Rafael Márquez
Encyclopedia
Rafael Márquez Álvarez (born 13 February 1979 in Zamora, Michoacán
) is a Mexican footballer who plays for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer
and the Mexico national team. He plays as a centre back
or defensive midfielder.
He spent over a decade playing in France
and Spain
and is considered one of the best Mexican defenders of all time. He won numerous titles with Monaco
and FC Barcelona
. After winning the 2006 UEFA Champions League
with Barcelona, he became the first Mexican to win the honour, something Mexican legend Hugo Sánchez
was not able to do while playing for Real Madrid
.
, for whom he débuted in 1996 at only 17 years old. Márquez rose to prominence while with Atlas, making 77 appearances for the team and being runner-up in the league losing the final against Deportivo Toluca in penalties.
purchased him for €6 million. Monaco scouts had gone to see Pablo Contreras
during the Copa América
tournament. After seeing Márquez play, they signed both players. In his first season, he helped lead Monaco to become Ligue 1
champions, in which he played a vital part in defence. In 2003, Márquez was signed by La Liga
giants FC Barcelona
.
. During his second season, he was moved from his natural position as a centre back to a defensive midfield role, due to injuries to players Thiago Motta
, Edmílson and Gerard López. He completed a great season, being one of the main players that helped Barcelona win its 17th league title on 14 May 2005 after a 1–1 tie with Levante
. After an injury in his left knee, he returned after a month to play against Milan
in the first leg of the 2006 UEFA Champions League semi-final. Barcelona, playing away at the San Siro, won 1–0.
Márquez was present in the Champions League
final on 17 May 2006 for Barcelona, in which they won the tournament over Arsenal
. This achievement made him the first Mexican football player to ever win this competition, something Hugo Sánchez
was not able to do during his time in La Liga with Real Madrid
. After the 2006 World Cup
, Barcelona extended his contract for the following 4 years to €38.5 million which would see his contract end in June 2010. Despite sustaining injuries, he was rumoured to be up for sale at the end of the 2006–07 season. His future at Barça was up in the air until the 2007 Copa América, where Márquez regained his best form and was one of the best players of the competition, helping Mexico reach the 3rd place.
In the 2007–08 season, Márquez got off to an excellent start, as he managed to form a solid partnership with new signing Gabriel Milito
while captain Carles Puyol
was out injured. However, constant injuries threw off his form. Márquez's success declined with the rest of the season leading Barcelona to end up in 3rd place after a miserable second half where injuries lead to his contribution being negligible. Even so, new coach Josep Guardiola
continued to rely on his contributions; with the departure of Ronaldinho
, Márquez had become the last original signing of the Rijkaard
era to remain on the team. He was Guardiola's first choice at centre back along with captain Puyol for the 2008–09 season. On 13 December 2008, Márquez played his 200th match for Barcelona in the clash against Real Madrid, which they won 2–0. He got injured on 28 April 2009, in a match against Chelsea
in the semi-final. Márquez was told he needed surgery on his left knee, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. FC Barcelona
would go on to win a historic treble after winning the 2008–09 Champions League, in which Márquez was present but was sidelined. Márquez received an offer from Italian side Fiorentina
. However, Márquez said he would like to end his career at Barcelona. Márquez signed a new contract with Barca in November 2009 that would keep him at the club until 2012. On 20 February 2010, he scored his first goal since his return against Racing Santander
. On July 31, 2010, Marquez was released from Barcelona.
He left the club as one of the most successful foreigners ever to play for Barcelona, earning 12 titles during his 7 seasons with the club. He also scored 13 goals in 242 matches, making him the most-capped non-European player in the club's history and the eighth most capped foreigner.
, it was reported that Italian
club Juventus was strongly linked to the Mexican defender, as a back-up for defender Leonardo Bonucci
.
On 2 August 2010, it was announced that Márquez had signed with New York Red Bulls on a 3½ year contract. He was declared as the club's third Designated Player and was unveiled to the media at Red Bull Arena on August 3 wearing his number 4 jersey and being reunited at the club with former FC Barcelona
teammate Thierry Henry
. On August 8, Márquez made his MLS début against the Chicago Fire in a scoreless draw. On August 21 Márquez scored his first goal for the Red Bulls in a 4–1 win at Toronto FC
. On October 21, 2010 Márquez started for Red Bulls in a 2–0 victory over New England Revolution
which clinched the regular season Eastern Conference title.
