Javier Mascherano resigns as Inter Miami head coach, citing 'personal reasons'

Javier Mascherano has resigned as head coach of Inter Miami CF, stepping down for what he and the club described as “personal reasons” less than five months after delivering the team’s first MLS Cup title.

The club announced his departure Monday, April 14, 2026, a move that arrives midseason and marks the second time in under two years that a successful Inter Miami coach has walked away from one of world football’s most closely watched projects.

Mascherano, the former Argentina international and longtime Barcelona and Liverpool midfielder, took charge on Nov. 26, 2024, ahead of the 2025 Major League Soccer season. In his first year, he led Inter Miami to a 3–1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final on Dec. 6, 2025, at Chase Stadium, securing the club’s first league championship.

“‘I want to let everyone know that, for personal reasons, I have decided to end my tenure as head coach of Inter Miami CF,’” Mascherano said in a statement released by the club. “‘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. … Sending you all a big hug, and thank you for everything.’”

Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas called Mascherano’s impact historic and said the club accepted his decision.

“‘Javier will forever be part of this Club’s history and will always hold a special place in the Inter Miami CF family,’” Mas said in the same statement. “‘Not only for being a key part of unforgettable achievements, such as winning the MLS Cup and the team’s historic performance at the Club World Cup, but also for the example he set through his dedication and daily work leading the team. We respect his decision and are deeply grateful for everything he contributed, wishing him nothing but the very best in his professional and personal future.’”

The club said Mascherano is leaving along with the coaching staff that arrived with him in January 2024. Assistant Guillermo Hoyos has been appointed to handle first team head coach duties for upcoming matches while Inter Miami determines its long-term plan. Alberto Marrero, the club’s chief soccer officer, has assumed sporting director responsibilities.

Mascherano’s exit comes amid strong on-field results. Inter Miami described 2025 as a “record-breaking” season in which the team played an unprecedented 58 matches across all competitions, scored 101 goals across regular season and postseason play, and set a postseason mark with 20 goals. The club also highlighted what it called a “historic performance” at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, where Miami reached the knockout rounds.

This year, Inter Miami sits third in the Eastern Conference after seven games, according to ESPN. The club was eliminated from the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup by Nashville SC on away goals, after a 0–0 draw on the road and a 1–1 draw at home.

The only explanation offered by the club and Mascherano for his departure is “personal reasons.” No further details have been disclosed.

The sudden change underscores the volatility surrounding Inter Miami’s high-profile project built around Lionel Messi and a core of former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suárez. Since Messi’s arrival in 2023, the club has become the most heavily scrutinized team in MLS, with a demanding schedule that now routinely includes the CONCACAF Champions Cup, Leagues Cup and international tournaments such as the Club World Cup.

It is also the second straight coaching departure to follow major success. Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who previously coached Argentina and Barcelona, resigned in November 2024, shortly after guiding Inter Miami to an MLS single-season record 74 points and the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, awarded to the team with the league’s best regular-season record. Martino also cited “personal reasons” when he stepped down.

The pattern — two high-profile Argentine coaches leaving in quick succession after landmark seasons, each invoking the same explanation — raises questions about the stability of the Messi-era project as the club looks ahead to the remainder of 2026 and beyond.

Inter Miami’s own description of its 2025 workload under Mascherano, with 58 matches and extensive travel, highlights the physical and logistical demands around a team that has also become a global media attraction. Coaching a squad centered on Messi, who signed a multi-year extension through 2028 according to reporting from October 2025, brings sustained attention and expectations that are uncommon in MLS.

For now, Inter Miami faces a second reset on the touchline in under two years while trying to maintain momentum in the league and manage the later stages of Messi’s career. The club has not indicated when it expects to name a permanent successor to Mascherano or whether Hoyos will be considered for the job beyond his interim responsibilities.

What is clear is that one of MLS’s most ambitious projects, built around one of the sport’s greatest players and designed for the long term, is again searching for a head coach just months after reaching its highest point.