Javier Mascherano facts for kids
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Mascherano coaching Inter Miami in 2025
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| Full name | Javier Alejandro Mascherano | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 8 June 1984 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | San Lorenzo, Argentina | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre-back, defensive midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Inter Miami (head coach) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cerámica San Lorenzo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Barrio Vila | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2003 | River Plate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2005 | River Plate | 46 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Corinthians | 25 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | West Ham United | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2010 | Liverpool | 94 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2018 | Barcelona | 203 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Hebei China Fortune | 53 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Estudiantes | 10 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 436 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | Argentina U17 | 12 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Argentina U20 | 22 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Argentina U21 | 5 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2008 | Argentina Olympic | 20 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2018 | Argentina | 147 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | Argentina U20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Argentina U23 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024– | Inter Miami | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Javier Alejandro Mascherano (born 8 June 1984) is an Argentine football manager and former player. He is currently the head coach of Major League Soccer club Inter Miami. As a player, he was known as a strong centre-back or defensive midfielder. He played for famous clubs like Liverpool and Barcelona. Many people consider him one of the best defenders and midfielders of his time.
Mascherano started his career at River Plate in Argentina. He won his first major title there in the 2003–04 season. In 2005, he moved to the Brazilian team Corinthians and won the Brazilian Série A title. After a short time at West Ham United in England, he joined Liverpool in 2007. He helped Liverpool reach the UEFA Champions League final.
In 2010, Mascherano moved to Barcelona. He spent eight years there, winning many important trophies. These included five La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues, and two FIFA Club World Cups. Later, he played in China and then returned to Argentina before retiring.
Mascherano played 147 games for the Argentina national team. He is the second most-capped player in Argentina's history, after Lionel Messi. He played in five Copa América tournaments, finishing second four times. He also played in four FIFA World Cups, reaching the final in 2014. Mascherano won two gold medals at the Summer Olympics in 2004 and 2008. He was the first male footballer to achieve this. From 2008 to 2011, he was the captain of the Argentina team.
Contents
Club Football Journey
Starting at River Plate
Javier Mascherano was born in San Lorenzo, Argentina. He grew up playing football in the youth teams of River Plate in Buenos Aires. He actually played for the Argentina national team before making his debut for River Plate's main team.
Mascherano won his first trophy with River Plate in the 2003–04 season, winning the Clausura championship. In 2004, River Plate reached the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores, a big South American club tournament. They lost to their rivals, Boca Juniors. Many big European clubs wanted to sign Mascherano, but River Plate kept him.
After the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, the Brazilian club Corinthians bought Mascherano from River Plate.
Time with Corinthians
Mascherano joined Corinthians in the middle of their season in 2005. After playing only nine games, he broke his left foot in September 2005. This injury made him miss the rest of the season. However, Corinthians still won the Série A title that year.
He returned to play in March 2006. Corinthians had a tough 2006 season and were even fighting to avoid relegation. In August 2006, Mascherano moved to West Ham United in England, along with his teammate Carlos Tevez.
Playing for West Ham
Mascherano joined West Ham United in 2006. His time there was short and unusual. West Ham struggled after he arrived, losing many games. Mascherano did not play much during this period.
In January 2007, Liverpool wanted to sign Mascherano. There were special rules about players playing for more than two clubs in one year. FIFA eventually approved the move, and Mascherano officially joined Liverpool in February 2007.
Success at Liverpool
Mascherano made his debut for Liverpool on 24 February 2007. His manager, Rafael Benítez, and captain, Steven Gerrard, praised his performance. Benítez even called him a "monster of a player." His teammates were also impressed by his calm and smart play.
Mascherano quickly became a regular starter. He played in the Champions League Final against Milan that year. Liverpool lost 2–1, but Mascherano was voted their best player in the match by fans.
In February 2008, Mascherano signed a permanent four-year contract with Liverpool. He scored his first goal for Liverpool on 15 March 2008 against Reading.
In July 2010, Mascherano told Liverpool's new manager, Roy Hodgson, that he wanted to leave the club. Liverpool agreed to sell him to Barcelona for £17.25 million in August 2010. After winning the 2011 Champions League Final with Barcelona, Mascherano sent a message to Liverpool fans, saying the win was also for them.