, Márquez has been one of the Mexican national football team's most important players, but he was not chosen for the 1998 FIFA World Cup squad. Márquez has played various tournament's with the Mexican team, winning the 1999 Confederations Cup
and the CONCACAF Gold Cup
. Márquez started all four of Mexico's games during the 2002 World Cup
in Korea
/Japan
, where he was given the Captain's Armband by then coach Javier Aguirre
despite his young age of 23. Despite a strong performance during the group stage of the tournament, he received a red card during Mexico's second round 2–0 loss to the United States
for a deliberate mid-air head butt on Cobi Jones
in the final minutes of the match. Márquez was an integral part of Mexico's subsequent World Cup qualification campaign and was selected by Ricardo Lavolpe
for the 2006 World Cup
in Germany
.
During the 2006 World Cup
, Márquez played in all of three of Mexico's opening round matches, and scored the lone Mexican goal in a 2–1 loss to Argentina
in the second round off a Pável Pardo
free kick which was headed to the far post by Mario Méndez, allowing an unmarked Márquez to strike the ball into the back of the net. The winner was scored by Maxi Rodriguez in extra time after Hernán Crespo
had equalised for Argentina. Since Mexico's second round exit, he has spoken out about the need to encourage future Mexican football players to play in Europe to increase the competitiveness of the team.
Former Mexican coach Hugo Sánchez
asked Márquez to participate in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
and the 2007 Copa América. Rafael joined up with the team Mexico for the Gold Cup's championship game against the United States after the conclusion of 2006–07 La Liga; Rafa started the match, a game that Mexico lost 2–1.
Marquez captained the Mexico national football team
at the 2010 World Cup
. Marquez scored Mexico's first goal against South Africa in the 79th minute against the hosts tying the game one a piece. In Mexico's 2–0 win against France
, Marquez assisted Javier Hernández in Mexico's first goal.
On 29 March, 2011, Marquez became the eighth player in history to reach 100 caps for Mexico in a friendly match against Venezuela
where Mexico drew 1-1.
|1996–97||rowspan="3"|Atlas
||rowspan="3"|Primera División
||24||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||24||2
|-
|1997–98||20||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||20||1
|-
|1998–99||33||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||33||3
|-
|1999–2000||rowspan="4"|Monaco
||rowspan="4"|Ligue 1
||23||3||2||0||6||0||31||3
|-
|2000–01||15||1||0||0||4||0||19||1
|-
|2001–02||19||0||3||0||colspan="2"|—||22||0
|-
|2002–03||30||1||0||0||colspan="2"|—||30||1
|-
|2003–04||rowspan="7"|Barcelona
||rowspan="7"|La Liga
||22||1||6||0||3||0||31||1
|-
|2004–05
||34||3||1||0||6||0||41||3
|-
|2005–06
||25||0||4||1||8||0||37||1
|-
|2006–07||21||1||7||0||7||0||35||1
|-
|2007–08||23||2||5||0||8||0||36||2
|-
|2008–09||23||1||4||1||10||1||37||3
|-
|2009–10
||15||1||3||0||5||0||23||1
|-
|2010
||rowspan="2"|New York Red Bulls||rowspan="2"|Major League Soccer
||10||1||0||0||2||0||12||1
|-
|2011
||21||0||0||0||2||0||23||0
77||6||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||77||6
87||5||5||0||10||0||102||5
163||9||30||2||47||1||240||12
31||1||0||0||4||0||35||1
358||21||35||2||61||1||454||24
|-
| 1. || 5 February 1999 || Hong Kong Stadium
, Wan Chai
, Hong Kong
|| || align=center|1–0 || align=center|3–0 || 1999 Carlsberg Cup
|-
| 2. || 13 February 2000 || Qualcomm Stadium
, San Diego, United States
|| || align=center|1–0 || align=center|4–0 || 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup
|-
| 3. || 3 September 2000 || Estadio Azteca
, Mexico City
, Mexico
|| || align=center|5–1 || align=center|7–1 || 2002 World Cup qualifier
|-
| 4. || 12 May 2002 || Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico || || align=center|2–1 || align=center|2–1 || Friendly
|-
| 5. || 24 July 2003 || Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico || || align=center|1–0 || align=center|2–0 || 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
|-
| 6. || 19 June 2004 || Alamodome
, San Antonio, United States || || align=center|3–0 || align=center|3–0 || 2006 World Cup qualifier
|-
| 7. || 7 September 2005 || Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico || || align=center|2–0 || align=center|5–0 || 2006 World Cup qualifier
|-
| 8. || 24 June 2006 || Zentralstadion, Leipzig
, Germany
|| || align=center|1–0 || align=center|1–2 (a.e.t.) || 2006 FIFA World Cup
|-
| 9. || 28 March 2007 || McAfee Coliseum, Oakland
, United States || || align=center|2–2 || align=center|4–2 || Friendly
|-
| 10. || 10 September 2008 || Estadio Víctor Manuel Reyna
, Tuxtla Gutiérrez
, Mexico || || align=center|2–0 || align=center|2–1 || 2010 World Cup qualifier
