Márquez Takes Charge of El Tri After Aguirre's World Cup Exit

The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has appointed Rafael Márquez as head coach of the Mexican national team, confirming a succession plan that had been in place since 2024. Márquez, 47, steps up from his role as assistant to Javier Aguirre, whose tenure concluded following Mexico's 3-2 round-of-16 defeat to England at the 2026 World Cup. The FMF announced the appointment on Wednesday.

"The appointment of Rafael Márquez is part of an orderly transition designed to ensure continuity … strengthen development, and tackle upcoming commitments," the federation stated. Aguirre, completing his third spell as Mexico's manager, drew formal praise from the FMF, which credited him with leaving "a solid legacy of hard work, identity, and competitiveness." Aguirre himself endorsed his successor without reservation. "I am happy with the growth shown by Rafa," he said. "He is more than qualified." best online bandy betting site

Márquez brings one of the most distinguished playing careers in Mexican football history to the position. He appeared at five World Cups and won the 1999 Confederations Cup, along with Gold Cup titles in 2003 and 2011. At club level, he won two UEFA Champions League titles and four La Liga championships during a lengthy spell at Barcelona after earlier stints with Monaco and Atlas. He later won back-to-back Liga MX titles with León before returning to Atlas to close his playing career. His transition into coaching began in Real Alcalá's youth setup, followed by two seasons managing Barça Atlètic - Barcelona's reserve side - where he recorded 40 wins, 21 draws and 21 losses across 82 matches.

Mexico's elimination in the round of 16 nonetheless marked a step forward from the group-stage exit at Qatar 2022, though it extended a stark pattern: El Tri have been knocked out at that stage in eight of their last nine World Cup appearances. With no immediate fixtures on the calendar, Márquez is expected to take charge for the first time during the FIFA international window in late September and early October.