Martino played mostly for Newell's Old Boys in his native Rosario. He holds the record of appearances with the team playing a total of 505 matches in all official competitions. He was also selected in a fan's poll as Newell's best player throughout the club's history.[2]
Martino was chosen to replace Tito Vilanova as head coach of Barcelona at the start of the 2013–14 season, but announced his resignation on 17 May 2014, though his side finished runner-up in both the Copa del Rey and La Liga that season. In 2015, he led Argentina to the Copa América Final, only to be defeated by hosts Chile on penalties. His team also finished as runners-up in the Copa América Centenario, again losing to the defending champion Chile on penalties.[3] On 5 July 2016, Martino resigned from the Argentina national team.[4]
He was named the head coach of Atlanta United, a MLS expansion team that began play in 2017. Martino led the team to an MLS Cup victory in their second season and was named the MLS Coach of the Year before departing for the Mexico national team. He spent three years leading the side and left Mexico after being knocked out in the group stage in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
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On 15 February 1981, Martino debuted with Argentina national youth football in a 3-0 friendly victory against Chile.[5] Ten years later, on 19 February 1991, he received his first call-up by new coach Alfio Basile to the senior squad for a friendly match against Hungary national football team. Martino came on in the second half as Argentina won 2–0 on home soil.[6]
Coaching career
Paraguay national team
Martino was assigned as head coach of the Paraguay national football team in February 2007, replacing UruguayanAnibal "Maño" Ruiz. His knowledge and success while coaching Paraguayan clubs were the parameters that positioned him as the best option for the job (other candidates were Nery Pumpido and Miguel Ángel Russo). Previously, Martino had won the Paraguayan league four times from 2002 till 2006.
In 2008, Martino was linked for vacant managerial position of Iran Pro League side Steel Azin, but the deal was cancelled for personal reasons.[7] On 5 July 2010, Martino announced that he would be stepping down as Paraguay coach on their return from the 2010 FIFA World Cup, in which he led Paraguay to quarter-finals. Martino confirmed that with his four-year contract expiring, he would not be extending his spell in charge of the national side.[8] However, on 10 July 2010, Martino agreed to stay on as Paraguay coach until after the 2011 Copa America, in which Paraguay were runners-up after losing to Uruguay in the final.[9]
Newell's Old Boys
After Hernán Darío Gómez's departure from the Colombia national team, Martino received a proposition to coach the team but turned it down, opting instead to coach Newell's Old Boys, one of his former clubs as a player,[10][11] and a club which at the time was dangerously close to relegation to the Primera B Nacional, the second tier of Argentine football. However, a series of impressive results under Martino secured top-flight status for Newell's, and Martino's reputation as a coach increased quite significantly.
Following his excellent first season at Newell's, Martino won the 2013 Torneo Final, the second and final stage of the Argentine Primera División season and reached the semi-finals of the 2013 Copa Libertadores. As a result, Martino won further plaudits as a coach, having transformed Newell's from a team facing relegation on his arrival to a title-winning side, in addition to the arguably more impressive feat of reaching the 2013 Copa Libertadores semi-final, the pinnacle club competition organized by CONMEBOL. It was this startling turnaround that further increased Martino's stock as a coach, and his achievements at Newell's soon caught the attention of various clubs in Europe, including Barcelona.
Barcelona
Martino with Barcelona in 2014
On 7 July 2013, Martino was confirmed as head coach of Spanish club Barcelona to replace Tito Vilanova, who resigned three days earlier due to health issues.[12] He signed a two-year deal at Barcelona.[13][14]
His first competitive game in charge of Barça was on 18 August 2013 against Levante, a game which Barcelona won 7–0 on the opening weekend of the 2013–14 La Liga season.[15] On 26 October 2013, Martino won 2–1 against rivals Real Madrid at the Camp Nou, winning his first Clásico as a Barcelona coach. Three days later, Barcelona went on to win 0–3 at Celta Vigo, and Martino became the first coach in Barcelona history to not lose a game in his first 16 matches. On 20 November, Martino's unbeaten start as Barcelona coach came to an end after his 21st game in charge, as Barcelona lost 2–1 away at Ajax in the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League. After conceding the 2013–14 La Liga title on the last day of the season to Atlético Madrid, Martino announced he was to leave his role after just one year in charge, during which he did not manage to win any major trophy except the Spanish Super Cup.[16]
Argentina national team
On 12 August 2014, Martino was introduced as the new head coach for the Argentina national team, succeeding Alejandro Sabella who took the side into the final against Germany at the World Cup in Brazil.[17][18] In the 2015 Copa América, he reached the final, in which Argentina were runners-up after losing to hosts Chile on penalties. They also finished as runners-up in the Copa América Centenario Final on 26 June 2016 against Chile, again losing on penalties.[3] On 5 July 2016, Martino resigned.[3]
Atlanta United
Martino with Atlanta United in 2017
After departing from Argentina, Martino was announced as Major League Soccer expansion team Atlanta United's inaugural season head coach on 27 September 2016.[19] On 23 October 2018, Martino announced that he would not renew his contract with Atlanta United following the conclusion of the 2018 MLS season, citing personal reasons.[20] He was expected to sign with the Mexico national team.[21] Atlanta defeated the Portland Timbers in the MLS Cup, winning their first league title in Martino's last match with the club.[22]
Mexico national team
On 7 January 2019, Martino was announced as head coach of the Mexico national team in his return to international management since leaving Argentina in May 2016.[23][24] On 22 March, Martino won his first match with Mexico with a 3–1 win over Chile in a friendly.[25] Later in the same year, Martino and Mexico won the CONCACAF Gold Cup over rivals the United States in a 1–0 victory, his first national title.[26]
But in 2021, Martino saw a steep drop in form, losing both the inaugural CONCACAF Nations League final and CONCACAF Gold Cup to the United States. This was further compounded with a 2–0 loss to the United States in World Cup qualifying in November, marking the first time in the rivalry since 1934 that one side had swept three matches against the other in a calendar year.
