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Lionel Messi has his new coach: Inter Miami officially appoint Javier Mascherano

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Lionel Messi has his new coach: Inter Miami officially appoint Javier Mascherano


Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano are together again, this time with Inter Miami.

The former Barcelona and Argentina teammates have reunited, with Inter Miami announcing Tuesday that Mascherano’s hiring as the club’s new coach is complete. The sides struck a deal late last week for Mascherano to replace Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who stepped aside for personal reasons.

Mascherano most recently was Argentina’s under-20 team and Olympic coach. He’s signed a three-year contract and will take over when his work paperwork is completed.

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“This job requires somebody with the experience to be able to maximize our unique collection of talent — from our global superstars, to our burgeoning homegrown players, to our young international prospects, and everything in between,” Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas said. “Javier has amassed unmatched experience in his career, from playing on the world’s biggest stages, to coaching at the youth international level.”

It’s not just Messi that Mascherano is joining forces with again. Mascherano, when he was with Barcelona, also played alongside current Inter Miami standouts Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez — all of whom are expected back for the 2025 season.

“To be able to lead a club like Inter Miami is an honor for me, and a privilege I will strive to make the most of,” Mascherano said. “I was drawn to the organization’s undeniable ambition, and the infrastructure it has to support it. I’m looking forward to working with the people at Inter Miami to help the club reach new heights, and to give the fans more unforgettable moments.”

Mascherano, at one time, was the all-time leader for Argentina’s national team in international appearances; Messi has since broken that record. After Martino told the team he was stepping down, Messi was consulted about who he would want as the next coach — so it’s more than reasonable to think this hiring came with his blessing.

“I asked him, ‘What is important to you? And what do you think is important to get the best out of our roster and out of our 11 and how do we improve?” Mas said last week. “And Leo shared with me his thoughts. … Without a doubt, a familiarity with Leo and the other stars is an advantage in every aspect. Obviously, I want Leo to feel comfortable with the new trainer, with the new coach coming in.”

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Mascherano is inheriting a team that had the best regular season in Major League Soccer history this year. Inter Miami went 22-4-8, setting league records for points (74) and winning percentage (.765). But the team fell short in the playoffs, falling to Atlanta United in a best-of-three first-round series.

Martino said he made the decision before the playoffs began that he would not be back in 2025. Like Mascherano, he had deep ties to Messi before coming to Inter Miami; Martino coached the world’s most decorated men’s player and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner with Barcelona and Argentina’s national team.

Mascherano was part of those Martino-coached teams as well.

“Throughout his career as one of the world’s best players and as an experienced coach, Javier has always demonstrated what makes him great — relentless determination with the knowledge, instincts and understanding to back it up,” Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said. “We’re very excited to welcome him to lead our team.”

The 40-year-old Mascherano also played for five seasons in the Premier League, most of that with Liverpool. He played in the World Cup four times for Argentina — 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018.

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He will face a daunting first year, one that could be Messi’s last with the club; the team hopes he will play in 2026 when it moves into its new home near Miami International Airport — but does not have Messi locked into a contract for that season.

The 2025 slate may include 50 matches or more for Inter Miami. There’s the 34-match MLS regular season, along with tournament appearances in Leagues Cup, the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. The team also has a preseason tour, though few details on that have been revealed other than a match in Tampa, Florida, in February.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Miami, FL

MLS: Messi double helps Inter Miami slay Rapids in front of huge crowd

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MLS: Messi double helps Inter Miami slay Rapids in front of huge crowd


Argentine forward’s brace included the match winner against Colorado Rapids in front of over 75,000 fans in Denver.

Lionel Messi scored a brace and ‌German Berterame headed another as Inter Miami earned a ⁠3-2 win over ⁠the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer (MLS) on Saturday in Denver.

Messi scored the go-ahead goal in the 79th minute. He started a run just inside midfield and went ⁠unchallenged until the box, where he blasted into the upper left corner for a 3-2 lead.

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Rafael Navarro and Darren Yapi each scored for Colorado (4-4-0, 12 points) in front of 75,824 at Empower Field, the second-largest crowd in MLS history.

Miami (4-1-3, 15 points) took a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute after Colorado goalkeeper Zack Steffen’s pass was intercepted by Yannick Bright. Josh Atencio offered a hard challenge ‌and was shown a yellow card after video review.

Messi took the resulting penalty and rolled his shot straight down the middle as Miami took a 1-0 lead.

Colorado had a solid look at the goal when midfielder Wayne Frederick attempted a one-touch lob. Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair was out of position and well beyond the penalty arc after heading away a loose ball, but Frederick’s attempt sailed ⁠over the open net.

