Javier Mascherano Biography: Managerial Journey, Net Worth, Family and Football Achievements

Javier Mascherano is widely regarded as one of the best defenders and defensive midfielders of his generation, making a name for himself throughout top clubs in world football. Having played for some of the biggest clubs in the world during his time as a player, Mascherano has since applied his footballing aptitude to management and in his short time in the field, managed to become a well-sought-after manager, now set to manage Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. 

As a player for River Plate, Corinthians, Liverpool, Barcelona, and more, Mascherano often demonstrated his analysis of the game coupled with brilliant composure and mature ability. Often hailed as a club legend by many fans for his illustrious playing career, many are keen to see the Argentine’s progression as a manager. Whilst his work up until now has mostly been with the Argentina youth squads, a reunion with his former Barca teammates at Inter Miami will be a real test of his managerial abilities. 

A surprising appointment to say the least, and it is one that will further draw a lot of attention and eyeballs to the reigning MLS champions. All things considered, little has been known and can be made of Javier Mascherano’s managerial abilities, and the true test of his capabilities is yet to come. Affectionately known as “The Jefecito” or Little Boss, David Beckham and the Inter Miami hierarchy seemingly deem him the right man for the job owing to his time under the tutelage and management of many great managers, including Pep Guardiola. Thus, it is expected that some of their influence will likely have rubbed off on the former Barcelona defender

Javier Mascherano Bio

Javier Mascherano’s Playing Career

All things considered, Javier Mascherano was an early bloomer by every stretch of the imagination. Having started by representing his country at an early age, he was quickly picked up by the River Plate scouts in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Whilst playing for the Argentine Under 17 and Under 20 sides, Mascherano rose through the ranks at River Plate before going on to represent the senior side in 2003. 

In his first season at River Plate, Mascherano secured the 2003–04 Clausura championship and made it to the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores, summing up a rather successful campaign overall. However, the following season saw tremendous regressions from the side, which saw Brazilian side Corinthians move quickly to secure the much sought-after Mascherano’s services. Unfortunately, a fracture early on in his Corinthians tenure ruled him out of the side that went on to win the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A title in 2005. 

With Corinthians struggling to find their footing in 2006, the World Cup saw Mascherano impress on the global stage, attracting further interest from a host of clubs. Eventually, it was West Ham that surprisingly managed to secure Mascherano and Carlos Tevez in a double swoop that raised a lot of eyebrows. That said when the Premier League side was charged with numerous penalties, Liverpool swooped in to try and secure the services of the Argentine talent. Having managed to secure him on loan initially, the Merseyside club was more than impressed with his performances.

Be it coach Rafa Benitez, captain Steven Gerrard, or even Xabi Alonso, they all had high praise for the youngster. Finally, in 2008, Javier Mascherano was officially signed by Liverpool outside of the transfer window seeing that he was not contracted to any club after West Ham was found guilty of financial wrongdoing.  With a Man of the Match performance from him in the 2007 Champions League final, the move seemed fairly obvious. That said, Mascherano’s time at Liverpool was at times marred by his poor disciplinary record, with the Argentine having a habit of getting booked and sent off in games. 

That said, a change of management in 2010 saw Javier Mascherano have a change of heart, and the player was soon on his way to FC Barcelona. Despite leaving Merseyside, Mascherano was quite grateful for the support that Liverpool fans showed him and dedicated his 2011 Champions League final victory against Manchester United to them. At Barcelona, Mascherano was shifted to center back and alongside Pique was at the heart of a lot of success that the club saw in the years that followed. Finally in 2018, Mascherano departed the Nou Camp after an illustrious tenure, before finishing up his playing career at Hebei China Fortune and Estudiantes.

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Javier Mascherano’s International Career

For the most part, Javier Mascherano garnered a lot of attention as a youth player for the Argentina Under 17 and Under 20 sides, which saw him get picked up by River Plate. Notably, Mascherano made his senior international debut before even making his club debut. That said, throughout his career, Mascherano was a mainstay in the Argentina National Team and really gave a solid account of himself during international tournaments which further added to the interest surrounding him. Regardless of how his club was performing, Mascherano was as reliable as ever for his country. 

Playing in the Argentina senior squad for the 2004 Copa América, Mascherano was voted the best player of the tournament by his squad despite the team losing out to Brazil in the finals. Similarly, Javier impressed at the 2006 World Cup and the 2007 Copa America as well, elected their best player, despite the squad having significant world beaters among their ranks. Having won Olympic gold as a youngster, Mascherano returned to defend the same in 2008, featuring as an overage player. 