|-
| 11. || 11 June 2010 || Soccer City
, Johannesburg
, South Africa
|| || align=center|1–1 || align=center|1–1|| 2010 FIFA World Cup
|-
| 12. || 12 June 2011 || Soldier Field
, Chicago
, United States || || align=center|1–0 || align=center|4–1 || 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
|-
|}
Monaco
Barcelona
Mexico National Football Team
, the couple married in December 2001 and had 2 children, Santiago Rafael and Rafaela, before separating in 2007. He is married to Jaydy Michel
, ex-wife of singer Alejandro Sanz
.
Rafael was also featured in the music video for Shakira
's song "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)
" to celebrate South Africa
hosting the 2010 World Cup.
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
) is a Mexican footballer who plays for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
and the Mexico national team. He plays as a centre back
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
or defensive midfielder.
He spent over a decade playing in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and is considered one of the best Mexican defenders of all time. He won numerous titles with Monaco
AS Monaco FC
Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club are a French football club based in Fontvieille, Monaco. The club was founded in 1924 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. The team plays its home matches at the Stade Louis II located within Fontvieille...
and FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
. After winning the 2006 UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
with Barcelona, he became the first Mexican to win the honour, something Mexican legend Hugo Sánchez
Hugo Sánchez
Hugo Sánchez Márquez , popularly nicknamed Pentapichichi, or Hugol, is a Mexican football coach and former striker. He played for four European clubs, including Real Madrid. Sanchez is considered the first highly talented Mexican player. He was also a member of the Mexico national team, and...
was not able to do while playing for Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
.
Atlas
Márquez began his career at Mexican club AtlasF.C. Atlas
Club Social y Deportivo Atlas de Guadalajara is a Mexican football club. Atlas is one of three teams that play in Guadalajara, Mexico, along with Club Deportivo Guadalajara and Estudiantes Tecos in the Primera División de México...
, for whom he débuted in 1996 at only 17 years old. Márquez rose to prominence while with Atlas, making 77 appearances for the team and being runner-up in the league losing the final against Deportivo Toluca in penalties.
Monaco
In 1999, MonacoAS Monaco FC
Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club are a French football club based in Fontvieille, Monaco. The club was founded in 1924 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. The team plays its home matches at the Stade Louis II located within Fontvieille...
purchased him for €6 million. Monaco scouts had gone to see Pablo Contreras
Pablo Contreras
Pablo Andrés Contreras Fica is a Chilean footballer who plays for PAOK F.C. in Greece. Primarily a central defender, he can also operate as a right back....
during the Copa América
Copa América
The Copa América —previously known as South American Championship—is an international football competition contested between the men's national teams of CONMEBOL, the sport's continental governing body...
tournament. After seeing Márquez play, they signed both players. In his first season, he helped lead Monaco to become Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
champions, in which he played a vital part in defence. In 2003, Márquez was signed by La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
giants FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
.
Barcelona
In his first season with Barcelona, Márquez appeared 21 times, helping the team to a second place finish in La LigaLa Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
. During his second season, he was moved from his natural position as a centre back to a defensive midfield role, due to injuries to players Thiago Motta
Thiago Motta
Thiago Motta Santon Olivares , known as Thiago Motta, is a Brazilian-born Italian footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Serie A club Internazionale....
, Edmílson and Gerard López. He completed a great season, being one of the main players that helped Barcelona win its 17th league title on 14 May 2005 after a 1–1 tie with Levante
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
. After an injury in his left knee, he returned after a month to play against Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
in the first leg of the 2006 UEFA Champions League semi-final. Barcelona, playing away at the San Siro, won 1–0.
