Inter Miami Head Coach Gerardo Martino Resigns

Inter Miami, an MLS club, has confirmed that head coach Gerardo Martino has resigned from his position, citing “personal reasons.” Martino, aged 62, assumed leadership of the club in June 2023 and is departing with a year remaining on his current contract. Martino, who previously managed Argentina and Barcelona, guided Inter Miami to secure their initial two trophies: the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters’ Shield. Martino stated, “It has been an honour to work at such a special club, and to lead such a special team.” He added, “I’ve enjoyed my stay at Inter Miami and will treasure the memories made and relationships forged here for the rest of my life. “I depart with nothing but gratitude for my time here and would like to offer sincere thanks to everyone that made it possible.” Jorge Mas, Inter Miami’s managing owner, indicated that the club plans to announce Martino’s replacement “in the next few days.” Javier Mascherano, also an Argentine, is widely reported as a potential candidate. Mascherano, a former midfielder for Barcelona and Liverpool, previously played alongside Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi and striker Luis Suarez. Mas further commented, “I’m not going to discuss names.” He continued, “We are very near [the] end of process, we will be announcing a new coach in the coming days.” He also mentioned, “We got it down to three final candidates by Tuesday. We made a decision who we wanted the day before yesterday and we will announce in the next few days.” When Martino was appointed as Phil Neville’s successor in July 2023, Inter Miami occupied the last position in the MLS standings, having suffered 13 losses in 18 matches. He rapidly enhanced the team’s performance, securing the Leagues Cup, and continued this success into 2024. During this period, Inter Miami established a new record for the highest number of single-season MLS points while on their way to claiming the Supporters’ Shield. Nevertheless, the team was eliminated in the first round of this season’s post-season play-offs, following a defeat to Atlanta United. Mas stated that Messi had “given his input” regarding the selection process and that he desired the Argentine forward to be “comfortable” with the new coach, though Messi was not granted veto power. Messi’s contract is set to conclude at the end of the 2025 season. However, Mas expressed that he ‘fully expected’ the 37-year-old to remain with Inter Miami when the club relocates to its new stadium in 2026. Furthermore, the club has controversially secured qualification for next year’s Club World Cup, having won this season’s MLS Supporters Shield for achieving the best regular season record.