Inter Miami players shocked by Mascherano's exit, face tough test under new coach Hoyos

A crowd of 65,000 is expected at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium for Guillermo Hoyos' debut as Inter Miami coach vs. Colorado Rapids.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 10:04pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold colors depicting the action and movement of a soccer match, with players and the field deconstructed into overlapping planes and shapes.A cubist interpretation of the high-stakes clash between Inter Miami and the Colorado Rapids, reflecting the intense energy and tactical complexity of the match.Today in Miami

Inter Miami defender Ian Fray said he and his teammates were surprised by the abrupt departure of coach Javier Mascherano, who resigned just seven games into the season and four months after leading the club to its first MLS Cup trophy. Fray praised Mascherano as his 'favorite coach' and said the players did not have a chance to say goodbye in person. With Mascherano out, sporting director Guillermo Hoyos has taken over as interim coach, and the team faces a tough road test against the high-scoring Colorado Rapids on Saturday.

Why it matters

Mascherano's sudden resignation comes as a shock, as Inter Miami had a strong start to the season and won the MLS Cup just months ago under his leadership. The coaching change could disrupt the team's momentum and chemistry as they adapt to Hoyos' approach, especially with a challenging away match against the high-powered Colorado Rapids looming.

The details

Fray said the players were informed of the coaching change on Monday morning, and Hoyos introduced himself to the team at training. The players did not have a chance to say goodbye to Mascherano in person, but Fray reached out with a text message to thank him. Inter Miami is unbeaten through six league games this season, but they also exited the Concacaf Champions Cup in the Round of 16 after back-to-back ties against Nashville SC.

  • On Monday morning, the players were informed of Javier Mascherano's resignation as Inter Miami's head coach.
  • Mascherano resigned just seven games into the 2026 MLS season, four months after leading Inter Miami to its first MLS Cup title.

The players

Ian Fray

An Inter Miami defender who praised Javier Mascherano as his 'favorite coach' and said the players were surprised by his sudden departure.

Javier Mascherano

The former Inter Miami head coach who resigned just seven games into the 2026 MLS season, four months after leading the club to its first MLS Cup title.

Guillermo Hoyos

The Inter Miami sporting director who has taken over as interim head coach following Mascherano's resignation.

Sacha Kljestan

An Apple TV analyst who said Mascherano's resignation was one of the biggest shocks in MLS history in terms of the timing.

Matt Wells

The 37-year-old first-year head coach of the Colorado Rapids, who have become one of the league's highest-scoring teams under his leadership.

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What they’re saying

“I think everyone on the team is super surprised. He did great for us. He won MLS Cup last year and then, we were seven games into the season and honestly, we didn't have a bad start.”

— Ian Fray, Inter Miami defender

“This is one of the biggest shocks we've seen in MLS history in terms of the timing of when this came out.”

— Sacha Kljestan, Apple TV analyst

What’s next

It remains to be seen whether Guillermo Hoyos will make lineup changes or tactical adjustments as the new interim head coach of Inter Miami. The team faces a particularly challenging road test against the high-scoring Colorado Rapids on Saturday, with a crowd of 65,000-plus expected at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium.

The takeaway

Javier Mascherano's sudden resignation as Inter Miami's head coach has shocked the players, who must now adapt to a new leadership under interim coach Guillermo Hoyos. The timing of the change, just seven games into the season and four months after winning the MLS Cup, adds to the disruption as the team faces a tough road match against the high-flying Colorado Rapids.