Márquez was present in the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
final on 17 May 2006 for Barcelona, in which they won the tournament over Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
. This achievement made him the first Mexican football player to ever win this competition, something Hugo Sánchez
Hugo Sánchez
Hugo Sánchez Márquez , popularly nicknamed Pentapichichi, or Hugol, is a Mexican football coach and former striker. He played for four European clubs, including Real Madrid. Sanchez is considered the first highly talented Mexican player. He was also a member of the Mexico national team, and...
was not able to do during his time in La Liga with Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
. After the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, Barcelona extended his contract for the following 4 years to €38.5 million which would see his contract end in June 2010. Despite sustaining injuries, he was rumoured to be up for sale at the end of the 2006–07 season. His future at Barça was up in the air until the 2007 Copa América, where Márquez regained his best form and was one of the best players of the competition, helping Mexico reach the 3rd place.
In the 2007–08 season, Márquez got off to an excellent start, as he managed to form a solid partnership with new signing Gabriel Milito
Gabriel Milito
Gabriel Alejandro Milito is an Argentine footballer who plays for Club Atlético Independiente as a central defender.He spent most of his professional career in Spain, representing two different teams – Real Zaragoza and FC Barcelona – also appearing with the Argentine national team in three major...
while captain Carles Puyol
Carles Puyol
Carles Puyol i Saforcada is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team.Mainly a central defender, he can also play on either flank, especially as a right back...
was out injured. However, constant injuries threw off his form. Márquez's success declined with the rest of the season leading Barcelona to end up in 3rd place after a miserable second half where injuries lead to his contribution being negligible. Even so, new coach Josep Guardiola
Josep Guardiola
Josep "Pep" Guardiola i Sala , is a Spanish football manager and former player. Guardiola played as a defensive midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career with FC Barcelona, whom he currently manages. He was part of Johan Cruyff's dream team that won Barcelona's first European Cup....
continued to rely on his contributions; with the departure of Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira , commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year...
, Márquez had become the last original signing of the Rijkaard
Frank Rijkaard
Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard is a Dutch football manager of Dutch and Surinamese descent and former player. Rijkaard has played for Ajax, Real Zaragoza and Milan, and represented his national side 73 times, scoring 10 goals. In his coaching career, he has been at the helm of the Dutch national side,...
era to remain on the team. He was Guardiola's first choice at centre back along with captain Puyol for the 2008–09 season. On 13 December 2008, Márquez played his 200th match for Barcelona in the clash against Real Madrid, which they won 2–0. He got injured on 28 April 2009, in a match against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in the semi-final. Márquez was told he needed surgery on his left knee, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
would go on to win a historic treble after winning the 2008–09 Champions League, in which Márquez was present but was sidelined. Márquez received an offer from Italian side Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
. However, Márquez said he would like to end his career at Barcelona. Márquez signed a new contract with Barca in November 2009 that would keep him at the club until 2012. On 20 February 2010, he scored his first goal since his return against Racing Santander
Racing de Santander
Real Racing Club de Santander, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Santander, in the autonomous community of Cantabria. Founded in 1913, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio El Sardinero, with a capacity for 22,400 spectators....
. On July 31, 2010, Marquez was released from Barcelona.
He left the club as one of the most successful foreigners ever to play for Barcelona, earning 12 titles during his 7 seasons with the club. He also scored 13 goals in 242 matches, making him the most-capped non-European player in the club's history and the eighth most capped foreigner.
New York Red Bulls
After being released by Barcelona and a good performance at the 2010 FIFA World Cup2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, it was reported that Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
club Juventus was strongly linked to the Mexican defender, as a back-up for defender Leonardo Bonucci
Leonardo Bonucci
Leonardo Bonucci is an Italian footballer who plays as a defender for Serie A club Juventus and the Italian national team.-Internazionale:Bonucci started his career at Viterbese but was loaned to Internazionale in the summer of 2005. He played a number of pre-season friendlies for Inter first team...
.
