He is currently an assistant coach to Javier Aguirre. He is said to be the natural successor to “El Basco” to take the reins of the Mexican national team and the only one with the DNA who can correct the direction of national football. The symbiosis between Rafael Marquez and the Tricolor Team is timeless. And to think that this union was born out of a mistake.
A new version of the uniform worn by the Mexican national team in a friendly match against Ecuador at the Estadio Azteca in 1997 has been announced. Designed by Aba Sport, a brand that graced Monterrey in the 1990s. The jersey’s lifespan was short and insignificant in terms of overall results, but not in terms of unforgettable personal stories.
The coach was Bora Milutinovic, but he was soon dismissed. In attack, he decided to call up young Santos Laguna striker Jared Borgetti. He made his debut at tricolor level and repaid his confidence with a goal. Eustacio Riso and Damian Alvarez scored the final two goals, making the score 3-1 in favor of the Aztecs.
Jared’s presence and appearance wasn’t the only thing that drew attention to Milutinovic’s alternate lineup. There was another player who attracted attention. His number 20 is 17-year-old Rafael Marquez, who played for Atlas.
The mistakes that made Rafael Marquez a legend
Against Ecuador, Marquez contributed with an assist and scored the goal with a long, precise pass to Alvarez. It showed the delicate touch and broad vision that would characterize him throughout his career.
Rafa made his Atlas debut as a defender in 1996 and was virtually unknown at the time. As a developing soccer player, he failed to make an impact. However, when it became known that he had been called up to play against the Ecuadorian national team, he made headlines for two reasons.
Bora Milutinovic’s decision to call up the 17-year-old, who is still establishing himself as a first-division player, was a surprise. It was unusual for an underage player to appear in the senior national team, but it later emerged that his call-up was due to a mistake. The coaching staff made a mistake in their names, confusing Rafael with his teammate, in-form midfielder Cesar Marquez. Milutinovic watched Rafa train and saw qualities that could improve him, so he wanted to give him a chance.
What happened to Cesar Marquez?
He went from being a promising player with national team name recognition to a player with an irregular career who never established himself in the first division. He bounced around between Liga MX and second-division teams, but the club he stayed with the longest was Leon, for six years. Currently, he is a coach in the second division.
