Javier Mascherano named new Inter Miami coach, reuniting with Lionel Messi at South Beach

Argentina U23 manager Javier Mascherano is set to join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, the club announced Tuesday afternoon. Former head coach after Tata Martino officially announced last Friday that he was stepping down from the role.

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

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, losing to 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.

Mascherano will look to lead the club to its first-ever MLS Cup. It is 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 is at a contract stalemate with the club at the moment and Mascherano would likely play a big role in determining if he will be re-signed or not.

Miami owner Jorge Mas praised Mascherano, saying in a statement: "This job requires somebody with the experience to be able to maximize our unique collection of talent - from our global superstars, to our burgeoning Homegrown players, to our young international prospects, and everything in between. 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. We believe Javier is an important addition to our Club as we continue on our quest to be among the world’s elite, setting a new standard for fútbol in North America."

The former Argentina star expressed his excitement at taking the role: "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. I’m looking forward to working with the people at Inter Miami to help the club reach new heights, and to give the fans more unforgettable moments."

Mascherano was a part of Argentina's 2018 FIFA World Cup squad that made it to the final, before falling short to Kylian Mbappe and France in the final. During the competition, he became La Albiceleste's most-capped player at 147 appearances. He has since been passed by Messi - who now has 191.

Mascherano also played with Messi for eight seasons at Barcelona, winning two Champions League titles in 2011 and 2015 and four La Liga titles among other club trophies.

Miami have roster moves to figure out before the start of the 2025 season. There are questions around Suarez's future, among others.