Messi at Barcelona from 2010-2018, and with the Argentina national team throughout his entire career up until 2018, as well.

Cesar Luis Merlo was first to report the news of Mascherano’s reported hiring.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Mascherano led La Albiceleste, which featured Miami’s Federico Redondo on the squad, to a quarterfinal exit in the tournament. The manager came under heavy scrutiny due to them underperforming to large expectations in the competition as they were defeated 1-0 by eventual champions France. The criticism also stemmed from finishing second in the Group Stage behind Morocco, despite being one of the tournament’s early favorites, which forced them to face Les Bleus immediately in the knockout stages.

Martino, meanwhile, is departing after the Herons were on the losing side of the biggest upset in MLS history in the 2024 Playoffs, being defeated by Atlanta United in MLS’ Round 1 best-of-three series. After winning the Supporters’ Shield and claiming the regular season title by setting the league points record, there were massive postseason expectations for the South Beach club, but they exited early, and Martino’s time at the helm is over.

Mascherano will come in looking to lead the club to its first-ever MLS Cup, but it will be the 40-year-old’s first-ever senior job at the club level, and his first time managing a roster full of veterans and professionals – including Messi and his ex-teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Luis Suarez, however, is at a contract stalemate with the club at the moment and Mascherano will likely play a big role in determining if he will be re-signed or not.