Inter Heron
FanSided

Unpopular opinion: Inter Miami should keep first-year coach Javier Mascherano

A growing number of Herons fans and content creators -- including Inter Heron site co-expert Ignacio Ravagnan -- are calling for Inter Miami to replace Mascherano; here are some reasons that they shouldn't.
ByKen Garner|
Inter Miami CF manager Javier Mascherano has been criticized for the Herons' inconsistent performances in 2025. Many supporters want the first-year coach replaced.
Inter Miami CF manager Javier Mascherano has been criticized for the Herons' inconsistent performances in 2025. Many supporters want the first-year coach replaced. | Jeff Dean/GettyImages
2 of 3
Lionel Messi, Javier Mascherano
Inter Miami CF captain Lionel Messi and coach Javier Mascherano discuss strategy during a match earlier this season. | Rich Storry/GettyImages


Miami knew what it was getting with Mascherano. Inter Miami signed Masche to a three-year contract in January, despite his never having coached at the club level. The 41-year-old Argentinian's most convincing qualifications for the Herons' job were his relationship with former teammates Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez and his 17-plus years starring as a defensive midfielder and center back. Masche played for renowned clubs worldwide, including Barcelona, Corinthians, Estudiantes, Liverpool, River Plate and West Ham, and with Messi on Argentina's national team.

Mascherano retired in 2020 and became an instructor with La Albiceleste. He became manager of Argentina's U20 side in January 2022 and compiled a 18-8-3 record (a 62.1 winning percentage) over three seasons and went 10-4-7 (47.6 percent) with the U23 squad in 2024. The U23 side was eliminated from the 2024 Olympics in the quarterfinals.

Masche's winning percentage with Inter Miami is better than Tata's. Mascherano's predecessor at Inter Miami, well-known and well-respected Argentine Gerardo "Tata" Martino, on the other hand, had coached almost 700 matches -- 166 for Paraguay, Argentina and Mexico at the international level, the rest for clubs in Europe and both North and South America -- before replacing Phil Neville at Inter Miami in July 2023. His overall coaching record, including 67 matches with the Pink & Black, is 392 wins, 175 losses, and 186 draws (52.06 winning percentage).

Tata, who guided Atlanta United to the MLS Cup championship in 2018, came to Miami as a high-profile international coach and helped the Herons win their first two major trophies, the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters Shield (thanks to a league-record 74-point regular season). But Martino announced his resignation last year shortly after his former team, Atlanta United, eliminated Inter Miami from the MLS Cup playoffs in the first round, one of the most shocking upsets in MLS Cup history.

In 67 matches leading the Herons, Tata compiled an overall record of 35 wins, 16 losses, and 16 draws, for a 52.24 winning percentage. El Jefe, " the Little Chief," has coached fewer matches with Inter Miami than Martino, but has a remarkably similar record: 20 wins, 9 losses and 9 draws -- a 52.6 winning percentage.

Martino, 62, who claimed to have resigned for personal reasons, is not coaching in 2025.

Home/Inter Miami News