MLS: Mascherano resignation surprises Inter Miami

Ken Garner
2 days ago
3 min read

NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com

“El Jefecito” is out. Second-year Herons coach Javier Mascherano resigned Tuesday just four months after leading Inter Miami to its first MLS Cup title.

The club announced Mascherano’s resignation just before noon, including this statement from the 41-year-old Argentine:

“First and foremost, I would like to thank the club for the trust they placed in me, every employee who is part of the organization for the collective effort, but especially the players, who made it possible for us to experience unforgettable moments.

“I also want to thank the fans and La Familia (the club’s supporters groups) because none of this would have been possible without them.

“I will always carry with me the memory of our first star, and wherever I am, I will continue to wish the club all the best moving forward. I have no doubt that the club will continue to achieve success in the future.

“Sending you all a big hug, and thank you for everything.”

Inter Miami is 3-1-5 in all competitions in 2026 and sits third in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference at 3-1-3 (12 points).

Sporting director Guillermo Hoyos will coach Las Garzas while the club searches for Mascherano’s replacement.

Mascherano was a celebrated defensive midfielder during a playing career that included stints with Barcelona, Liverpool, and Argentina’s national team. He coached in his country’s youth national team system before accepting the Inter Miami position, his first job leading a professional club, in December 2024.

At Barcelona, Mascherano played with future Herons Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez; many supporters believe he was hired primarily because of his relationship with these all-time great players.

Despite his inexperience, Mascherano posted a 38-14-15 record in 67 matches guiding the Herons, averaging a club-record 1.93 points per match.

Mascherano’s predecessor, veteran Gerardo “Tata” Martino — also an Argentine with connections to Messi — also coached Inter Miami for 67 matches with almost exactly the same results: 38-16-13, or 1.90 points per match. Only Phil Neville coached more matches (90) wearing pink and black. He compiled a record of 36-43-11 for 1.3 points per match.

It’s interesting to note that Martino also chose to resign “for personal reasons” after a record-setting 2024 season. Tara led the Herons’ first major trophy, the inaugural Leagues Cup, in 2023 and set a Major League Soccer record for points in a regular season (74), claiming the Supporters’ Shield in the process. But ninth-seeded Atlanta United pulled off the biggest playoff upset, eliminating heavily favored Miami in three matches.

Los Garzas’ ownership group, comprised by England soccer legend David Beckham and Miami billionaire brothers Jorge and Jose Mas, has set audaciously high goals for the club, expecting multiple trophies per year since the arrival of Messi & Co. in 2023.

Jorge Mas, moments after Miami won the MLS Cup in December, told a reporter in a live interview that Inter Miami’s top priority in 2026 would be to lift the coveted CONCACAF Champions Cup, a trophy U.S. teams have claimed just three times in 60 tries. But Nashville SC eliminated the Herons from the competition in March, leading some supporters to call the season a failure despite the Herons’ still competing to defend its MLS title, earn the club’s second Supporters’ Shield, and win another Leagues Cup.