Guillermo Hoyos said his long friendship with Lionel Messi will not stop him from making the Argentine superstar work hard in training as he was unveiled as the new coach of MLS side Inter Miami on Wednesday.
Hoyos, Miami’s former sporting director, replaces Javier Mascherano, who left the club on Tuesday for «personal reasons» just four months after leading the club to its first MLS Cup title.
The 62-year-old Hoyos was a key former mentor to Messi at Barcelona’s youth team more than two decades ago, and the Argentine pair have remained close ever since.
«Friendship is non-negotiable. We share a friendship that spans many years,» Hoyos said in Spanish at his first news conference.
“However, that friendship does not mean that we will constantly hover over him or in his face every day.”
A club statement initially said Hoyos would take charge of the team for the ‘coming matches’, but the team has since named him as head coach in social media posts.
Club sources told AFP that Hoyos are expected to remain at the helm only until mid-year, with a new coaching setup in place at the start of the Leagues Cup in August.
After seven rounds this season, Inter Miami is third in the MLS Eastern Conference.
Messi, the 2022 World Cup winner and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, is the jewel in the crown of Miami’s squad.
Published on April 16, 2026