On 2 August 2010, it was announced that Márquez had signed with New York Red Bulls on a 3½ year contract. He was declared as the club's third Designated Player and was unveiled to the media at Red Bull Arena on August 3 wearing his number 4 jersey and being reunited at the club with former FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
teammate Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
. On August 8, Márquez made his MLS début against the Chicago Fire in a scoreless draw. On August 21 Márquez scored his first goal for the Red Bulls in a 4–1 win at Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
. On October 21, 2010 Márquez started for Red Bulls in a 2–0 victory over New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
which clinched the regular season Eastern Conference title.
International career
Since making his international début on 5 February 1997 against EcuadorEcuador national baseball team
The Ecuador national baseball team is the national baseball team of Ecuador. The team represents Ecuador in international competitions.-Honors:Baseball at the Summer Olympics*2008 : Lost in qualifying....
, Márquez has been one of the Mexican national football team's most important players, but he was not chosen for the 1998 FIFA World Cup squad. Márquez has played various tournament's with the Mexican team, winning the 1999 Confederations Cup
1999 FIFA Confederations Cup
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Awards:-Top scorers:6 goals Cuauhtémoc Blanco Marzouq Al-Otaibi Ronaldinho4 goals Alex3 goals José Manuel Abundis Zé Roberto-Notes:...
and the CONCACAF Gold Cup
CONCACAF Gold Cup
The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the regional champion of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.The Gold Cup is held every two years and when it does not fall the same year as an...
. Márquez started all four of Mexico's games during the 2002 World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
/Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, where he was given the Captain's Armband by then coach Javier Aguirre
Javier Aguirre
Javier Aguirre Onaindía , popularly nicknamed El Vasco , is a Mexican football manager and former midfielder. He was also a member of the Mexico national team and later became manager in two different occasions, but resigned after the 2010 FIFA World Cup...
despite his young age of 23. Despite a strong performance during the group stage of the tournament, he received a red card during Mexico's second round 2–0 loss to the United States
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
for a deliberate mid-air head butt on Cobi Jones
Cobi Jones
Cobi N'Gai Jones is a retired American soccer player who formerly served as assistant coach with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer , with whom he had been involved as a player and coach since the team's inaugural season in 1996...
in the final minutes of the match. Márquez was an integral part of Mexico's subsequent World Cup qualification campaign and was selected by Ricardo Lavolpe
Ricardo Lavolpe
Ricardo Antonio La Volpe Guarchoni, born February 6, 1952 in Buenos Aires, is an Argentine football manager. He is a former Argentine World Cup-winning goalkeeper and the former coach of the Mexican national team. He is known for his tactical flexibility during matches and abrasive manner, as well...
for the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
During the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, Márquez played in all of three of Mexico's opening round matches, and scored the lone Mexican goal in a 2–1 loss to Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
in the second round off a Pável Pardo
Pavel Pardo
Pável Pardo Segura , is a Mexican international footballer, who currently plays for the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.- Biography :...
free kick which was headed to the far post by Mario Méndez, allowing an unmarked Márquez to strike the ball into the back of the net. The winner was scored by Maxi Rodriguez in extra time after Hernán Crespo
Hernán Crespo
Hernán Jorge Crespo is an Argentine footballer who plays for Parma in the Italian Serie A. Crespo has scored over 300 goals in a career spanning 18 years. His honors include an Olympic Games silver medal, a Copa Libertadores, an English Premier League title and three Scudettos. He was topscorer in...
had equalised for Argentina. Since Mexico's second round exit, he has spoken out about the need to encourage future Mexican football players to play in Europe to increase the competitiveness of the team.
Former Mexican coach Hugo Sánchez
Hugo Sánchez
Hugo Sánchez Márquez , popularly nicknamed Pentapichichi, or Hugol, is a Mexican football coach and former striker. He played for four European clubs, including Real Madrid. Sanchez is considered the first highly talented Mexican player. He was also a member of the Mexico national team, and...
asked Márquez to participate in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the ninth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean , and was won by the United States over Mexico. It was contested in the United States from June 6 to June 24, 2007.This competition was the third...
and the 2007 Copa América. Rafael joined up with the team Mexico for the Gold Cup's championship game against the United States after the conclusion of 2006–07 La Liga; Rafa started the match, a game that Mexico lost 2–1.
Marquez captained the Mexico national football team
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
at the 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
. Marquez scored Mexico's first goal against South Africa in the 79th minute against the hosts tying the game one a piece. In Mexico's 2–0 win against France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
, Marquez assisted Javier Hernández in Mexico's first goal.
