Michael Bradley reacts to Javier Mascherano leaving Inter Miami after NY Red Bulls game

Inter Miami announced Javier Mascherano‘s exit on Tuesday, only a few days after their 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls at Nu Stadium. Shortly after the Herons’ announcement, NYRB head coach Michael Bradley addressed this situation.

“Yeah, his impact has been huge,” Bradley said when asked by Bolavip about Mascherano’s impact in MLS during his short time in the league.

“Obviously, he did an incredible job with Miami, he was able to lead them to their first MLS Cup. I think that part is there for everybody to see, and nobody can ever take that away from him.“

Bradley wishes Mascherano ‘all the best’

Bradley’s comments came during a media session ahead of New York’s US Open Cup fixture against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET). Shortly before Bradley addressed the press, Inter Miami announced Mascherano will be replaced by Guillermo Hoyos, at least on an interim basis.

“Obviously without being there, on the inside of things, it’s impossible to know, it’s impossible to understand the situation,” Bradley added. “You know, in the last little bit, I saw things about personal reasons, and so obviously, again, without being on the inside, you never know exactly what the situation is.

“As a colleague, I wish him all the best for his future, and I know that with his qualities as a coach, with his experience in football, with his personality, he’s gonna continue to do great things in the game, and so I wish him all the best.“

Bradley revealed having one of Mascherano’s jerseys

Bradley had already shown his respect for Mascherano during the weekend. During his postgame press conference after Saturday’s 2-2 draw in Miami, the New York Red Bulls HC remembered the day he exchanged jerseys with the Argentine legend after an international game.

“I have a huge amount of respect for Javier, I always did as a player and now as a coach. He won’t remember this, but one of the proudest moments in my career was after a game with Argentina, he sent somebody into the locker room because he wanted to exchange jerseys with me. So I have one of his Argentina jerseys at home,” Bradley revealed.

“I was a never a guy who went out of my way to trade jerseys but when somebody like Javier Mascherano went out of his way to ask for mine, then you can be sure that I’ve kept his.

“He was an incredible player, had a huge career at some top, top clubs, and now as a young coach has done a really good job, obviously, led Miami to the MLS Cup last year. For me, the experience of coaching against other really good managers is exciting.“

Mascherano’s praise for Bradley

Before shocking the MLS community on Tuesday, Mascherano also heaped praise on Bradley during Saturday’s pre-game interview with Apple TV.

“I faced him in international games many times, he was a very good player and a very important player for the USA,” Mascherano said of Bradley before facing the New York Red Bulls, in what turned out to be his last game at the helm of Inter Miami.

“He did really well last season, winning the MLS Next Pro championship. This season you can see his ideas about football, and for me, he will be a really successful coach in this league.”

Martin O’Donnell is a bilingual sports writer fluent in English and Spanish, currently serving as the Managing Editor of Bolavip. He began his journey with the website in February 2021, making a name for himself through comprehensive coverage of multiple sports, including NFL and soccer, with a specialty in original content and real-time reporting of major events such as the World Cup, UEFA Champions League finals, and the Super Bowl. In June 2024, Martin took on the role of Subeditor, where he excelled in overseeing the publication of stories, assisting staff writers, and ensuring content quality. His prior experience includes managing social media for CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana in English and Spanish, as well as reporting on Brazilian football for Sambafoot. Known for his meticulous attention to detail and ability to capture breaking news, Martin has consistently been a valuable asset to the Bolavip team, especially during crucial sports seasons involving trades, playoffs, and finals. Now, as the Managing Editor since May 2025, Martin brings his extensive experience and keen editorial sense to lead Bolavip’s team, driving the website’s growth and ensuring it remains a top source for sports news and analysis with interviews and exclusive content.