By Humberto Viera
21 Jul 2024, 17:04 PM EDT
FC Barcelona confirmed on Sunday that Mexican Rafael Márquez has left his position as coach of Barça Atlètic, the club’s reserve team. The decision comes despite the fact that Márquez had a contract for one more year with the club.
In this sense, Márquez would join the Mexican National Team’s coaching staff as Javier Aguirre’s assistant. This would be Márquez’s first experience as a coach at the national team level.
“The Club thanks Rafa Márquez for his dedication and professionalism during all this time in which he has become a key player in the development of the club, and wishes him the best of luck in the future both on a sporting and personal level,” the statement reads.
The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) had offered Marquez the chance to be part of Aguirre’s coaching staff ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in Mexico, the United States and Canada. The long-term plan would be for Marquez to take charge of El Tricolor for the 2030 World Cup cycle.
Marquez, 45, is one of the most important figures in the history of Mexican football. He played in five World Cups and won numerous titles with FC Barcelona during his time as a player.
The Mexican national team is looking for a long-term project that will allow it to reverse its fall in the FIFA rankings and return to competing at the highest level. The Márquez-Aguirre duo is presented as an interesting bet to achieve this objective.
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