Washington (AFP) – Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who guided Atlanta United to the MLS Cup title in 2018, has signed a two-year contract through 2027 to return as head coach, the team announced on Thursday. The 62-year-old Argentine coach replaces Ronny Deila, who was dropped after Atlanta won only five matches and finished 14th of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference this past season.
Martino coached Atlanta when they joined MLS as an expansion team in 2017 and directed the squad to the league crown only a season later. “We are thrilled to welcome Tata back to Atlanta United,” team owner Arthur M. Blank said. “Tata is an exceptional manager who set the standard for excellence within our club and helped establish our identity in MLS.”
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Since then, he has continued to achieve success on the global stage. “There’s a lot of work to do for us to get back to championship form. This moment is not about revisiting the past but about looking ahead and building a new foundation while embracing the continuing evolution of what it takes to contend in MLS on a regular basis.”
Martino coached Mexico from January 2019 through the 2022 World Cup, then coached Inter Miami starting in June 2023, just in time for the arrival of Argentine superstar Lionel Messi and the MLS club’s victory in the Leagues Cup. Martino departed Miami last November, stepping down for what he called personal reasons after a first-round MLS playoff loss to Atlanta. His prior managerial stops included Barcelona and the national teams of Argentina and Paraguay.
“The further along we went in our coaching search, the clearer it became that Tata is the best candidate to lead Atlanta United to the standard of excellence our fans deserve, a standard he helped create,” United sporting director Chris Henderson said.
© 2024 AFP
