WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Gerardo Martino has stepped down as manager of Inter Miami due to personal reasons, the Major League Soccer (MLS) club said on Friday.

The 62-year-old said he had made the decision to return to his native Argentina, despite having a year to run on his Inter Miami contract.

"It has been an honor to work at such a special club and to lead such a special team," Martino said. "I've enjoyed my stay at Inter Miami and will treasure the memories made and relationships forged here for the rest of my life."

"I depart with nothing but gratitude for my time here and would like to offer sincere thanks to everyone who made it possible."

Martino oversaw 38 victories, 16 defeats and 13 draws after taking charge of Inter Miami in June 2023.

He guided the Florida outfit to the 2023 Leagues Cup title and the 2024 Supporters' Shield after a record-breaking 74 points during the regular season. But the club was unexpectedly eliminated in the first week of the MLS playoffs by Atlanta United earlier this month.

Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas said Martino's successor would be announced "in the coming days". Media reports said that former Liverpool and Barcelona enforcer Javier Mascherano, who is currently the manager of Argentina's under-20 team, was the frontrunner to fill the vacant position.

"Tata will forever have a special place in Inter Miami history," Mas said. "He guided us through a period of transformation and brought us our first titles in the process, which is what we aspire to as an ambitious organization." Enditem

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