All change for the Mexico national team and as anticipated, the FMF have confirmed that Rafa Márquez will replace the outgoing Javier Aguirre following El Tri’s elimination at the World Cup.

‘El Kaiser’ as Marquez is affectionately known played for the Mexico national side on more than 145 occasions and is the fourth most capped player in the history of ‘El Tri’.

Márquez’s coaching experience is relatively short compared with his legendary playing career, but he has already held several notable coaching roles:

• Alcalá Youth Team (Spain, 2020–2021) – Márquez began coaching with the Cadete A (U15) side of RSD Alcalá, a club near Madrid. This was his first formal coaching position.
• Barcelona Atlètic Head Coach (2022–2024) – In July 2022, FC Barcelona appointed him as head coach of Barça Atlètic (Barcelona’s reserve team). He spent two seasons developing young players and guiding the team to the promotion playoffs.

In July 2024, Márquez left Barcelona Atlètic to join Javier Aguirre’s staff as assistant coach of the Mexican national team. The Mexican federation always indicated that the Zamora native was being groomed as a potential future head coach after the 2026 World Cup.

Challenges ahead for Márquez

Márquez will now lead the Mexican national team through the 2026–2030 cycle with the primary objective to develop the next generation of Mexican players and prepare ‘El Tri’ for the 2030 World Cup.

The 47-year-old will initially oversee ‘El Tri’ for the forthcoming CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cups and then focus on the 2030 World Cup.

A long-term possibility could see ‘El Kaiser’ eventually return to Europe for a major club job given his FC Barcelona connections and experience with Barça B coupled with his playing experience in Serie A and Ligue 1.

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