“I’m watching Argentina on mute,” Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino said over the phone on Tuesday afternoon. “There’s no need to hear the broadcast to enjoy it.”
Martino lived at a hotel near Inter Miami’s training complex in Fort Lauderdale for over a month after joining the club in late June and stayed there at the start of their remarkable 11-game unbeaten run. The move to a new apartment has been a welcome change. Martino is now more settled in the city, living with his wife and son Gerardo, 27, who’s also an assistant on the Inter Miami coaching staff.
Before Argentina kicked off their World Cup qualifier against Bolivia, Martino and his son watched Inter Miami central defender Sergii Kryvtsov start against Italy in a Euro 2024 qualifier. They then became fans and turned their attention to the current world champions as they outclassed a listless Bolivia side in La Paz.
Lionel Messi, Argentina and Inter Miami’s captain, was on the bench for the Albiceleste, but not part of the match-day squad. The 36-year-old was a game-time decision leading up to the game after admitting that he was fatigued after Argentina’s 1-0 win over Ecuador on September 7. He’s been very busy since he started playing for Miami in late July.
Messi and Martino will travel…