Old Trafford Incident
In a game against Manchester United in March 2008, Mascherano was sent off. He received two yellow cards, one for a foul and another for arguing with the referee. His teammates had to push him off the field. He was suspended for three games for his behavior.
Moving to Barcelona
On 28 August 2010, Mascherano joined Barcelona on a four-year contract. He said it was a "dream." He mostly played as a centre-back for Barcelona, even though he was a midfielder before. He played very well in this new role.
On 28 May 2011, Mascherano started in the 2011 Champions League final against Manchester United. Barcelona won the game 3–1. He also made a crucial tackle in the earlier rounds against Arsenal, stopping a goal.
Mascherano signed new contracts in 2012 and 2014, staying with Barcelona until 2018. In 2015, he played in the Champions League final again, where Barcelona beat Juventus 3–1. This win helped Barcelona become the first club to win the "treble" (league, domestic cup, and Champions League) twice.
When club captain Xavi left in 2015, Mascherano became the fourth captain of Barcelona. He scored his first and only goal for Barcelona on 26 April 2017, from a penalty kick.
After seven and a half seasons, Barcelona announced on 23 January 2018 that Mascherano would leave the club.
Playing in China and Retirement
On 24 January 2018, Mascherano joined the Chinese club Hebei China Fortune. He scored his first goal for them in May 2018.
In November 2019, Mascherano returned to Argentina to play for Estudiantes. He made his debut for them in January 2020. On 15 November 2020, Mascherano announced his retirement from professional football.
International Career Highlights
Mascherano's first international game was in 2001 for Argentina's youth teams. He played in the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship. In 2003, he was named the best player at the Toulon Tournament for Argentina's under-20 team.
He made his debut for the senior Argentina national team on 16 July 2003, even before playing for his club, River Plate. In 2004, he helped Argentina's U23 team win the South American Pre-Olympic tournament and then a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece.
Mascherano also played in the 2004 Copa América with the senior team. Argentina lost to Brazil in the final, but his teammates voted him Argentina's best player in the tournament.
In the 2006 World Cup, Mascherano played every minute for Argentina. They were knocked out by Germany in the quarter-finals. He scored his first two goals for Argentina in July 2007 during the 2007 Copa América. Argentina reached the final but lost to Brazil. Many people thought Mascherano was the best Argentine player in that tournament.
In 2008, Mascherano played for Argentina's U23 team again at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Argentina won the tournament, making him the first Argentine sportsman to win two Olympic gold medals.
Diego Maradona, who became Argentina's coach in 2008, chose Mascherano to be the team's captain. Maradona said he wanted Mascherano because he showed great dedication and sacrifice for the team. Mascherano became captain on 10 November 2008. At the 2010 World Cup, Lionel Messi was captain, and Argentina reached the quarter-finals, again losing to Germany.
In August 2011, Messi became the new captain, and Mascherano became the vice-captain.
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At the 2014 World Cup, Mascherano played his 100th international game for Argentina. Even though Messi wore the captain's armband, Mascherano was seen as the team's true leader on the field. He was very important in Argentina's defense, helping them not concede many goals in the knockout stages. In the semi-final against the Netherlands, Mascherano made a crucial goal-saving tackle. Argentina reached the final but lost 1–0 to Germany after extra time.
In May 2018, Mascherano was part of Argentina's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He played his 143rd game for Argentina in May 2018, matching Javier Zanetti's record. In Argentina's first World Cup match in June 2018, he played his 144th game, becoming the most-capped player in Argentina's history.
After Argentina was eliminated from the World Cup in June 2018, Mascherano announced his retirement from international football. He played 147 games and scored 3 goals for his country.
Coaching Career
In December 2021, Mascherano became the manager of the Argentina under-20 team. He also led the Argentina under-23 team at the 2024 Summer Olympics, where they reached the quarter-finals.
On 26 November 2024, Major League Soccer club Inter Miami announced Mascherano as their new head coach.
