TA: Miami dressing room row at weekend; players told Mascherano quits same day

On April 15th, Inter Miami officially announced that head coach Mascherano has officially resigned from his position as head coach of the team. 

According to The Athletic, Mascherano resigned from his Inter Miami head coach position before the team had an argument in the locker room. Internal dissatisfaction within the team stemmed from Miami's loss to the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 against Nashville. Hoyos is temporarily taking over, and his close relationship with Messi is seen as a transitional appointment. The tense atmosphere within the team has been going on for some time.

The following is TA's report

Before Mascherano resigned from his Inter Miami head coach position, sources told The Athletic that an argument broke out in the locker room last weekend after the team's 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls .

Miami announced on Tuesday that Mascherano had resigned for personal reasons, but sources added that the incident actually happened over the weekend. The players were then informed that Mascherano had resigned and that Hoyos was the head coach.

Before the official announcement, Hoyos had already led the team in training on Tuesday.

Sources also said that the team's internal dissatisfaction stemmed from Miami's loss to the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 Nashville - while Miami had easily defeated their opponents in last year's MLS playoffs. A club insider pointed out that this loss was more likely the main reason for Mascherano's departure than the weekend's argument - the specific details of the argument are still widely debated. But what is certain is that the tension has been building for some time.

Being the head coach of Inter Miami - facing public attention, internal pressure and high expectations - is not easy, despite the club's ample resources and grand ambitions. Since its establishment in 2020, Mascherano is the team's fourth official head coach (excluding Javier Morales 's 7 games as interim coach in 2023).

Coaching Messi is also not easy - even though Mascherano is one of his closest friends. Messi remains highly competitive, which keeps the team in a tense and high-pressure atmosphere in pursuit of its goals.

During Mascherano's tenure, his relationship with Messi was such that they often argued or had heated discussions, but sources stressed that this was normal for two world-class stars. Given their relationship and mutual respect, Mascherano was not afraid to challenge Messi or refute his opinions. The two had played alongside each other for the Argentina national team and Barcelona .

In Miami's history, it is common for top players like Messi to be frustrated after a loss. Former Real Madrid striker Higuaín often expressed disappointment after a loss, but sources said Higuaín "never showed disrespect".

A key difference now is that Messi will officially become a shareholder of the club after he retires.

Multiple sources said they were not surprised that Hoyos was temporarily taking over the team, with some even saying: "He is the kind of person who would never say no to Messi." Messi had previously called Hoyos his "football father," and after Messi joined, Hoyos initially joined the club as head of youth development.