Getting to know Guillermo Hoyos, Messi’s mentor and new coach at Inter Miami
Guillermo Hoyos, Inter Miami’s newly appointed interim coach following Javier Mascherano’s surprise resignation, said he feels honored to reunite with Argentine legend Lionel Messi after first working with him 23 years ago at FC Barcelona’s youth academy.
Hoyos and Messi share a longstanding friendship, but Hoyos says it won’t interfere with his professional coaching responsibilities.
So, who is Hoyos? What is his background? What should Inter Miami fans know about the new man in charge heading into Saturday’s road game against the Colorado Rapids?
▪ Hoyos is Inter Miami’s fifth head coach in six years, following Diego Alonso, Phil Neville, Tata Martino and Mascherano.
▪ He is 62 years old and was born in Cordoba, Argentina.
▪ Hoyos overcame a difficult childhood marked by poverty and homelessness. In a January 2022 interview with Argentine newspaper Clarin, Hoyos said his father, a railway worker, battled alcoholism and the family found itself homeless when Hoyos was 8 years old. They spent many nights sleeping in a public plaza, he ate meals at the local church, and he made pocket change shining shoes, opening taxi doors, selling newspapers and leaving religious cards in bars.
▪ He went on to play professional soccer with stops at Talleres de Cordoba (1979-84), Real Madrid B (1981-82), Boca Juniors (1986-89), Everton (1991), Chacarita Juniors (1991-92) and Tolima (1992-93).
▪ Hoyos then became a coach, starting at Barcelona’s academy from 2001 to 2006 and went on work on coaching staffs in Greece, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Cyprus, Mexico, and the Jacksonville Armada of the NASL.
▪ He met Messi in 2003 when he was working at Barcelona’s famed La Masia youth academy. Messi has credited Hoyos for mentoring and supporting him early in his career.
▪ Hoyos joined Inter Miami in 2023, shortly after Messi’s arrival, as academy director and later took on expanded roles in player development, scouting, and roster building.
▪ Hoyos has no set timeline as interim coach.