The Mexico national team will be led by a familiar face heading into the 2030 World Cup, FMF sporting director Duilio Davino confirmed this week, and there could be other Mexico legends coming alongside him.
Davino confirmed the long-standing plans for Rafa Marquez to become the new boss of El Tri, leading Mexico as it begins its push toward the 2030 World Cup.
Marquez is a legend of the Mexico national team, having played in five consecutive World Cups, and one of its most successful players ever at the club level. Marquez won the UEFA Champions League twice with Barcelona and also collected four La Liga titles with the Blaugrana. He also won league titles in France and Mexico.
"Yes, his contract is signed," Davino told Fox Sports this week. "His coaching staff is practically 80% complete."
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That coaching staff may include another Mexico legend. Former Mexico midfielder Andres Guardado, who like Marquez developed in the Atlas youth setup in Guadalajara, is coaching youth players at Real Betis but may be wooed to the national team setup.
"Andres is an option," Davino said. "At the end of the day, I’d like for me not to say, for him to say, but Andres is a very good option."
Marquez left his post as manager of Barcelona B to join current Mexico manager Javier Aguirre as his assistant and successor.
But Marquez's success with Barcelona's second team and his name recognition in world soccer had some Mexico fans concerned that the succession plan may be derailed by a club making Marquez an offer he couldn't refuse. Now, it seems Marquez is still on course to live out his dream of leading his country, which he represented 147 times on the international stage and helped to the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup plus a pair of Concacaf Gold Cup crowns.
Davino feels the contrast between Marquez's charisma away from the field with the intensity he brings on it will make him a successful manager for Mexico heading into the 2030 World Cup.
"Rafa, off the field, is a personality," Davino said. "As a player on the field? Well, how he is today as an assistant and a coach is how he was as a player. He transforms in the locker room, on the training ground, on the field, then he gets out of the shower and he’s the Rafa he always is."
Davino, himself a former Mexico defender who represented Mexico 84 times, appointed Aguirre with Marquez on the staff in the summer of 2024 after Jaime Lozano failed to lead El Tri out of the Copa América group stage.
It was the third time Aguirre took charge of the national team, and the 67-year-old is widely expected to retire from the sport after this summer's World Cup.
Mexico kicks off its World Cup campaign June 12 against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City before playing Korea and the Czech Republic.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mexico national team legend Rafa Marquez set to take over El Tri