Playing Style and Nickname
Mascherano was nicknamed "El Jefecito" which means "The Little Chief." He was a very versatile and smart player. He was known for his leadership, accurate passing, energy, and strong tackles, even though he wasn't very tall. He could play as a holding midfielder or a central defender. Many people consider him one of the best defenders and defensive midfielders of his time.
Career Statistics
Club Games
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| River Plate | 2003–04 | Primera División | 21 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | — | 34 | 0 | |||
| 2004–05 | Primera División | 25 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 1 | — | 37 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 46 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 1 | — | 71 | 1 | |||||
| Corinthians | 2005 | Série A | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2006 | Série A | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 25 | 0 | ||
| Total | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 33 | 0 | |||
| West Ham United | 2006–07 | Premier League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | |
| Liverpool | 2006–07 | Premier League | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | |
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | — | 41 | 1 | ||
| 2008–09 | Premier League | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 38 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | — | 48 | 1 | ||
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 94 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 1 | — | 139 | 2 | |||
| Barcelona | 2010–11 | La Liga | 27 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | — | 45 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | La Liga | 31 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 52 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | La Liga | 25 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 41 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | La Liga | 28 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 46 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | La Liga | 28 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | — | 47 | 0 | |||
| 2015–16 | La Liga | 32 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 51 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | La Liga | 25 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 1 | ||
| 2017–18 | La Liga | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||
| Total | 203 | 1 | 46 | 0 | — | 68 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 334 | 1 | |||
| Hebei China Fortune | 2018 | Chinese Super League | 26 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 27 | 1 | |||
| 2019 | Chinese Super League | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 27 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 53 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 54 | 1 | |||||
| Estudiantes | 2019–20 | Primera División | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2020–21 | Primera División | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 11 | 0 | |||||
| Career total | 428 | 2 | 55 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 138 | 2 | 26 | 0 | 649 | 5 | ||
International Games
| Argentina | ||
| Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 | 0 |
| 2004 | 10 | 0 |
| 2005 | 3 | 0 |
| 2006 | 8 | 0 |
| 2007 | 14 | 2 |
| 2008 | 9 | 0 |
| 2009 | 10 | 0 |
| 2010 | 10 | 0 |
| 2011 | 13 | 0 |
| 2012 | 8 | 0 |
| 2013 | 9 | 0 |
| 2014 | 15 | 1 |
| 2015 | 12 | 0 |
| 2016 | 13 | 0 |
| 2017 | 6 | 0 |
| 2018 | 6 | 0 |
| Total | 147 | 3 |
International Goals
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 5 July 2007 | Estadio Metropolitano de Fútbol de Lara, Barquisimeto, Venezuela |  Paraguay |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2007 Copa América |
| 2. | 8 July 2007 |  Peru |
4–0 | 4–0 | ||
| 3. | 4 June 2014 | Estadio Monumental Antonio V. Liberti, Buenos Aires, Argentina |  Trinidad and Tobago |
2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
Managerial Statistics
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Argentina U20 | 1 January 2022 | 26 November 2024 | 29 | 18 | 3 | 8 | 62.1 |
| Argentina U23 | 1 July 2023 | 26 November 2024 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 47.6 |
| Inter Miami | 26 November 2024 | Present | 34 | 18 | 8 | 8 | 52.9 |
| Total | 84 | 46 | 18 | 20 | 54.8 | ||
Honours and Awards
River Plate
- Argentine Primera División: 2003–04 Clausura
Corinthians
Barcelona
- La Liga: 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18
- Copa del Rey: 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
- Supercopa de España: 2011, 2013, 2016
- UEFA Champions League: 2010–11, 2014–15
- UEFA Super Cup: 2011, 2015
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2011, 2015
Argentina U20
- South American Youth Championship: 2003
Argentina U23
- Olympic gold medal: 2004, 2008
- CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament: 2004
Argentina National Team
- FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2014
- Copa América runner-up: 2004, 2007, 2015, 2016
Individual Awards
- Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2007, 2011, 2015, 2016
- UEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2014–15
- FC Barcelona Player of the Season (Trofeo Aldo Rovira): 2013–14
- Toulon Tournament Best Player: 2003
- South American Team of the Year: 2004, 2005
See also
In Spanish: Javier Mascherano para niños
