After being appointed as new Inter Miami coach, Cristian "Kily" Gonzalez will become the third person to coach Lionel Messi after sharing the pitch as a teammate. Lionel Messi is set for his third managerial change at Inter Miami as Cristian “Kily” Gonzalez steps into the head coaching role to succeed Guillermo Hoyos. With his arrival in South Florida, Gonzalez becomes just the third person in soccer history to have played alongside Messi before taking charge of him as a manager. On Thursday, August 27, Inter Miami announced in an official club statement that an agreement was reached to appoint Cristian “Kily” Gonzalez as the club’s new first-team head coach. While contract duration details remain undisclosed, the former Argentina international will assume his duties on the touchline once work authorization is finalized. A former international teammate, Gonzalez joins an exclusive fraternity of figures who shared the pitch with Messi before guiding him from the dugout. He joins a list that was first established by Lionel Scaloni taking over the Argentina national team, followed by Javier Mascherano during his recent managerial stint with Inter Miami. The most prominent name on the list is Mascherano, who ranks fifth all-time in matches played alongside Messi with 414 shared appearances. The defender and forward partnered extensively for Argentina’s senior team, claimed Olympic gold together at the 2008 Beijing Games, and anchored FC Barcelona’s dominant era before reuniting when Mascherano assumed Inter Miami’s head coaching position in 2025. Lionel Messi, Javier Mascherano and Luis Suarez of Barcelona celebrate with the UEFA Champions League trophy. (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) Scaloni initiated this trend when he took charge of the Argentina national team in 2018, eventual helping Messi capture his first major international trophies with the Albiceleste. Prior to his managerial tenure, Scaloni shared the pitch with Messi during the forward’s infamously brief 2005 international debut against Hungary, a 2006 friendly against Angola, and their final match together against Mexico at the 2006 World Cup. Finally, Kily Gonzalez shared the field with Messi while representing Argentina during 2005 World Cup qualifying, featuring alongside the young prodigy in a 2-0 win over Peru and a 1-0 loss to Uruguay, which marked Gonzalez’s final international match. While former teammates like Pablo Aimar, Walter Samuel, and Roberto Ayala have coached Messi as assistants in Argentina, the list of head coaches remains exclusive to Scaloni, Mascherano, and now Gonzalez. Messi’s performance being coached by former teammates Playing for managers who were once peers on the field highlights Messi’s remarkable career longevity, while creating a unique dynamic in the locker room. Nevertheless, the Argentine forward has consistently produced staggering individual output under former teammates, establishing high expectations for Gonzalez’s tenure in Miami. Under Scaloni’s stewardship with Argentina, Messi featured in 79 international matches, generating 60 goals and 26 assists. Beyond the individual numbers, that partnership yielded historic silver, with Messi finally capturing his maiden major international trophies, including the 2021 Copa America, 2022 Finalissima, 2022 FIFA World Cup, and 2024 Copa America. Mascherano assumed management of Inter Miami ahead of the 2025 campaign following Gerardo Martino’s departure, concluding his stint in April 2026. Across 57 matches under Mascherano’s direction, Messi delivered 51 goals and 25 assists for the Herons, a stretch highlighted by the franchise capturing its first MLS Cup in late 2025.
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