In the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Martino led Mexico to their biggest failure in 44 years, since Mexico finished third in their group behind Poland on goal difference, resulting in their first exit from the group stage since 1978.[27] Following their last group match against Saudi Arabia, Martino fulfilled his contract as head coach of Mexico, as reports were coming out that he would be let go even if Mexico made a deep run in the World Cup, due to his unpopularity and combative persona.[28]
Inter Miami
On 28 June 2023, Martino was announced as head coach of Inter Miami, marking his return to the MLS after leaving Atlanta United in 2018.[29] Right away, Martino's team won the Leagues Cup, Inter Miami's first trophy, behind the heroics of summer signing Lionel Messi.
On 22 November 2024, Martino announced that he was stepping down from his role with MLS club Inter Miami "due to personal reasons". [30]
Managerial style
Gerardo Martino prefers to play a very high pressing and an attacking style of football. At Barcelona, Martino continued the club's preferred style of play tiki-taka along with his own tactics. All of Martino's teams have the same distinguishable traits: they play attack-minded football, they are creative and the style is based on quick passing. In addition, Martino's teams also pressure high up the pitch, play out from the back and depend on their youth systems.[31]
The Paraguay national football team, nicknamed La Albirroja, represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions, and are controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association. Paraguay is a member of CONMEBOL. The Albirroja has qualified for eight FIFA World Cup competitions, with their best performance coming in 2010 when they reached the quarter-finals. A regular participant at the Copa América, Paraguay have been crowned champions of the competition on two occasions. Paraguay's highest FIFA World Rankings was 8th and their lowest was 103. Paraguay was awarded second place with Best Move of the Year in 1996 for their rise in the FIFA Rankings.
Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys is an Argentine sports club based in Rosario, Santa Fe. The club was founded on 3 November 1903, and is named after Isaac Newell of the English county of Kent, one of the pioneers of Argentine football.
Denis Ramón Caniza Acuña is a Paraguayan former footballer who played as a defender.
Ezequiel Marcelo Garay González is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a central defender.
Oscar Alfredo Ustari is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami CF.
Sergio Apraham Markarián Abrahamián is a Uruguayan-Argentine former football coach of Armenian descent. In 2015, he was the head coach of the Greece national team.
Éver Maximiliano David Banega is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Argentine Primera División club Newell's Old Boys.
Manuel Eduardo Berizzo Magnolo is an Argentine football manager and former footballer who played as a central defender. He is the current head coach of Liga MX club León.
Pablo Javier Pérez is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
Facundo Sebastián Roncaglia is an Argentine professional footballer who plays for Sarmiento. Mainly a central defender, he can also play as a right-back.
Leandro Martín González Pírez is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for River Plate.
Héctor Daniel "Tito" Villalba is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Primera División team Club Libertad. Born in Argentina, he represents Paraguay internationally.
Milton Óscar Casco is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as left-back for River Plate.
Rodolfo Gilbert Pizarro Thomas is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Liga MX club Mazatlán.
Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami, better known as Inter Miami CF or simply Inter Miami, is an American professional soccer club based in the Miami metropolitan area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Inter Miami plays their home matches at Chase Stadium, with plans to move to Miami Freedom Park in 2026.
Jorge Remigio Pautasso is an Argentine football manager and former player who played as a central defender.
Emmanuel David Mas Sgros is an Argentine footballer who plays as a left-back for Juventud of the Uruguayan Segunda División. He has been capped internationally eight times for Argentina.
Yamil Rodrigo Asad is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for FC Cincinnati in Major League Soccer.
Miguel Ángel Almirón Rejala is a Paraguayan professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or right winger for Premier League club Newcastle United and the Paraguay national team.
Matías Nicolás Rojas Romero is a Paraguayan professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami CF and the Paraguay national football team.
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