Rafael Márquez
Rafael Marquez in September 2011
Rafael Márquez Álvarez [ rafael maɾkes alβaɾes ] (born 13 February 1979 in Zamora de Hidalgo, Michoacán ) is a Mexican football player who has a contract with Club León of the Mexican Liga MX since January 2013.
Career
Association
Márquez began his professional football career at Atlas Guadalajara in the highest class Mexican soccer. His debut he graduated at the age of 17 years. After a total of 77 games for the club he joined Atlas for the season 1999/2000 for 4.5 million euros to France for AS Monaco. Here Márquez established and was with Monaco in the first year French masters. After four years he joined in 2003 for the transfer fee of 5.25 million euros to FC Barcelona in Spain. In his first season he came on 21 missions and it was with his team second in the Spanish League. In his second season, Márquez was usually set up as a defensive midfielder, because there was a shortage of staff in this position, and was Spanish champion. In 2006 he won the Champions League with Barcelona and was the first Mexican ever to win the prestigious European club trophy. After the 2006 World Cup, Márquez signed a new contract with Barcelona, which should bring in around 24 million euros him in four years. In November 2009, he extended his contract until 2012, agreed on 31 July 2010, however, with FC Barcelona in the immediate termination of his contract.
Early August 2010, signed a contract Márquez at the New York Red Bulls from the U.S. professional league Major League Soccer. He succeeded his former teammate from his time with Barcelona Thierry Henry. Márquez was at Red Bull jersey number 4 on August 9, 2010, he came in a 0-0 draw against the Chicago Fire SC for the first time Red Bull used in his third game against Toronto FC, he scored the 1-0 ( Final 4: 1) his first goal.
After the 2012 season, Márquez agreed with the club on a contract. He then moved back to his home for Club León, with which he first won the Apertura 2013, the league title in his home country.
National
His debut for the Mexican national team Márquez completed on 5 February 1997 at the age of only 17 years in Mexico City against Ecuador, which won the hosts 3-1. Márquez took part in Germany, among others, the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea as well as the Confederations Cup 2005. At the World Cup in 2006, he led the Mexican National Team captain over Iran ( 3-1 ), Angola (0-0 ) and Portugal (1:2) into the last sixteen. Although it against Argentina, which later became opponents of the DFB - Elf, already after 6 minutes the 1-0 succeeded, Mexico lost the game 1:2 after extra time and was eliminated from the tournament. Even after the World Cup was Rafael Márquez captain of the Mexican national team and is named in his homeland on the basis of Franz Beckenbauer Emperor of Michoacán.
In the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Márquez scored the first goal for Mexico. In the opening match against the hosts, he met in the 79th minute for a 1-1 draw.
On March 26, 2011, he made his 100th game against Paraguay
Private
In March 2001, married Rafael Marquez, the Mexican soap opera actress Adriana Lavat, with whom he has a son and a daughter. The couple separated in early 2007.
Achievements / Title
As a national player
- Confed Cup: 1999
- CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2003, 2011
With its clubs
- French Supercup: 2000
- French Champion title: 2000
- French League Cup: 2003
- Spanish Cup: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010
- Spanish Cup: 2009
- Spanish Super Cup: 2005, 2006, 2009
- Copa Carranza: 2005
- UEFA Champions League: 2006, 2009
- UEFA Super Cup: 2009
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2009
- Mexican league title: Apertura 2013
Awards
- Best defender of the French League: 2000