Kily Gonzalez named new Inter Miami coach through 2028

Cristian 'Kily' Gonzalez became the new Inter Miami head coach on Tuesday, taking charge of the Major League Soccer side that features Lionel Messi, Rodrigo de Paul, Luis Suarez and Casemiro. The 52-year-old Argentine needed his United States work visa to be validated before the Herons could make the announcement official. He has signed a contract that runs through June 2028.

• Kily Gonzalez, 52, signs with Inter Miami through June 2028 after his work visa was validated.
• He becomes the team's third coach this season, following Javier Mascherano and Guillermo Hoyos.
• He debuts Wednesday against Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup at Nu Stadium in Miami.
• This is his fourth head coaching job after Rosario Central, Union de Santa Fe and Platense.
• As a player, he won Olympic gold with Argentina in Athens 2004, plus titles in Spain and Italy.

Kily Gonzalez signs with Inter Miami through June 2028

The former Zaragoza, Valencia, Boca Juniors and Inter Milan player begins his fourth stint as a manager. He previously coached Rosario Central, the club from his hometown, as well as Union de Santa Fe and Platense. He led the Rosario side in 68 matches between 2020 and 2022, while he was in charge of Union de Santa Fe for 78 games from 2023 to 2025.

Inter Miami celebrated the news with a post on its official X account showing the coach already dressed in club training gear alongside the word 'WELCOME'. "Ready to work. Welcome to Miami, Cristian 'Kily' Gonzalez," the Florida franchise wrote.

Third coach of the season on the Messi sideline

The arrival of Gonzalez underlines the instability Inter Miami has faced on the touchline this campaign. Kily Gonzalez is the third manager to take over the team this season, after Javier Mascherano and Guillermo Hoyos both left the role without bringing continuity to the project.

Gonzalez led his first training session on Tuesday with a squad full of South American stars. Along with Messi, the locker room includes Argentine Rodrigo de Paul, Uruguayan Luis Suarez and Brazilian Casemiro, a core of top-level veterans looking to regain competitive momentum.

Immediate debut against Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup

The new coach faces his first test with no time to settle in. On Wednesday, Inter Miami takes on Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup, the tournament that pits the MLS champion against the winner of the Campeon de Campeones from Liga MX. The match will be played at Nu Stadium in Miami starting at 8:00 p.m. local time, midnight GMT on Thursday.

The match arrives at a delicate moment for the Herons, who are looking for an international boost to turn their season around. For Kily Gonzalez, it is also a chance to make his debut with a trophy on the line against a strong Mexican opponent.

A career with titles in Argentina, Spain and Italy

Before moving to the dugout, Kily Gonzalez built a playing career that included stops at top European clubs. In Spain he won La Liga and the Supercopa with Valencia, and in Italy he claimed a Serie A title, two Coppa Italia trophies and a Supercoppa with Inter Milan. He also wore the shirts of Boca Juniors and Zaragoza, in addition to Rosario Central.

He was capped by Argentina and was part of the team that took Olympic gold at the Athens 2004 Games. His coaching debut came with Rosario Central's reserve side, and after two seasons he was promoted to the first team.

What the coaching change means for Inter Miami

The switch on the touchline comes with the season already underway and the demand to get results back on track. Inter Miami's project, built around Messi since his arrival in MLS, has not produced the expected stability on the technical side, and the arrival of Kily Gonzalez aims to provide a steadier direction.

The new manager will have to handle a squad with experience and urgency, in a calendar that leaves no breathing room. The match against Cruz Azul will be the first real test of a project that runs through 2028.