Inter Miami announced Javier Mascherano as their new head coach on Tuesday, following Tata Martino's recent departure.
Mascherano began his coaching career in December, 2021 when he was named the manager of Argentina's U-20 national team. He would go on to coach Argentina at the 2024 Olympics, which is largely a U-23 competition with three overage players allowed for each team.
The Argentine is best known for his playing career. Mascherano played alongside Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba with FC Barcelona in the 2010s. The 40-year-old also played for Liverpool in the Premier League and earned over 100 caps with Argentina.
“To be able to lead a club like Inter Miami is an honor for me, and a privilege I will strive to make the most of. I was drawn to the organization’s undeniable ambition, and the infrastructure it has to support it,” Mascherano said in a statement.
“This job requires somebody with the experience to be able to maximize our unique collection of talent...Javier has amassed unmatched experience in his career, from playing on the world’s biggest stages, to coaching at the youth international level; he has the blend of skills and experience we were looking for, and even has had direct coaching experience with Tomás Avilés, Facundo Farías, Federico Redondo, and Benjamin Cremaschi,” Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas said.
Under Martino in 2024, Inter Miami set the single-season MLS points record (74), but fell short of trophies in the Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, and MLS playoffs.
Joe's perspective:
Given his overall lack of coaching experience, it certainly appears the biggest thing that qualified Mascherano for this job was his time playing alongside Miami's aging stars at Barcelona. Having an existing relationship with Messi was likely a prerequisite for this new hire, just as it seemed to be when Martino joined Inter Miami last summer.
