Inter Miami's Mascherano and More: Who Are the 13 New MLS Managers? | OneFootball

MLS can be a chaotic league at times, and the coaching situation is no different with 13 new coaches coming into the 30-team league for 2025.

Let’s get to know them, in order of the best team in the 2024 Supporters’ Shield table to the worst to first.

Inter Miami CF - Javier Mascherano (1st in 2024)

Inter Miami presented Javier Mascherano as the club's new head coach. / IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wire

A team rarely replaces a coach after winning the Supporters’ Shield and setting a regular season points record. Yet, it’s Javier Mascherano in and Tata Martino out for Barcelona––I mean, Inter Miami.

With Lionel Messi’s influence continuing to grow within the club, the Herons brought in his former Argentina and Barcelona teammate for 2025, giving Mascherano his first professional coaching experience.

He’s only 40 and three years older than superstars Messi and Luis Suárez. Still, he’s insisted that their previous relationships won’t impact his coaching process and that there’s a sustained focus on winning at David Beckham’s MLS project.

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While the MLS Cup remains the dream goal, Miami has a busy season ahead. They will compete in the FIFA Club World Cup and Concacaf Champions Cup while also trying to defend their Eastern Conference title and Supporters’ Shield.

“I am convinced I can do it,” Mascherano said of winning MLS Cup. “I have no doubt. In the end, the results [are ultimately what matters]. I have great hope, and I feel capable of doing it well."

New York City FC - Pascal Jansen (13th in 2024)

Pascal Jansen takes over New York City FC in 2025. / Courtesy of New York City FC

NYCFC parted ways with head coach Nick Cushing after losing to Hudson River Derby foes New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup playoffs and welcomed in Pascal Jansen for 2025.

Jansen, 52, comes to MLS after spells with Hungary’s Ferencváros and Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar. In 2024, he helped the Hungarian side to a 5–0 victory over The New Saints in the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase.

However, the London-born manager has been in the coaching profession for a while. After having a brief youth career with AZ Alkmaar and Ajax, he suffered a career-ending injury at 17 years old and took up coaching soon after.

At 35, he became one of the youngest to achieve the UEFA Pro License, first going on to coach Jong PSV before moving upwards in his career. Through 266 professional matches coached, he has a record of 144-51-71.

NYCFC stars Matt Freese, Thiago Martins, Santiago Rodríguez and Alonso Martínez will start the season with Jansen against Inter Miami on Feb. 22.

Vancouver Whitecaps - Jesper Sørensen (14th in 2024)

Vanni Sartini’s quick-witted humor will be missed with the Vancouver Whitecaps, but sporting director Axel Schuster believed the team needed a new voice to reach their next level. Enter, Jesper Sørensen.

The Danish coach comes to MLS from Brøndby IF, where he posted a record of 37-19-17 over two years. After taking the position in Jan. 2023, he helped the club improve from 10th to fifth before lifting them to a second-place finish in 2023–24.

While he also boasts experience coaching Danish youth national teams, MLS will be his biggest test yet. In Vancouver, he’s expected to work with the group provided to him. Schuster emphasizes throughout the offseason that he believes the group can be good enough to contend in MLS.

The Whitecaps are led by Scottish international Ryan Gauld and American striker Brian White. However, they recently lost Scottish midfielder Stuart Armstrong to Sheffield Wednesday and have not added any game-changing players in the offseason.

Austin FC - Nico Estévez (18th in 2024)

Austin FC head coach Nico Estévez is switching sides in the Copa Tejas. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Austin FC hopes Nico Estévez can bring the club back to MLS Western Conference contention. The former USMNT assistant coach comes to Austin after serving as a head coach with Copa Tejas rivals FC Dallas from '22 to 24.

The 44-year-old also boasts experience as an assistant coach and director of methodology with the Columbus Crew, his first role in the United States after starting his coaching career in Spain with Valencia and their youth programs.

After spending $10 million to bring in USMNT international Brandon Vázquez from CF Monterrey and previously adding Designated Player Osman Bukari, Estévez and the additions are under pressure to bring Austin back to the level that saw them finish second in the Western Conference in 2023.

FC Dallas - Eric Quill (19th in 2024)

As Estévez steps aside to Austin FC, FC Dallas brings in former player Eric Quill, who previously coached the club’s MLS Next PRO side, North Texas SC.

Most recently, Quill coached the USL Championships side, New Mexico United. Still, his best work came with Dallas, where he helped develop now USMNT players Ricardo Pepi, Bryan Reynolds and Tanner Tessmann and won the inaugural MLS Next PRO Championship.

Before starting his head coaching career, Quill worked under Caleb Porter and Wilfried Nancy with Columbus.

A development-focused coach, he comes to a rebuilding Dallas side, looking ahead to the future after selling stars Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola to Seattle Sounders FC.

Atlanta United  - Ronny Deila (20th in 2024)

Former New York City FC head coach Ronny Deila is back in MLS with Atlanta United. / Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images

No team has had a more significant offseason than Atlanta United.

The intention was made from the minute they brought in former Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders executive Chris Henderson to build the team. This was going to be a rebuild and fast.

The first step was bringing Ronny Deila back to MLS, adding an MLS Cup champion head coach to a project that hopes to return to that stage in the next few years. Deila returns to MLS, where he won the 2021 MLS Cup with New York City FC after spells with Standard Liege, Club Brugge and Al Wahda.