On 29 March, 2011, Marquez became the eighth player in history to reach 100 caps for Mexico in a friendly match against Venezuela
Venezuela national football team
The Venezuela national football team is the national football team of Venezuela and is controlled by the Federación Venezolana de Fútbol. It is nicknamed La Vinotinto , because of the traditional burgundy color of their shirts....
where Mexico drew 1-1.
Career statistics
|-|1996–97||rowspan="3"|Atlas
Atlas
An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a map of Earth or a region of Earth, but there are atlases of the other planets in the Solar System. Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many atlases are in multimedia formats...
||rowspan="3"|Primera División
Primera División de México
The Primera División Profesional , known simply as the Primera División, is the top level of the Mexican football league system and is administered by the Mexican Football Federation. It was established in 1943 and as of 2011 has 18 clubs. Up to June 2011, it was divided into three groups competing...
||24||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||24||2
|-
|1997–98||20||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||20||1
|-
|1998–99||33||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||33||3
|-
|1999–2000||rowspan="4"|Monaco
AS Monaco FC
Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club are a French football club based in Fontvieille, Monaco. The club was founded in 1924 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. The team plays its home matches at the Stade Louis II located within Fontvieille...
||rowspan="4"|Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
||23||3||2||0||6||0||31||3
|-
|2000–01||15||1||0||0||4||0||19||1
|-
|2001–02||19||0||3||0||colspan="2"|—||22||0
|-
|2002–03||30||1||0||0||colspan="2"|—||30||1
|-
|2003–04||rowspan="7"|Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
||rowspan="7"|La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
||22||1||6||0||3||0||31||1
|-
|2004–05
2004–05 La Liga
2004–05 season was composed of the following clubs:* Albacete Balompié* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Real Betis* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Levante UD* Málaga CF* Real Mallorca* CD Numancia* CA Osasuna...
||34||3||1||0||6||0||41||3
|-
|2005–06
2005–06 La Liga
* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC...
||25||0||4||1||8||0||37||1
|-
|2006–07||21||1||7||0||7||0||35||1
|-
|2007–08||23||2||5||0||8||0||36||2
|-
|2008–09||23||1||4||1||10||1||37||3
|-
|2009–10
2009–10 La Liga
- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...
||15||1||3||0||5||0||23||1
|-
|2010
2010 Major League Soccer season
The 2010 Major League Soccer season was the 98th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 32nd with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 15th in MLS history. It began on March 25 at Seattle's Qwest Field with Seattle Sounders FC defeating the expansion...
||rowspan="2"|New York Red Bulls||rowspan="2"|Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
||10||1||0||0||2||0||12||1
|-
|2011
2011 Major League Soccer season
The 2011 Major League Soccer season was the 99th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 33rd with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 16th season of Major League Soccer. The season marked the arrival of two new league clubs, Portland Timbers and Vancouver...
||21||0||0||0||2||0||23||0
77||6||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||77||6
87||5||5||0||10||0||102||5
163||9||30||2||47||1||240||12
31||1||0||0||4||0||35||1
358||21||35||2||61||1||454||24
National team
| Nationality | Year | Games Played | Minutes Played | Goals Scored | Yellow Card | Red Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico Mexico national football team The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre... |
1997 | 1 | 29 | — | — | — |
| 1999 | 13 | 1177 | 1 | 2 | — | |
| 2000 | 10 | 902 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| 2001 | 12 | 1020 | — | 5 | 1 | |
| 2002 | 7 | 557 | 1 | — | 1 | |
| 2003 | 7 | 299 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| 2004 | 8 | 676 | 1 | 3 | — | |
| 2005 | 11 | 710 | 1 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 6 | 554 | 1 | 2 | — | |
| 2007 | 10 | 810 | 1 | 2 | — | |
| 2008 | 6 | 540 | 1 | 2 | — | |
| 2009 | 2 | 155 | — | 2 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 6 | 496 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2011 | 13 | — | 1 | — | — | |
| Career totals | 106 | 7925 | 12 | 23 | 4 | |
International goals
- Scores and results list Mexico's goal tally first.
|-
| 1. || 5 February 1999 || Hong Kong Stadium
Hong Kong Stadium
Hong Kong Stadium is the main sports venue of Hong Kong. Redeveloped from the old Government Stadium it reincarnated as Hong Kong Stadium in 1994...
