"An honour for me" - Javier Mascherano speaks out as he joins former teammate Lionel Messi at Inter Miami as manager
After being appointed as the manager of Lionel Messi's Inter Miami, Javier Mascherano has stated that he is looking forward to reaching "new heights" with the Herons. Tata Martino left the club for personal reasons after the conclusion of the 2024 MLS campaign.
Mascherano has left his role as Argentina U-20 head coach to take over at Fort Lauderdale. Mascherano had been teammates with Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez, and Jordi Alba during his Barcelona years. Now, he will have the opportunity to lead them from the dugout at the Chase Stadium.
Speaking after his appointment, Mascherano said (via Eurosport):
"To be able to lead a club like Inter Miami is an honour for me, and a privilege I will strive to make the most of. I was drawn to the organisation’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."
Co-owner David Beckham said about Mascherano's appointment (via Eurosport):
"Throughout his career as one of the world’s best players and as an experienced coach, Javier has always demonstrated what makes him great - relentless determination with the knowledge, instincts and understanding to back it up. We’re very excited to welcome him to lead our team."
Before Tata Martino left Miami, he led them to their first ever trophy - the Leagues Cup in 2023 - and the Supporters' Shield in 2024. Javier Mascherano will hope he can continue from where his compatriot left off and lead Lionel Messi and the Herons to the MLS title next season.
Pundit warns Lionel Messi's Inter Miami about Mascherano's inexperience
Pundit Shaka Hislop has warned the Herons that Javier Mascherano could be too inexperienced to manage the MLS club. Before the former Argentina U-20 head coach was announced as manager, Hislop raised this concerns, telling ESPN (via Inter Miami News):
"There are some pluses, but looking in from the outside, there are few and far between. That’s down to a couple of things, one is his inexperience. Yes, he’s been coaching Argentina’s U-20s but that’s only 20 games in charge."
"Coming into a system and a club like Inter Miami and a league like MLS and all the quirks that come with that and then the expectations around Inter Miami, it’s a lot."
With Lionel Messi and other former Barcelona players in the team, Mascherano will have a lot of experience to work with. The 40-year-old has only managed Argentina's U-20 and U-23 teams prior to this appointment.
