Tata Martino ‘quits Inter Miami’ after failing to win MLS Cup with Lionel Messi
Tata Martino has reportedly left Inter Miami after failing to win the MLS Cup in Lionel Messi’s first full season with the team.
According to GiveMeSport, the decision is up to Martino and he has cited personal reasons for his departure.
It means David Beckham must now find a new coach to rebuild the squad for next season, when Messi and his men will also compete in the Club World Cup.
Miami crashed out of the MLS Cup to Atlanta United earlier in November despite being heavy favorites to lift the trophy.
In addition to having Messi at his disposal, Martino’s squad was also strengthened by Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets arriving around the World Cup winner in Argentina.
Miami won the Eastern Conference this season with 74 points from 34 games, a league record.
Tata Martino is out of Inter Miami after failing to win the MLS Cup with Lionel Messi
Martino replaced Phil Neville as Miami coach in June 2023, shortly before Messi’s long-awaited arrival to Major League Soccer.
Later that season, Martino led Miami to glory in the Leagues Cup, the first trophy the team has won since its founding in 2018. They defeated Nashville on penalties in Tennessee.
Messi has one more season guaranteed on his contract in Miami, worth a total of about $150 million, but there is an option for another year.
Miami, star-studded by Messi and Beckham, will no doubt be chasing some of the biggest names in the sport ahead of another big season.
In addition to their inevitable ambition to right the wrongs of the 2024 season, their place in the Club World Cup has come under scrutiny due to FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s unclear criteria for awarding the team a place in the team.