Inter Miami head coach Gerardo Martino steps down after MLS Cup exit

Inter Miami head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino has resigned due to personal reasons, according to multiple sources.

The 61-year-old led Miami to a regular season record 74 points and a Supporters’ Shield title.

However, Lionel Messi and Miami were eliminated from the postseason by Atlanta United in the quarterfinals of the MLS playoffs.

Martino joined Miami in the summer of 2023 after a nearly four-year stint with the Mexican national team. It was his return to MLS after guiding Atlanta to an MLS Cup title in 2018.

At the time of his appointment, Martino was considered the ideal candidate to lead Messi and his former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in America. Luis Suarez arrived this summer and helped propel Miami to the top of the league.

Despite crashing out in the first round of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with Mexico, Martino’s equity in MLS remained intact. He remains one of the league’s most influential hires.

“MLS is my weakness,” Martino told me Athletics in April 2023. “I was part of an extraordinary project with Atlanta United that had a clear direction, a lot of communication and similar goals that were established very quickly and executed.

“After coaching in MLS, I was attracted to it. I like the league. The possibility of returning to MLS is always there.”

Miami’s shocking loss to Atlanta on Nov. 9 prompted speculation that Martino’s job might be less than secure.

He appeared to cool that presumption after Miami’s exit, telling reporters that despite the humiliating loss, what Miami had accomplished in 2024 was “better than anything that’s happened in the club’s existence.”

Now Miami and Messi will search for a new manager. Former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez is an obvious choice here, given the club’s pro-Barça setup.

Messi’s ex-national team captain Javier Mascherano could also come into play. Mascherano and Messi continue to have a close personal relationship.

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MLS playoffs without Lionel Messi could be a welcome reality check

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