In the fifth minute of first-half stoppage ⁠time, Miami extended their lead to 2-0, connecting on a series of passes deep in their attacking third. Messi got the run of play started with a tight touch pass to Rodrigo De ⁠Paul.

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De Paul sent Mateo Silvetti on a run to the boundary line. His inward-spinning cross floated to the front of ⁠goal, where Berterame rose above the Colorado defence and ⁠tucked a header under the bar.

Navarro’s goal cut Miami’s lead to 2-1. He started a run in midfield and used a step-over move to get an open shot a few steps into the ‌box that tucked inside the left post past a diving St. Clair in the 58th minute.

In the 62nd minute, second-half substitute Yapi settled on a direct pass from Lucas ‌Herrington ‌and sizzled a shot past St. Clair for the equaliser.

Miami closed the win playing a man down as Yannick Bright was sent off with a red card in the 87th minute.

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi scores his 13th-minute penalty against the Colorado Rapids [Geneva Heffernan/AP]



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Miami, FL

Former Titans GM mock Miami right tackle to the Cleveland Browns at 6

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Former Titans GM mock Miami right tackle to the Cleveland Browns at 6


The Cleveland Browns traded for an extended right tackle, former Houston Texan Tytus Howard, at the start of free agency as they began their rebuild of the offensive line that was awful in 2025. But Howard has played every position on the offensive line except for center, so if it’s all about getting your best five on the field, which it should be, there’s a chance Howard doesn’t play at right tackle in 2026.

While doing a mock draft on Peter Schrager’s podcast, former Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon had the Browns drafting Miami (FL) right tackle sixth overall. He talked about the issue with Howard, but said Mauigoa could either take over the tackle spot or be a really good guard.

Carthon said he knows that Mauigoa would be one of their best five, whether it is at guard or tackle. Some will say that a guy who may be best at guard isn’t worth the sixth overall pick, and I have to disagree. You should draft the best football players, and Francis Mauigoa is my highest-rated offensive lineman and seventh overall. It might be at guard, but I have a good feeling that Mauigoa will find a home in the NFL as a high-quality offensive lineman.



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Miami, FL

Inventory drops for first time since 2023 as sales rebound across coastal Miami, beaches

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Inventory drops for first time since 2023 as sales rebound across coastal Miami, beaches


Inventory of homes and condos across the coastal Miami mainland and Miami Beach and the barrier island markets fell in the first quarter, marking the first big inventory drops since 2023.  

The Corcoran Group’s first quarter reports don’t cover all of Miami-Dade County, but they offer insight into how the coastal markets, which have a higher share of luxury properties, are performing.

In Miami Beach, Sunny Isles Beach, Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Surfside, Miami Beach, Fisher Island and Key Biscayne, single-family home inventory dropped 15 percent annually to 398 listings, and condo inventory was down 13 percent to 3,919 listings. 

On Miami’s coastal mainland markets, which include Aventura, Miami Shores, Upper East Side, Edgewater, downtown Miami, Brickell, Coral Gables and Coconut Grove, inventory slipped 4 percent to 4,584 condo listings and 555 single-family listings, down 6 percent year-over-year. 

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Here’s a closer look at the market: 

Miami Beach and the barrier islands

Single-family sales rose 13 percent year-over-year to 85 closings, the first time they have increased since the second quarter of 2024. Condo closings rose 15 percent to 693 closings, the first increase since the last quarter of 2024. 

Pricing dropped, with the median price of single-family homes down 4 percent to $3.5 million and the median condo price down 9 percent to $640,000. The average price per square foot was nearly flat at $1,119. 

Still, buyers set records with their purchases. Billionaire Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg paid $170 million for the waterfront mansion at 7 Indian Creek Island Road, and Starbucks billionaire Howard Schultz paid $44 million, or $7,949 per square foot, for a penthouse at the Four Seasons Residences at The Surf Club. 

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Coastal mainland 

Sales of single-family homes on the coastal mainland rose 16 percent to 220 closings. While markets like Coral Gables experienced declines in condo and single-family home sales, Coconut Grove home sales surged — up over 100 percent for single-family homes to 47 closings and up 55 percent to 87 condo closings. Condo sales rose 13 percent to 759 closings. 

The median price of single-family homes across the coastal mainland rose 11 percent to just over $2 million. The median price of condos increased slightly, up 1 percent, to $602,000. 

The priciest deals in the first quarter were the $32 million trade of 12 Tahiti Beach Island Road in Coral Gables, and the $19.8 million sale of a penthouse at Vita at Grove Isle. 





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