Inter Miami of the MLS announced on Tuesday that Argentine Javier Mascherano will be their new coach, following the departure last week of his compatriot Gerardo 'Tata' Martino. Mascherano, former coach of the Argentine U-20 national team, has signed with Inter Miami for three seasons, until 2027, according to a statement from the club.
In Miami, Mascherano will coach his former teammates at Barcelona: Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets. With them, he won two Champions Leagues and five La Liga titles, among other trophies.
He will also coach some of the players he has had in the lower categories of Argentina, such as Tomás Avilés, Facundo Farías, Federico Redondo, and Benjamin Cremaschi.
San Lorenzo's coach replaces Martino on the bench, who announced his departure last week for “strictly personal reasons.” After a magnificent regular season with a record number of points in the MLS, Inter was surprisingly eliminated in the first round of the title playoffs.
Mascherano and Messi, during both of their time at Barça
Another name that had been mentioned to replace Martino is that of former Barcelona player Xavi Hernández. “Being able to coach a club like Inter Miami is an honor for me, it's a privilege that I will try to make the most of,” Mascherano stated in a press release, expressing his attraction to “the organization's ambition.”