“He felt more at ease” - Ex-Inter Miami coach Tata Martino reveals details of phone call with Lionel Messi before decision to leave club

Former Inter Miami coach Tata Martino has revealed the details of his call with club captain Lionel Messi when the Argentine decided to step away from the MLS club. He revealed that the Argentine superstar was the first person he spoke to about the decision, and then communicated the same to the club's board and players.

Speaking to The Athletic, Martino explained that he was taking a break and he needed to be in Rosario, Argentina, for the first half of 2025. Messi was puzzled by the decision, but relieved to discover it was not a health issue.

Martino said:

"I called Leo and told him I had a personal need to be in Rosario, that the first half of the year was going to be complicated for me. Once I explained that it wasn't a health issue, that it was just a very difficult personal matter behind my decision, he felt more at ease — with the necessary discretion. It wasn't something to discuss in detail, just to communicate a decision. After that, I went through it with the club's leadership and then with the players."

Lionel Messi won the Leagues Cup and MLS Supporters' Shield under Tata Martino at Inter Miami. He has played 85 club matches with the Argentine as his coach, scoring 75 goals and assisting 33 times in all competitions for the MLS side and Barcelona.

The Argentine superstar also played 21 matches for the national team under Martino's charge, scoring 13 goals.

Tata Martino's old comments on his relationship with Lionel Messi resurface

Tata Martino spoke about his relationship with Lionel Messi during his final Inter Miami press conference in 2024, admitting that they enjoyed working together the most at the MLS club. He believed that the experience was better than what they shared at Barcelona and the Argentina national team and said (via World Soccer Talk):

"The truth is, I believe that out of the three opportunities we've had to work together, this has probably been the year and a half where we've been the closest, with much more frequent and direct contact. It also has to do with the stage of his career, everything he was achieving with the Argentina national team, the peace he was experiencing, and his growth as a professional."

"We found ourselves at a good moment for both of us and maintained very close contact throughout this year and a half. In this sense, I feel it was the best period of the three stages we've shared: Barcelona, the Argentina national team, and now Inter Miami."

Inter Miami appointed Javier Mascherano, Lionel Messi's former teammate, as the replacement for Martino.