Gerardo Martino

0 yrs

Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo discussed by Portland coach Phil Neville ahead of Inter Miami clash

worldsoccertalk.com · 4 weeks ago

Portland Timbers head coach Phil Neville spoke about Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of Sunday’s matchup against Inter Miami. Inter Miami will play their second-to-last match before the Major League Soccer season pauses for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday, when they host the Portland Timbers at Nu Stadium. Head coach Phil Neville spoke about Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the game. “I was lucky enough to play with one of the greatest in Cristiano, and on Sunday I’ll be out to coach against one of the greatest, which is an honor,” Neville said during Friday’s press conference in Miami, shared by reporter Jose Armando on X. The former English defender played alongside Ronaldo between 2003 and 2005 during his final seasons at Manchester United, when the Portuguese forward had just arrived from Sporting CP as a teenager. Together, they won the 2003-04 FA Cup under Sir Alex Ferguson. Neville later praised Messi’s commitment since arriving at Inter Miami and explained how it has positively impacted MLS. “I love, and I loved it with the other stars here like Sergio Busquets and Alba, that when they score, they celebrate. They’re not here for a holiday. They’re not here just to pick up whatever money they’re earning. They’re here to win,” the Portland coach said. Phil Neville sobre Lionel Messi y las figuras de Inter Miami:"Están aquí para ganar y no vienen por dinero; hemos tenido jugadores que vienen a esta liga por una pensión"#InterMiamiCF #Messi pic.twitter.com/RQXiaBFewm— José Armando (@Jarm21) May 15, 2026 “There was a game, I think it was in Orlando, they were maybe 2-0 down, and the greatest player in the world is arguing with maybe the goalkeeping coach from Orlando on the bench,” Neville recalled. “That, for me, inspires the whole league. What them guys are doing shows their hunger, their desire to be the absolute greatest every single day.” Phil Neville reflects on his time at Inter Miami When Lionel Messi agreed to join Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, the club had decided to hire Gerardo Martino just one week earlier. The Argentine coach arrived as the replacement for Phil Neville, who had held the position since January 2021. Asked whether he regrets not having the opportunity to coach Messi at Inter Miami, Neville was completely honest: “I had incredible relationships with the owners, so it didn’t just happen in seven days. At the start of the season, I was under no illusions that probably, if he came in, I wouldn’t be here. And that’s totally fine.” Phil Neville estaba al tanto de que podía salir del club si Lionel Messi llegaba a fichar con Inter Miami:"Uno de los dueños del equipo es mi mejor amigo y no nos guardamos secretos"#InterMiamiCF #Messi pic.twitter.com/T4eTmzQ94m— José Armando (@Jarm21) May 15, 2026 The coach then discussed his relationship with David Beckham, his former Manchester United teammate and an Inter Miami executive: “One of the best friends of my life is the owner of the football club, so it’s not as if we kept secrets from each other during that period.” Inter Miami searching for first home victory Despite enjoying a strong 2026 MLS season and currently sitting second in the Eastern Conference standings, Inter Miami still have unfinished business: earning their first win at their new home. Since the official opening of Nu Stadium in early April, the Herons have played four matches there, recording three draws and one loss. On Sunday, they will look to end that streak against the Portland Timbers. If they fail to do so, they will have another opportunity seven days later when they host the Philadelphia Union in their final match before the break.

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Mascherano speaks about Messi for first time since Inter Miami exit amid rift rumors

