Rafael Márquez has been appointed as the new head coach of the Mexican national soccer team, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) announced Wednesday. The former Barcelona defender takes over from Javier Aguirre as Mexico prepares for the 2030 World Cup cycle.

Márquez, 47, had been serving as Aguirre’s assistant coach since August 2024. His elevation to the top role follows an internal succession plan that had been in place for nearly a year, despite speculation that the FMF might explore other candidates. According to the federation, Márquez’s appointment reflects an “orderly transition” aimed at maintaining continuity, enhancing player development, and addressing upcoming competitive commitments.

Mexico’s senior team, known as El Tri, currently has no scheduled matches. Márquez is expected to make his debut during the upcoming FIFA international window in late September or early October.

Aguirre expressed support for his successor, highlighting their shared history and Márquez’s qualifications. “I am happy with the growth shown by Rafa,” Aguirre said. “I spoke with Rafa because we are both prominent figures in Mexican soccer—I knew him as a player and a teammate—and he is more than qualified.”

The FMF also extended gratitude to Aguirre, who concluded his third World Cup cycle managing the national side. Under Aguirre’s guidance, Mexico reached the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, marking progress after the team’s exit in the group stage in 2022. Despite repeated round-of-16 eliminations in eight of the last nine World Cups, the federation praised Aguirre for establishing a “solid legacy of hard work, identity, and competitiveness” that will serve as a foundation for the future.

Márquez arrives with a distinguished career in both international and club soccer. He represented Mexico in five World Cups and won the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup as well as the CONCACAF Gold Cup twice, in 2003 and 2011. His European career included a spell at AS Monaco before joining Barcelona, where he won two UEFA Champions League titles and four La Liga championships. Domestically, Márquez began and ended his playing career with Atlas and captured consecutive Liga MX titles with Club León.

The FMF will look to Márquez to build on recent improvements and guide Mexico’s national team toward success at the next World Cup and beyond.