Martino named Mexican national soccer team coach

Mexican Soccer Federation president Yon de Luisa confirmed over the weekend that Argentine Gerardo “Tata” Martino would be the new coach of Mexico’s national soccer team in the World Cup cycle leading to Qatar 2022.

De Luisa, a former executive with Liga MX club America, said during the Mexican league’s Apertura tournament final on Sunday at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium that Martino, who won the Major League Soccer (MLS) championship with Atlanta United , would coach Mexico.

“We will announce the arrangements and the contract signing sometime next year, possibly in the first days of January,” De Luisa said.

Colombian Juan Carlos Osorio coached Mexico for the last four years, reaching the round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, a psychological barrier that the team has failed to hurdle since the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

Osorio did not sign a new contract with Mexico and the Mexican Soccer Federation has been looking for a new coach since August.

After interviewing more than 20 candidates, the federation decided to go with Martino, who will be paid $2.2 million a year.