The Mexican Football Federation promoted Javier Aguirre’s assistant after Mexico’s 3-2 loss to England, betting on continuity as Márquez prepares to lead the team into the next World Cup cycle.
Rafael Márquez has been appointed head coach of the Mexico men’s national team, with the Mexican Football Federation announcing the move on July 8 after El Tri’s 3-2 round-of-16 loss to England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Márquez replaces Javier Aguirre, under whom he had served as assistant coach since mid-2024, in what will be his first senior head-coaching role. The promotion extends the federation’s continuity-focused succession plan, after roughly two years embedding Márquez within the national-team setup to build familiarity with the squad, tactical framework and federation operations. The former Barcelona defender, who earned 148 caps for Mexico, is expected to begin his tenure during the September 2026 international window with an immediate brief to start laying the groundwork for the 2030 World Cup.