Lionel Messi plays his last match of the year this Tuesday evening with the Argentina team, against Peru at La Bombonera, in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in the Amsud zone. The Ballon d’Or record holder has already finished his MLS season with Inter Miami. David Beckham’s franchise, although it won the regular season of the North American championship hands down, was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Atlanta United (after three matches).
On his return from the Christmas holidays, “La Pulga” will discover a new coach. Gerard Martino, who arrived in the summer of 2023 in the baggage of the captain of Argentina, decided to leave his post, while he had one year of contract remaining. Personal reasons are mentioned, but “Tata” Martino may have agreed to hand over the reins. To see if the “Becks” will choose the next coach for his side or if he will consult Messi again…
Messi at the Club World Cup
In two seasons at the head of the Herons (the nickname of the Florida players), Martino won the Leagues Cup 2023, the summer competition mixing MLS and Mexican clubs, as well as the Supporters’ Shield 2024, the title given to the first of the regular season. The former Barça and Argentina coach has a nice record of 35 wins, 16 draws and 14 defeats in 54 matches, for a winning rate of 54%.
Fifa also took advantage of Inter Miami’s first final place on a regular basis to include it in the casting of the next 2025 Club World Cup organized in the United States. However, the MLS playoffs conclude in a few weeks and the MLS champion would have deserved to compete in the Club World Cup as representative of the host country.
At 37 years old, Messi has already known 20 coaches or selectors: Frank Rijkaard, Pep Guardiola, Jordi Roura, Tito Vilanova, Luis Enrique, Quique Setien, Ernesto Valverde and Ronald Koeman, Tata Martino at Barça, Mauricio Pochettino and Christophe Galtier at PSG, as well as José Pékerman, Alfio Basile, Diego Maradona, Sergio Batista, Alejandro Sabella, Tata Martino, Edgardo Bauza, Jorge Sampaoli and Lionel Scaloni in the selection.
