La era Márquez-Blanco (1998-2006)
El Káiser: Mexico's legendary defender and five-time World Cup veteran.
Rafael Márquez Álvarez (born 13 February 1979) is a Mexican football coach and former player who played as a defender. He is the head coach of the Mexico national team. Nicknamed El Káiser, he is regarded as the greatest defender in Mexico's history and one of the best Mexican players of all time.
Quick Facts
- Managers in period
- Javier Aguirre (2001–2002)
- Ricardo La Volpe (2002–2006)
- Hugo Sánchez (2006–2008)
Lore & Background
Márquez began his career with Atlas in 1996, playing in over 70 games before moving to Monaco in 1999, where he won a Ligue 1 title. In 2003, he joined Barcelona, becoming the first Mexican to represent the club, and won four La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions League titles. He later played for New York Red Bulls, León (captaining back-to-back Liga MX titles in 2013 and 2014), Hellas Verona, and returned to Atlas in 2015, retiring in April 2018. He earned 147 caps for Mexico, appearing in five World Cups (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018), and won the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2003 and 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cups.
Reader's Guide
Márquez is the fourth most-capped player in Mexico's history. He is one of only four players to appear in five consecutive World Cups, alongside Antonio Carbajal, Lothar Matthäus, and Gianluigi Buffon. He holds the record for most World Cup matches played by a Mexican with 19. He is the first Mexican to win the UEFA Champions League (2006).
Did You Know?
- Márquez is the only CONCACAF player nominated for the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2007.
- He is the most-capped non-European player in Barcelona's history with 242 matches.
- He won league titles in three countries: France (Monaco), Spain (Barcelona), and Mexico (León).
More in Team History & Eras
Elsewhere in Mexico National Team
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