, Wan Chai
Wan Chai
Wan Chai is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often called...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
|| || align=center|1–0 || align=center|3–0 || 1999 Carlsberg Cup
1999 Carlsberg Cup
The 1999 Lunar New Year Cup was a football tournament held in Hong Kong over the first and fourth day of the Chinese New Year holiday ....
|-
| 2. || 13 February 2000 || Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
, San Diego, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|| || align=center|1–0 || align=center|4–0 || 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the fifth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean . It was held in the United States, in Los Angeles, Miami, and San Diego. The format of the tournament changed from 1998; it was expanded to twelve teams,...
|-
| 3. || 3 September 2000 || Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca is a stadium in Santa Ursula, Mexico City, Mexico. It is the official home stadium of the Mexico national football team and the Mexican team Club América.The stadium was the venue for football soccer in the 1968 Summer Olympics....
, Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
|| || align=center|5–1 || align=center|7–1 || 2002 World Cup qualifier
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
The 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification, CONCACAF Zone ran from March 2000 to November 2001 in order to determine the three CONCACAF representatives at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. For an overview of the qualification rounds, see 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification....
|-
| 4. || 12 May 2002 || Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico || || align=center|2–1 || align=center|2–1 || Friendly
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
|-
| 5. || 24 July 2003 || Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico || || align=center|1–0 || align=center|2–0 || 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the seventh edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean ....
|-
| 6. || 19 June 2004 || Alamodome
Alamodome
The Alamodome is a domed 65,000 seat, multi-purpose facility that is primarily used as a football/basketball stadium and convention center in San Antonio, Texas, U.S...
, San Antonio, United States || || align=center|3–0 || align=center|3–0 || 2006 World Cup qualifier
2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for North, Central America and the Caribbean. A total of 34 teams took part , competing for 3.5 places in the World Cup.The qualification process was divided in three stages...
|-
| 7. || 7 September 2005 || Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico || || align=center|2–0 || align=center|5–0 || 2006 World Cup qualifier
|-
| 8. || 24 June 2006 || Zentralstadion, Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
|| || align=center|1–0 || align=center|1–2 (a.e.t.) || 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
|-
| 9. || 28 March 2007 || McAfee Coliseum, Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, United States || || align=center|2–2 || align=center|4–2 || Friendly
|-
| 10. || 10 September 2008 || Estadio Víctor Manuel Reyna
Estadio Víctor Manuel Reyna
The Estadio Víctor Manuel Reyna is a football stadium located in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, México. This facility has a capacity of 31,500 seats and was built in 2003. This sport facility is used mostly for football matches and is the home of football club Jaguares de Chiapas .It has been used...
, Tuxtla Gutiérrez
Tuxtla Gutiérrez
Tuxtla Gutiérrez is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Chiapas. It is considered to be the state’s most modern city, with most of its public buildings dating from the 20th century. One exception to this is the San Marcos Cathedral which began as a Dominican parish church built in...
, Mexico || || align=center|2–0 || align=center|2–1 || 2010 World Cup qualifier
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
The CONCACAF qualification stage for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa consisted of 35 national teams competing for the three berths given automatically to CONCACAF by FIFA. The United States, Mexico and Honduras qualified...
|-
| 11. || 11 June 2010 || Soccer City
FNB Stadium
Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium for commercial purposes, is a stadium located in Nasrec, the Soweto area of Johannesburg, South Africa. It is located next to the South African Football Association headquarters where both the FIFA offices and the Local Organising Committee for the 2010 FIFA World...
, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
|| || align=center|1–1 || align=center|1–1|| 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
|-
| 12. || 12 June 2011 || Soldier Field
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, United States || || align=center|1–0 || align=center|4–1 || 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the 11th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition and 21th CONCACAF regional championship overall in CONCACAF's fifty years of existence...
|-
|}
Club Honours
Monaco
- Ligue 1Ligue 1Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
(1): 1999-2000 - Trophée des championsTrophée des championsThe Trophée des champions , is a French association football trophy contested in an annual match between the champions of Ligue 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France. It is equivalent to the Super Cups found in many countries...
(1): 2000 - Coupe de la LigueCoupe de la LigueThe Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel...
