Rafael Márquez Biography: Age, Height, Parents, Wife, Children, Net Worth

Rafael Márquez Biography, Age, Height, Parents, Wife, Children, Net Worth – Rafael Márquez is a former Mexican football player celebrated for his role as a defender.

Wiki

Name:	Rafael Márquez Álvarez
Date of Birth:	13 February 1979
Wife:	Jaydy Michel
Nationality:	Mexican
Occupation:	Footballer
Net Worth:	$25 million

Currently, he serves as the head coach for Barcelona Atlètic in Spain. Known as El Káiser, Márquez is hailed as Mexico’s finest defender and one of the nation’s all-time great footballers.

Rafael Márquez Biography

Born on February 13, 1979, commencing his career with Atlas in 1996, Márquez played a significant role, featuring in over 70 matches before heading to Monaco in 1999, where he achieved the Ligue 1 title.

Rafael Márquez Age

As of January 2024, he was 44 years old.

Rafael Márquez Height

He has a height of 1.84 meters.

Rafael Márquez Parents

His parents are Rafael Márquez Esqueda and Rosa Maria Alvarez.

Rafael Márquez Career

In 2003, he made history by joining Barcelona, becoming the first Mexican to represent the prestigious club. Over seven seasons with Barcelona, Márquez played more than 240 games, clinching honors such as four La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions League titles. Notably, he secured the Champions League victory in 2006, marking a milestone for Mexican players.

Márquez ventured into Major League Soccer with the New York Red Bulls in 2010 and later returned to Mexico, this time playing for León and leading the team to consecutive Liga MX titles in 2013 and 2014. He also had stints with Hellas Verona in the Italian Serie A before returning to Atlas in 2015, where he eventually announced his retirement in April 2018.

With 147 caps, Márquez stands as the fourth most-capped player in the history of the Mexico national football team. His international career includes participating in five consecutive editions of the FIFA World Cup from 2002 to 2018, making him one of four players to achieve this feat. Márquez secured victories in the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2003 and 2011 editions of the CONCACAF Gold Cup with the national team.

A versatile player capable of excelling as a centre-back, sweeper, or defensive midfielder, Márquez’s prime was marked by widespread acclaim. Known as the “Kaiser of Michoacan,” he was praised for his elegance on the ball, precise tackling, technical prowess, tactical awareness, and leadership qualities. In 2024, he earned a spot in FC Barcelona’s best 21st Century starting eleven squad.

However, in August 2017, Márquez faced allegations of ties to a drug trafficking organization headed by Raúl Flores Hernández under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. The United States Treasury Department sanctioned him along with 22 others. Accused of money laundering, Márquez’s assets were frozen, but he voluntarily provided a statement to the Mexican Attorney General’s Office. As of September 22, 2021, he has been removed from the U.S. Treasury Department’s list, clearing his name of any accusations.