Inter Miami have appointed Argentine coach Cristian “Kily” Gonzalez as their new head coach as the reigning MLS Cup champions look to revive their form.
Gonzalez, 52, comes from Rosario, the same hometown as Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi. He replaces interim boss Guillermo Hoyos, who will remain in charge until Gonzalez receives approval for his United States work permit.
“Inter Miami CF announced today that it has reached an agreement with Cristian Alberto ‘Kily’ Gonzalez to become the club’s new first-team head coach,” the club said in a statement.
The former Argentina international takes over after a difficult period for Miami following Major League Soccer’s mid-season World Cup break.
Despite adding Brazilian midfielder Casemiro from Manchester United to an already star-studded squad, Inter Miami have lost four of their past five matches. They remain second in the Eastern Conference but are now 10 points behind leaders Nashville.
Gonzalez enjoyed a distinguished playing career, featuring for Inter Milan, Valencia and Zaragoza. The former left winger won 56 caps for Argentina between 1995 and 2005 before moving into management in 2020.
He managed three clubs in Argentina before accepting the role in Miami.
Hoyos, a longtime friend of Messi and formerly Inter Miami’s sporting director, stepped into the interim role in April after Javier Mascherano left the club for personal reasons.
The 61-year-old was handed a one-match ban and a fine on Thursday after Inter Miami committed multiple breaches of MLS rules regarding late returns to the pitch after half-time.
Inter Miami thanked Hoyos for his commitment during the transition period, but Gonzalez will now be tasked with restoring momentum as the club pursues another MLS title.