(1): 2002–03
Barcelona
- La LigaLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
(4): 2004–052004–05 La Liga2004–05 season was composed of the following clubs:* Albacete Balompié* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Real Betis* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Levante UD* Málaga CF* Real Mallorca* CD Numancia* CA Osasuna...
, 2005–062005–06 La Liga* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC...
, 2008–09, 2009–102009–10 La Liga- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|... - Copa del ReyCopa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
(1): 2008–09 - Supercopa de EspañaSupercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
(3): 20052005 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2005 Supercopa de España was a two-leg Spanish football match played on 13 and 20 August 2005.It contested by league champions FC Barcelona and cup-winners Real Betis. FC Barcelona won 4–2 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second leg:-References:...
, 20062006 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2006 Supercopa de España was a two-leg Spanish football match played on 17 and 20 August 2006.It was contested by league champions FC Barcelona and cup-winners RCD Espanyol . FC Barcelona won 4–0 on aggregate.-First leg:...
, 20092009 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2009 Supercopa de España was two-legged Spanish football match-up played on 16 August and 23 August 2009. It was contested by Athletic Bilbao, the 2008–09 Copa del Rey runners-up, and FC Barcelona, the 2008–09 Primera División Winners.... - UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
(2): 2005–06, 2008–09 - UEFA Super Cup (1): 20092009 UEFA Super CupThe 2009 UEFA Super Cup was the 34th UEFA Super Cup, an annual football match between the winners of the previous season's UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions...
- FIFA Club World CupFIFA Club World CupThe FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...
(1): 20092009 FIFA Club World Cup-Play-off for Quarter-finals:-Quarter-finals:-----Semi-finals:-----Match for fifth place:-Match for third place:-Final:-Scorers:4 goals Denilson...
International Honours
Mexico National Football Team
- FIFA Confederations CupFIFA Confederations CupThe FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships , along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host nation, to bring the number of teams...
(1): 19991999 FIFA Confederations Cup-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Awards:-Top scorers:6 goals Cuauhtémoc Blanco Marzouq Al-Otaibi Ronaldinho4 goals Alex3 goals José Manuel Abundis Zé Roberto-Notes:... - CONCACAF Gold CupCONCACAF Gold CupThe CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the regional champion of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.The Gold Cup is held every two years and when it does not fall the same year as an...
(2): 20032003 CONCACAF Gold CupThe 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the seventh edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean ....
, 20112011 CONCACAF Gold CupThe 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the 11th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition and 21th CONCACAF regional championship overall in CONCACAF's fifty years of existence...
Individual Awards
- Ligue 1Ligue 1Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
Best Defender (1): 2001 - Best North AmericanNorth AmericanNorth American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
Player (1): 2005 - IFFHS 3rd Most Popular Player in the World (1): 2006
- Free Kick MastersFree Kick MastersThe Free Kick Masters is a skills-based international football competition featuring some of the world’s top rated free kick takers competing against some of the world’s top rated goalkeepers in a direct free kick shootout to declare the world’s “Free Kick Master” and “Golden Goalkeeper”...
(1): 2008
Personal life
He was married to Mexican actress Adriana LavatAdriana Lavat
Adriana Lavat is a Mexican actress and television host.Lavat is the daughter of Mexican actor Jorge Lavat. Her mother, Chuti Rodriguez, is also an actress.She plays small roles in Mexican telenovelas...
, the couple married in December 2001 and had 2 children, Santiago Rafael and Rafaela, before separating in 2007. He is married to Jaydy Michel
Jaydy Michel
Jaydy Michel Brixon is a Mexican fashion model.Born to a Mexican father and an US American mother, Jaydy Michel grew up in Puerto Vallarta, although she was born in Guadalajara, the capital of the state of Jalisco. She began her modeling career in Mexico, first in beauty pageants such as Miss...
, ex-wife of singer Alejandro Sanz
Alejandro Sanz
Alejandro Sanz , is a Spanish singer-songwriter and musician. For his work, Sanz has won a total of fifteen Latin Grammy Awards and three Grammy Awards. He has won the Latin Grammy for Album of the Year three times, more than any other artist...
.
Rafael was also featured in the music video for Shakira
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
's song "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)
Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)
"Waka Waka " is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, featuring South African band Freshlyground. It was the official song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, along with its Spanish language version, entitled "Waka Waka "...
" to celebrate South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
hosting the 2010 World Cup.