Former Mexican coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino is in talks with Inter Miami, home to international football star Lionel Messi, Martino confirmed on Saturday. Here’s what you should know:
- “We are in talks with Inter Miami,” said Martino ahead of the game honoring Maxi Rodriguez, who played more than 200 games for Newell’s Old Boys.
- The match, which took place at Argentina’s Estadio Marcelo Bielsa, pitted former and current Argentine players, including Messi and Angel Di Maria, against Martino’s Newell Old Boys legends side.
- Newell’s is based in Rosario, the hometown of Martino and Messi. Martino previously coached the club and Messi played in its youth academy.
- Messi, who celebrated his 36th birthday on Saturday, opened the scoring with a free-kick goal and was seen hugging Martino at the event. Video taken on social media.
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The Athletic It was previously reported that preliminary talks had been held between Inter Miami and Martino, who left the Mexican national team in December.
Martino, 60, led Messi and Argentina to back-to-back Copa America finals, including one in the United States in 2016. Martino not only managed Messi at Barcelona in 2013-2014, but also Sergio Busquets, whom Inter Miami teased as a contract player. The video posted on social media on Friday.
Martino won the MLS Cup in 2018 as manager of Atlanta United. Despite disagreements with Atlanta’s sports department over player signings, Martino helped the second-year club win the league title in 2018, his second and final season in MLS. lead. His influence over player recruitment was paramount to Atlanta United’s immediate success.
A source close to Martino, who requested anonymity due to the nature of their relationship, previously said: The Athletic Messi and Martino were said to have gotten along very well when they worked together. They were neither near nor far, officials said. It’s been seven years and the players and coaches have grown in different ways. Messi was once considered a failure with the national team, but now he’s a World Cup champion. Martino is keen to return to MLS after a tumultuous four-year campaign in Mexico. Inter Miami declined to comment on potential coaches.
‘MLS is my weakness’, said Martino The Athletic in April. “I was on a special project with Atlanta United that had clear direction, a lot of communication and similar goals that were very quickly established and executed. “I was drawn to MLS after coaching there. I love the league. There is always the possibility of returning to MLS.”
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(Photo: Christopher Lee/Getty Images)