One of the greatest players to have ever graced the game, Diego Maradona once publicly declared that he wanted Mascherano to be the captain of his Argentina side. As a senior member of the squad, Javier was ever-present for his country at the 2010 World Cup, the  2011 Copa América, and the 2014 World Cup, where he at times put his body on the line to see the team make it to the finals. Finally, in 2018, Mascherano called an end to his international career having accumulated 147 caps, a record and one of the highest in the nation’s history (overtaking Javier Zanetti), whilst scoring 3 goals as well. 

Javier Mascherano’s Coaching Career

For the most part, there is little to know about Javier Mascherano’s coaching career. Whilst he has been in management since 2021, he has mostly spent his time managing the  Argentina under-20 and under-23 sides, taking over as the head coach for the senior side at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Argentina was ultimately eliminated in the quarter-finals, losing out to France. In total, Mascherano has managed 50 games combined for Argentina, winning 28, drawing 10, and losing 12, making for a win percentage of 56%. 

That said in 2024, following Inter Miami’s disappointing exit from the MLS Cup playoffs, and the departure of head coach Gerardo Martino, there were rumors of Javier Mascherano being touted for the job. Whilst renowned football journalist Fabrizio Romano initially sounded the rumors, things became increasingly likely and now it would appear that only an official confirmation is remaining.

Set to work with many of his former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and potentially even Neymar, it will be a reunion for the ages, and further establish Inter Miami’s dominance in the MLS. Safe to say, that David Beckham and the higher-ups at Inter Miami know exactly what they are doing by bringing Mascherano to the club. Potentially hoping to keep Messi at the club for a few more years, the idea of a Barca reunion would be too good to turn down. 

Javier Mascherano’s Tactics and Style of Play

For the most part, little is known about Javier Mascherano’s tactics as a manager, owing to the small sample size that we have so far. During his time in charge of the Argentine youth teams and Olympic side, he often deployed a 4-2-3-1 system, at times shifting to a 4-4-2. For the majority of his early games, Mascherano deployed a 4-3-3 attacking system which he has since experimented on with minor adjustments. 

All in all, Javier Mascherano appears to be a very versatile and adaptive manager capable of setting up his sides in a variety of different ways to try and suit their strengths. As such, it is expected that his tactical flexibility will be like a breath of fresh air at Inter Miami, once he gets going in his new role. 

Notably, former manager Tata Martino deployed his side in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation on most occasions. Thus, It would allow Javier Mascherano to pick up where he left off and seamlessly integrate his philosophy into the side. As mentioned previously, the familiarity with his former teammates will also help tremendously in this case. 

Javier Mascherano’s Achievements and Trophies

For the most part, Javier Mascherano is one of the most accomplished footballers of his time and has a trophy cabinet that many players can only dream of. Having seen significant triumphs with River Plate, Corinthians, and Barcelona (which saw him win 4 La Liga titles, 4 Copa del Rey, 3 Supercopa de España, 2 UEFA Champions League, and a UEFA Super Cup in 7 seasons) his career has been laden with trophies almost every step of the way.

That said, he has yet to accomplish or find triumph during his short stint as a manager. However, if the cards align in his favor, Mascherano could well kick off his managerial journey with some silverware, thanks to his former teammates. 

Javier Mascherano’s Family 

From the little that we know about Javier Mascherano’s family, it is that he was born on 8th June 1984 in San Lorenzo, Sante Fe, Argentina to Oscar Mascherano and Teodolinda Chiche Tagliaro. An active and energetic child, Javier was naturally drawn to the sport of football at a young age, which he made his complete and entire focus. 

At the same time, there is little known about his private life, only that he has been married to longtime love interest María Fernanda Mascherano since 2008 and the couple has three children together. For the most part, Mascherano likes to keep his private life behind closed doors and is not one for showcasing too much of his life on social media. 

A cause for the same can be alluded to when Mascherano admitted to two counts of fraud totaling just over €1.5 million having failed to declare €1.5 million in earnings in 2011 and 2012. During the trial in 2015, Javier Mascherano was found guilty, fined €800,000, and sentenced to a year of imprisonment for tax evasion. Fortunately, his sentence was suspended and the player, already having been at the receiving end of the media’s torment, did not have to spend any time in prison. 

Javier Mascherano’s Net Worth & Salary

All things considered, Javier Mascherano has made a fortune playing for some of the most prestigious clubs in world football. With stints at River Plate, Liverpool, and Barcelona, one can assume that the Argentine was getting paid the big bucks. As such, sources suggest that Javier Mascherano’s net worth in 2024 lies around $40m (£31.9m).

That said, his current salary or the contract details of his managerial stints with Argentina and possibly Inter Miami, are yet to be revealed. That said, one can assume that Mascherano will be paid the big bucks when he makes his way as manager at one of the biggest clubs in the United States.

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