Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Tata Martino steps down as Inter Miami coach after Lionel Messi and Co’s shocking first-round Playoffs exit

The MLS club announced on Tuesday that Martino would hold a press conference on Friday.

Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami have to find a new coach ahead of the new MLS season. Their current manager Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino has stepped down from managerial duty due to “personal reasons”. Inter Miami had a great season but faced the first-round exit from the MLS Cup playoffs this season.

🚨🇺🇸 Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino leaves Inter Miami job as he won’t be the head coach next season.

Decision made by the Argentinian coach, as @tombogert reported. pic.twitter.com/sZPjdldE8I
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 19, 2024

The MLS club announced on Tuesday that Martino would hold a press conference on Friday. Miami co-owner Jorge Mas and President of Football Operations Raul Sanllehí will also be there.

Martino’s troops started the playoffs campaign with a home win but Atlanta United pulled off a comeback by winning the next two games in the best-of-three series. This year, Inter Miami won the Supporters’ Shield with the best overall record. It also helped Miami to secure a place in next year’s FIFA Club World Cup.

Breakdown of Martino’s coaching stints

Martino is widely known as ‘Tata’, and has earlier given his services to Messi’s former club, Barcelona. He joined Inter Miami last June in the same period when Messi joined the club. It was the time when Inter Miami were struggling to perform in Major League Soccer and they also didn’t reach the playoffs.

2024 is the year when Martino and Messi changed Inter Miami’s picture in MLS. They finished the regular season with the most number of wins and points. Tata Martino’s tenure with Miami has been outstanding. The 61-year-old coach won 38 and lost 16 games out of 67. Miami won the Leagues Cup last year under the Argentine. He set a MLS all-time point record in 2024.

🚨 Tata Martino’s Record as Inter Miami Coach:

🏟️ Games: 67
✅ Wins: 38
❌ Losses: 16
🤝 Draws: 13
📊 Points per game: 1.90

🏆 Leagues Cup Champion
🛡️ Supporter’s Shield Winner
📈 MLS All-Time Points Record pic.twitter.com/e2RLBXwUuC
— Inter Miami News Hub (@Intermiamicfhub) November 19, 2024

Also Read: 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs: Remaining teams, schedule, finals and more

The source did not reveal what the “personal reasons” were that pushed the 61-year-old to take a call to step down from Inter Miami duty. Martino surprised everyone with his coaching skills when he guided Paraguay to finals in Copa America 2011. He later joined the Argentine club, Newell’s Old Boys and Barcelona before taking over the Argentine national side for two years.

Inter Miami was his second MLS club as he coached Atlanta United where he won the MLS Cup in 2018. Next year, he moved to Mexico’s national side for 4 years and joined Miami in 2023. Inter Miami’s campaign is over and they have a tough task to find a new name for the manager. Meanwhile, they have enough time to find the successor of Martino.

Inter Miami

Lionel Messi

Major League Soccer

MLS 2024

Tata Martino

Gulshan Sharma

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A native of Jaipur, Rajasthan, journalist, and a complete soccer and basketball fan, he found the huge interest with basketball by watching videos of Allen Iverson and Tony Parker, but fell head over heels in love with the sport during the Warriors’ championship era (2015-2018). A sports game addict since his late PS1, he’s also passionate about the Eagles, Inter Miami and the Fever. He’s fortunate to have seen all his favorite teams win championships. He also has a special love for cricket and football (soccer), where he is a fan of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Barcelona.