​A matter of days after Mexico’s exit from the FIFA World Cup at the hands of England, the Mexican Football Federation has announced the appointment of Rafael Márquez as the new head coach, succeeding Javier Aguirre. Márquez, a former Barcelona star and longtime Mexico international, steps into the role at 47 years old, marking his first major managerial appointment. His previous coaching experience includes leading Real Sociedad Deportiva Alcalá’s Under-15s and Barcelona B, and he has served as Aguirre’s assistant for the past two years.
Márquez is a 147-time international who scored 17 goals for his country and represented Mexico in five World Cups. The federation described his appointment as “part of an orderly transition planned within the FMF’s institutional vision to give continuity to the work done during the last World Cup cycle, strengthen the sporting development of the Mexican National Team and face its upcoming international commitments.” Márquez had been an assistant to Aguirre since 2024, continuing his involvement with the national team in the run-up to the current cycle.
The formal confirmation included a note of gratitude to Aguirre and his coaching staff for their leadership and professionalism throughout their tenure, which has left a lasting legacy of work, identity, and competitiveness that the federation says will support the team in its next phase. Aguirre departs after his third spell in charge dating back to 2001, having led Mexico 93 times in all competitions. His record includes two CONCACAF Gold Cups and one CONCACAF Nations League title, along with guiding the side to the 2001 Copa América final. He also steered Mexico to three World Cups, with successive appearances in the knockout rounds.
This latest period was notable for taking Mexico to its first knockout-stage win since 1986, a 2-0 victory over Ecuador that propelled them into a Round of 16 clash against England at Estadio Azteca, where the hosts were defeated 3-2 after England played much of the match with 10 men.
Reaction to Márquez’s appointment appears positive among players and staff. Midfielder Álvaro Fidalgo, who plies his club trade in Spain with Real Betis and has been part of the national team setup, praised the choice. “It’s fantastic. We were there for the whole process. With Rafa, I was able to experience this FIFA window with him and the last one as well. I am sure the national team is in very good hands,” he told ESPN. Fidalgo added that Márquez, Aguirre, and the rest of the coaching team—Pol, the fitness coach Lorente, and Tony, the assistant coach Amor—had built something strong for the future.