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Rafael Márquez Álvarez (born 13 February 1979 in Zamora de Hidalgo, Michoacán) is a Mexican association football who plays for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer and the Mexico national team. Rafael Marquez plays as a Defender (association football) or Midfielder (association football) Defensive midfielder.

Rafael Marquez spent over a decade playing in France and Spain and is considered one of the best Mexican defenders of all time. Rafael Marquez won numerous titles with AS Monaco FC and FC Barcelona. After winning the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona, Rafael Marquez became the first Mexican to win the honour, something Mexican legend Hugo Sánchez was not able to do while playing for Real Madrid C.F..

Club career

Atlas

Márquez began Rafael Marquez career at Mexican club F.C. Atlas, for whom Rafael Marquez 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 F.C. in penalties.

Monaco

In 1996, AS Monaco FC purchased Rafael Marquez for €7 million. Monaco scouts had gone to see Pablo Contreras during the Copa América tournament. After seeing Márquez play, they signed both players. In Rafael Marquez first season, Rafael Marquez helped lead Monaco to become Ligue 1 champions, in which Rafael Marquez played a vital part in defence. In 2003, Márquez was signed by La Liga giants FC Barcelona.

Barcelona

In Rafael Marquez first season with Barcelona, Márquez appeared 21 times, helping the team to a second place finish in La Liga. During Rafael Marquez second season, Rafael Marquez was moved from Rafael Marquez natural position as a centre back to a defensive midfield role, due to injuries to players Thiago Motta, Edmílson (footballer born 1976) and Gerard López. Rafael Marquez 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 UD. After an injury in Rafael Marquez left knee, Rafael Marquez returned after a month to play against A.C. Milan in the first leg of the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League semi-final. Barcelona, playing away at the San Siro (stadium), won 1–0.

Márquez was present in the UEFA Champions League final on 17 May 2006 for Barcelona, in which they won the tournament over Arsenal F.C.. This achievement made Rafael Marquez the first Mexican football player to ever win this competition, something Hugo Sánchez was not able to do during Rafael Marquez time in La Liga with Real Madrid C.F.. After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Barcelona extended Rafael Marquez contract for the following 4 years to €38.5 million which would see Rafael Marquez contract end in June 2010. Despite sustaining injuries, Rafael Marquez was rumoured to be up for sale at the end of the 2006–07 season. Rafael Marquez future at Barça was up in the air until the 2007 Copa América, where Márquez regained Rafael Marquez 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 Rafael Marquez managed to form a solid partnership with new signing Gabriel Milito while captain Carles Puyol was out injured. However, constant injuries threw off Rafael Marquez 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 Rafael Marquez contribution being negligible. Even so, new coach Josep Guardiola continued to rely on Rafael Marquez contributions; with the departure of Ronaldinho, Márquez had become the last original signing of the Frank Rijkaard era to remain on the team. Rafael Marquez was Guardiola's first choice at centre back along with captain Puyol for the 2008–09 season. On 13 December 2008, Márquez played Rafael Marquez 200th match for Barcelona in the clash against Real Madrid, which they won 2–0. Rafael Marquez got injured on 28 April 2009, in a match against Chelsea F.C. in the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League knockout stage Semi-finals. Márquez was told Rafael Marquez needed surgery on Rafael Marquez left knee, forcing Rafael Marquez to miss the rest of the season. FC Barcelona would go on to win a historic Treble (association football) after winning the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League, in which Márquez was present but was sidelined. Márquez received an offer from Italian side ACF Fiorentina. However, Márquez said Rafael Marquez would like to end Rafael Marquez career at Barcelona. Márquez signed a new contract with Barca in November 2009 that would keep Rafael Marquez at the club until 2012. On 20 February 2010, Rafael Marquez scored Rafael Marquez first goal since Rafael Marquez return against Racing de Santander. On July 31, 2010, Marquez was released from Barcelona.

Rafael Marquez left the club as one of the most successful foreigners ever to play for Barcelona, earning 12 titles during Rafael Marquez 7 seasons with the club. Rafael Marquez also scored 13 goals in 242 matches, making Rafael Marquez 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 Cup, it was reported that Italy club Juventus FC 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. Rafael Marquez was declared as the club's third Designated Player Rule and was unveiled to the media at Red Bull Arena (New Jersey) on August 3 wearing Rafael Marquez number 4 jersey and being reunited at the club with former FC Barcelona teammate Thierry Henry. On August 8, Márquez made Rafael Marquez MLS début against the Chicago Fire in a scoreless draw. On August 21 Márquez scored Rafael Marquez 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 2010 Major League Soccer title.

International career

Since making Rafael Marquez international début on 5 February 1997 against Ecuador national baseball team, Márquez has been one of the Mexican national football team's most important players, but Rafael Marquez was not chosen for the 1998 FIFA World Cup squad. Márquez has played various tournament's with the Mexican team, winning the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Márquez started all four of Mexico's games during the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan, where Rafael Marquez was given the Captain's Armband by then coach Javier Aguirre despite Rafael Marquez young age of 23. Despite a strong performance during the group stage of the tournament, Rafael Marquez received a red card during Mexico's second round 2–0 loss to the United States men's national soccer team 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 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

During the 2006 FIFA 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 national football team in the second round off a Pável Pardo free kick which was headed to the far post by Mario Méndez (Mexican footballer), 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, Rafael Marquez 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 FIFA 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 national football team, Marquez assisted Javier Hernández Balcázar 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 national football team where Mexico drew 1-1.

Photo: Rafael Marquez - New York