Inter Miami announced this Thursday the appointment of Argentine Cristian “Kily” González as the new first team coach, replacing interim Guillermo Hoyos, with the mission of recovering the current MLS champion after a bad streak after the World Cup.
The Florida club confirmed that it reached an agreement with González, 52, to take over the reins of the team in a complicated stage of the season. However, Guillermo Hoyos will temporarily continue in the position until the new coach obtains his work permit in the United States.
“Inter Miami CF announced today that it has reached an agreement with Cristian Alberto ‘Kily’ González to become the new first team coach,” the institution reported.
Kily González, an Argentine from Rosario like Messi
González’s arrival has a special component, since the former soccer player was also born in Rosario, Lionel Messi’s hometown.
During his time as a player, Kily González served as a left winger and defended the shirts of important European clubs such as Inter Milan, Valencia and Zaragoza. In addition, he played 56 games for the Argentine national team between 1995 and 2005.
After retiring, he began his coaching career in 2020 and managed three Argentine clubs before accepting the challenge of reaching the MLS.
Inter Miami seeks to react in the MLS
González’s appointment comes after a series of poor results for Messi’s team.
Inter Miami has lost four of its last five games and, although it remains second in the Eastern Conference, is already 10 points behind leader Nashville.
The situation became complicated after the mid-season break for the World Cup, despite the club reinforcing a star-studded squad with the incorporation of Brazilian Casemiro from Manchester United.
González will now have the challenge of regaining the team’s consistency and maintaining the aspirations of the MLS champion.
Guillermo Hoyos receives a sanction
The change on the bench comes while Hoyos received a one-match suspension and a fine on Thursday for Inter Miami’s repeated infractions related to the start times of the second half.
MLS sanctioned the club for repeatedly returning late to the field after halftime.
Hoyos, who previously held the position of sporting director of Inter Miami and is a long-time friend of Messi, took over as interim coach in April after the departure of Javier Mascherano for personal reasons.
The club especially thanked Hoyos for his commitment during this period and highlighted his willingness to temporarily assume management of the team.
With the arrival of Kily González, Inter Miami hopes to recover its best version and once again fight for the top positions in the MLS alongside Lionel Messi.
