Just a week after Gerardo Martino’s unexpected departure, Inter Miami moved quickly to appoint Javier Mascherano as the team’s new head coach. The decision, spearheaded by David Beckham and the club’s leadership, ensures that Lionel Messi will play under a familiar figure as the Herons prepare for the 2025 season. FIFA was quick to acknowledge the reunion with a message on social media.
On Tuesday, the official FIFA Club World Cup X account (formerly Twitter) posted a nostalgic photo of Messi embracing Mascherano, both wearing Argentina‘s national team kit during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The caption simply read “M²” accompanied by two heart emojis—one black and one pink, a nod to Inter Miami’s colors.
On Instagram, FIFA expanded the celebration, sharing the same iconic photo alongside images of Mascherano with other Inter Miami stars like Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets during their shared time at Barcelona. This post was captioned “Reunited,” drawing over 50,000 likes and numerous fan comments applauding the reunion and expressing excitement for this new chapter in Miami.
FIFA shared a post following Mascherano’s arrival to Messi’s Inter Miami.
Messi and Mascherano: A storied partnership
Few players have shared as much time on the pitch with Lionel Messi as Javier Mascherano. Their partnership spans nearly 15 years, during which Mascherano played a significant role in some of the most defining moments of Messi’s career.
Their journey began in 2005 with the Argentina national team, when an 18-year-old Messi was already capturing attention with his extraordinary skill. The duo competed in their first World Cup together in 2006, only to be eliminated in the quarterfinals by Germany—a fate that repeated four years later in South Africa 2010.
Teammates at Barcelona
In 2010, following the World Cup, Mascherano transferred from Liverpool to Barcelona for $30 million, joining Messi at the club level. Over the next eight years, they enjoyed one of the most successful periods in Barcelona’s history, winning 19 titles together, including two UEFA Champions League trophies.
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Their time as club teammates ended in January 2018, when Mascherano moved to Hebei China Fortune. However, they reunited on the international stage for a few more months, culminating in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where Argentina were eliminated by France in the round of 16.
Mascherano and Inter Miami: A full circle moment
Mascherano’s appointment as head coach marks his official connection with Inter Miami, but it’s not the first time the Argentine legend has been tied to the club. In a recent interview with Argentine journalist Juan Pablo Varsky on Clank!, Mascherano revealed an intriguing backstory about his earlier plans to join the Herons.
“In 2020, I had signed to play one year with Inter Miami,” he shared. “The idea was for me to stay afterward and coach their youth teams. But a family issue forced me to stay in Argentina, and I had to break the contract. I’m still very grateful to them.”
Now, four years later, Mascherano is finally joining Inter Miami—this time in a much larger role. His appointment not only reunites him with Lionel Messi but also puts him in charge of leading the Herons as they aim to build on their momentum from the past season.
