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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rafael Márquez Álvarez | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft) | ||
| Position(s) |
Centre Back Central Defensive Midfielder Wing Back | ||
| Team information | |||
| Current team | FC Barcelona | ||
Rafael Márquez Álvarez (born February 13, 1979 in Zamora, Michoacán, Mexico) also called "El Kaiser de Michoacán" is a Mexican football player, who currently plays for FC Barcelona of the Spanish La Liga. His most usual demarcations are central defender and defensive midfielder. He has been selected for the list of 26 players eligible for the 2006 World Cup in Germany in June 2006.
Márquez began his career with Carlos Mauricio his brother Mexican club Atlas de Guadalajara, for whom he debuted in 1996 at only 17 years old. Márquez rose to prominence while with Atlas, making 77 appearances for the team, and debuting for the Mexican national team, before moving on in 1999. In that year, French club Monaco purchased Marquez for 6 million Euros. Márquez was an immediate success with Monaco, helping lead the team to the French title in his first season with the club. Despite pressures from larger clubs, Márquez would remain with the club until 2003, when Barcelona purchased him for 5 million Euros. In his first season with Barca, Marquez appeared 21 times, helping the team to a second place finish in La Liga. During his second season he was moved from his typical position as a central defender to the defensive mid-field, due to injuries to players Motta, Edmilson and Gerard. He completed a great season, being one of the main players that helped Barcelona win its 17th Spanish League on May 14th, 2005 after a 1-1 tie with Levante.
Since his debut February 5, 1997, Marquez has been one of the Mexican national team's most important players. He started all four of the team's games in the 2002 World Cup, and has been an integral part of two World Cup Qualifying campaigns. After an injury in his left ischiotibial muscles, he returned after a month to play against Milan in the Champions League Semifinals first game. Barcelona won 1-0 as the visitor team. On May 17, 2006, he won the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona, making him the first ever mexican soccer player to accomplish such a feat. Even the Greatest Mexican Soccer Player of all times, Hugo Sanchez, never won the Champion's League with Real Madrid.
External links
| Mexico squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup | ||
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| FC Barcelona – current squad | |
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