Tata Martino commented on his possibility of being Boca's coach in the future.

Gerardo "El Tata" Martino has been a long-standing desire of Boca Juniors' management, which on several occasions tried to hire him, although they always received a negative response. There was an attempt to hire him in early 2023, when Xeneize made another push for him to take over as a replacement for Hugo Ibarra, who left the position in March of that year. However, Tata remained firm in his stance and, a few months later, became the coach of Inter Miami, where he coached Lionel Messi. Despite this, the six-time Copa Libertadores champion still holds hope of having him in the future.

Although Fernando Gago currently holds the position of head coach, Martino was asked about the interest that Jorge Amor Ameal and Juan Román Riquelme showed at the time to bring him to the club. In an interview with ESPN, he denied having been in Boca's plans after his departure from MLS and left open the possibility of coaching the team later on.

"Well, you journalists say everything you have to say. The issue is that we don't say any nonsense... When I left Inter, I said I needed to be in Rosario for at least a few months, and that's what happened: since December, I've been in Rosario. Evidently, at some point, I will return to work, but nothing more than that," Martino commented. It should be remembered that he took over at Inter Miami in July 2023, coached 67 matches, and won two titles: the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield, so he was well-prepared to take over at Xeneize.

After his return from the United States, Tata has taken the time to rest in his hometown, Rosario, surrounded by his family and loved ones, although he made it clear that at some point he will resume his career: "Rest, rest. I watch soccer all the time, I go to see Newell's, the usual. I dedicate time to family and grandchildren. When the time comes, we'll see what can happen."

In June 2024, Martino spoke with TyC Sports about a missed chance to coach Boca: "I thought about it a lot. I was out of work, and it was a moment close to this possibility. Over time, those opportunities that you like a lot, you start seeing them as if they were the last, and so I thought about it quite a bit. The talks were interesting, obviously, we didn't go in-depth because they needed a quick response, and I tried to be as quick as possible. It was hard for me not to accept."

Since that failed attempt, four coaches have passed through Boca Juniors' bench. Jorge Almirón took over after Ibarra's departure and managed to lead the team to the 2023 Copa Libertadores final, where they fell to Fluminense in extra time. Then, Diego Martínez took the reins of the team after his stint with Tigre, followed by Fernando Gago, the current head coach. In each transition, Mariano Herrón held the position on an interim basis for brief periods.

During his extensive interview with ESPN, Martino also spoke about the possibility of Lionel Messi playing in the 2026 World Cup. With experience coaching him in the Argentina National Team, Barcelona, and Inter Miami, the Rosario coach expressed: "It's purely and exclusively up to him. To me, it seems like a very well-thought-out, very intelligent situation, even though we're talking about the best footballer in the world, when one reaches a certain age and so many years of career have passed, it's like in life: one doesn't project in the same way at 30 as at 70 years old."

He also agreed with Messi's stance of avoiding long-term planning and focusing on the present: "For me, it's very smart on his part to look at the short term. It doesn't make much sense to position oneself a year and a half ahead if you have a certain age, a certain load of matches. And also because there's no pressing need for him to decide right now what's going to happen in July of next year." "I think it's a good position he has, a good idea. It gives him more chances to arrive in good shape than if he puts the pressure on deciding today whether or not he'll be in a World Cup," he added.

He also explained how training sessions with Messi were conducted and dismissed any kind of privilege over the rest of the squad: "Logically, for the players, not just him, but other players of a certain age, one has to regulate throughout the week so they arrive in good condition for the matches. Obviously, he has his gym routines, he has his physiotherapist with whom he is constantly attended. But in general terms, and when he's well, he participates in absolutely all the work."

Finally, he referred to the teams he considers in the best position for the upcoming World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada: "I'm not talking about firm candidates, I prefer to talk about the present, and I think that based on what Spain demonstrated in the last Eurocup and their level of play, based on what Argentina has shown recently, including Copa América held in the United States, it's likely that today they are a step above the rest, but this is very changeable."