The Five Stripes broke the MLS transfer fee record for Emmanuel Latte Lath, spending a reported $22 million to bring him in while also welcoming back club legend Miguel Almirón from Newcastle United. Now, it’s on Deila to turn them into a winner.

Toronto FC - Robin Fraser (22nd in 2024)

Toronto FC head coach Robin Fraser hopes to bring the club back to the glory days. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Toronto FC wants to calm the chaos in 2025.

After getting tangled in the Canada Soccer drone scandal with former head coach John Herdman in 2024, Toronto FC have added former assistant Robin Fraser as their head coach.

Fraser returns to Toronto after serving as an assistant on Greg Vanney’s staff when the club won the 2017 MLS Cup. Since then, Fraser went on to coach the Colorado Rapids, where in '21, he led them to the top seed in the Western Conference and a club-record 61 points.

Fraser inherits a problematic Toronto side. Former Italian star Lorenzo Insigne remains with the club as a Designated Player but has suffered from repetitive injuries and has been relegated to the second-choice XI in preseason.

Yet, Fraser hopes to calm things down and get the best out of a group with valuable players such as Federico Bernardeschi, Jonathan Osorio and the new signing, Theo Corbeanu.

Philadelphia Union - Bradley Carnell (23rd in 2024)

Bradley Carnell takes charge of the Philadelphia Union after coaching St. Louis CITY SC. / Scott Rovak-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Union are entering a new era with Bradley Carnell.

After 10 seasons with Jim Curtin on the touchline, the Union chose to go a different direction after missing the playoffs in 2023. To start their turnover, they added Carnell, a former St. Louis CITY head coach.

The 48-year-old helped St. Louis to the top of the Western Conference in their 2023 inaugural season but lost the job after the team stopped outperforming their expected goals in 2024.

A high-pressing, attacking coach, Carnell doesn’t quite fit the Union’s defensive, possession-based identity, but he will offer a refreshing change.

He also takes on the leadership of young American superstar Cavan Sullivan as he enters his age-15 season.

ST. Louis CITY - Olof Mellberg (24th in 2024)

After dismissing Carnell, St. Louis CITY turns to Olof Mellberg for 2025.

The former Sweden and Aston Villa defender arrives in MLS having previously coached only in Scandinavia, where he began his managerial career in 2016 with IF Brommapojkarna.

He took over the team in Sweden’s third tier and led them to back-to-back promotions in 2016 and 2017, averaging 2.2 points per match for two seasons, winning the division for each promotion.

Since then, he has held roles with Denmark’s Fremad Amager and Sweden’s Helsingborgs IF before returning to Brommapojkarna in 2023. Having spent his entire coaching career in Scandinavia, MLS presents a new challenge as St. Louis CITY looks to return to the playoffs.

Nashville SC - B.J. Callaghan (25th in 2024)

B.J. Callaghan has already coached 11 games with Nashville SC. / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

We’ve already seen what B.J. Callaghan can do with Nashville SC.

After the club dismissed Gary Smith late in the season, Callaghan led the team through 11 games, going 3-2-6 before officially missing the playoffs in a disappointing season.

Callaghan’s biggest claim to fame is as an interim manager, leading the USMNT to the 2023 Concacaf Nations League and Concacaf Gold Cup titles. In Nashville, a critical step to success will be finding the right spot for 2022 MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar to return to his old self.

Chicago Fire - Gregg Berhalter (28th in 2024)

Gregg Berhalter takes over at Chicago Firez / IMAGO/Agencia-MexSport

Chicago Fire FC are doing its best to turn things around in one of the largest soccer markets. That’s where former USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter finds himself as chief soccer officer and head coach.

Berhalter returns to an MLS touchline after two spells with the USMNT, leading them to the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup, two Concacaf Nations League titles and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 round of 16. U.S. Soccer dismissed him after a group stage exit at the 2024 Copa América.

The 51-year-old brings his shoe swagger to Chicago, hoping to rebuild the team into an MLS Cup contender and win his first title as head coach. He previously led the Columbus Crew to the 2015 MLS Cup final, where they lost to the Portland Timbers.

San Jose Earthquakes -  Bruce Arena (29th in 2024)

The 2024 San Jose Earthquakes were historically bad, winning just six of 34 matches and claiming their fifth MLS Wooden Spoon.

Bruce Arena, 73, comes to the club to try to save them, bringing 17 seasons of MLS experience to the touchline. Returning to coaching after accepting responsibility for his “insensitive remarks” that led to his departure from New England Revolution, Arena will hope to make the Earthquakes more competitive.

San Jose broke its club record transfer fee to bring in Argentine No. 10 Hernán López in the summer and former Real Salt Lake star Chicho Arango with the hope that the duo can elevate their on-field product in 2025.

Other key additions include former MLS Golden Boot winner Josef Martínez and Canada international Mark-Anthony Kaye.

San Diego FC - Mikey Varas - Expansion Team

San Diego FC are entering their first MLS season, as is head coach Mikey Varas.

With previous experience as interim head coach with the USMNT and leading the USA U20s to the U20 World Cup quarterfinal, Varas takes to California for his first professional head coaching role.

Before working with the national programs, Varas was an assistant coach at FC Dallas. Now, he’ll look to lead Chucky Lozano and the expansion side to an inaugural MLS Cup Playoff berth.