worldsoccertalk.com · last month

After rumors surrounding an alleged conflict that led to his departure from Inter Miami, Javier Mascherano spoke publicly about Lionel Messi. Just four weeks ago, Javier Mascherano unexpectedly stepped down as Inter Miami head coach in the middle of the 2026 Major League Soccer season. Since then, rumors of a possible conflict with Lionel Messi have fueled speculation, and now the coach has finally addressed Leo publicly. Mascherano attended an event in Mexico this weekend tied to El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid, as a legend of the Catalan side. There, he spoke with reporters and, among other topics, was asked about how he has seen Messi in recent weeks. “Good, good. Honestly, he always looks good,” Mascherano replied. While the coach did not explicitly say anything controversial and even smiled while answering the question, his unusually brief response drew attention and opened the door to further speculation. Mascherano’s abrupt resignation was officially described as being due to “personal reasons” in the statement released at the time by Inter Miami, and so far neither side has provided further clarification. A similar situation occurred at the end of 2024, when Gerardo Martino also stepped down as the club’s head coach. “¿Cómo se lo ve a Messi para el Mundial? BIEN, BIEN, SIEMPRE SE LO VE BIEN. ¿LISTO?”.Javier Mascherano, ex DT de Inter Miami. 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/AKGKj6gaJP— Sudanalytics (@sudanalytics_) May 12, 2026 The relationship between Messi and Mascherano Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano were teammates with the Argentina national team between 2005 and 2018, playing together in four World Cups, four Copa America tournaments, and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. They also shared the field at Barcelona between 2010 and 2017. That close relationship was considered one of the main reasons why Inter Miami chose him as head coach despite his limited managerial experience, which consisted mainly of his stint with Argentina’s U-20 national team. Throughout those years, whenever Mascherano was asked about Messi, he consistently praised him heavily — something that was notably absent this time. “I’m fortunate because I get to enjoy Leo up close. Sometimes people see him on television, but I’m closer to him. Leo is the best player to ever play this sport. He keeps proving it, and I’m very happy with him,” the coach said last year, in stark contrast to his short response this week. Mascherano speaks about Argentina and the 2026 World Cup In addition to discussing Lionel Messi’s current situation at Inter Miami, Javier Mascherano also spoke about his expectations for Argentina with the 2026 FIFA World Cup just one month away. “Argentina have a team that is in very good form, and that creates huge expectations,” Mascherano said before wishing Lionel Scaloni’s squad success. “Hopefully they can win the championship again. That’s what all Argentinians want.”

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Report: Mexico star Santiago Gimenez risks missing 2026 World Cup amid injury struggles at Milan

worldsoccertalk.com · last month

Santiago Gimenez has been struggling to play consistently with AC Milan, and that could impact his chances of featuring at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Mexico. Mexico are entering the final stretch of their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, meaning players are fighting for their last opportunities to make the roster. In that context, Santiago Gimenez’s physical struggles at AC Milan could prove decisive. “People close to Santi are fearing a catastrophe for the Milan striker,” journalist Carlos Ponce de Leon of Mexican outlet Diario Record said this week. “They fear he could miss out on a second consecutive World Cup.” This report has surfaced this week for a specific reason. On Tuesday, Javier Aguirre confirmed a preliminary list of 12 Liga MX players who will begin training next week with a view toward the World Cup. While the list is not binding—and therefore does not guarantee a spot on the final roster—it offers a clear indication of the coach’s plans. Among those 12 players are two center forwards. One is Armando Gonzalez of Chivas, who was expected to be included, as reports suggest he is competing for a spot with Inter Miami’s German Berterame. The surprise, however, was the inclusion of another player with a similar profile: Guillermo Martinez. Javier Aguirre, coach of Mexico and Rafael Marquez, Assistant Coach. The 30-year-old forward has impressed recently with Pumas UNAM, where he has recorded five goals in 15 matches in the Liga MX Clausura tournament. Martinez has already been called up by Javier Aguirre twice this year: he played 24 minutes against Iceland in February and was an unused substitute during the March FIFA international window against Portugal and Belgium. Santiago Gimenez needs to regain full fitness Under normal circumstances, Santiago Gimenez’s place at the World Cup would not be threatened by Guillermo Martinez’s performances at Pumas. However, the recent track record of the AC Milan striker is far from encouraging. Gimenez has scored just one goal in the 2025-26 season and has made only 14 appearances across Serie A and the Coppa Italia. An ankle injury suffered in November required surgery and kept him sidelined for nearly five months, until his return in mid-March. Since then, the Mexican striker has logged just 67 minutes across three Serie A matches with AC Milan—against Torino, Napoli, and Hellas Verona— all coming off the bench, while also remaining an unused substitute on three other occasions. Gimenez has yet to debut at the World Cup Despite being one of Mexico’s most promising players in recent years, Santiago Gimenez has yet to appear at a World Cup. He was left out of the squad for Qatar 2022 by then-head coach Gerardo Martino, who opted for other forwards such as Raul Jimenez, Henry Martin, and Rogelio Funes Mori. In the years following that tournament, Gimenez established himself as a regular call-up under successive managers, including Diego Cocca, Jaime Lozano, and Javier Aguirre. However, his recent injury issues have once again pushed him out of contention, with his last appearance for Mexico coming in October 2025 against Ecuador.

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