Rafael Márquez Álvarez Celebrates his 39th Birthday

Rafael Márquez Álvarez, one of the most emblematic footballers in the history of Mexican football, celebrates his 39th birthday today, reaching his forties as an active player defending the Atlas rojinegros jersey, the team that saw him born as a professional.

On February 13, 1979, the city of Zamora, Michoacán, saw the birth of someone who would later become one of the biggest references in national football. Embraced by the colors of Atlas de Guadalajara, Márquez made his debut with the rojinegros on October 19, 1996, starting the story of a globetrotter who achieved success at the national and international level.

His quality led him to defend the colors of FC Barcelona, a privilege that few, if any other Mexican, has been able to enjoy with the regularity and prominence that he had; he won two Champions League titles, four Spanish Leagues, a Club World Cup, Super Cups of Europe and Spain, among other trophies during the seven years he played for the blaugrana team.

With the national team, he not only arrived to stay, since his debut in the Tri at the age of 17, where he made a name for himself and gained a hierarchy that led him to become the captain and main reference of the team.

With the World Cup in Russia just around the corner, Rafael Márquez is very close to writing his name in the history of international football, as if he were to reach this World Cup, he would equal Antonio Carbajal, Lothar Matthäus and Gianluigi Buffon with five intercontinental championships.

Juan Carlos Osorio has the final word, the Colombian coach has stated on multiple occasions that once the defender has solved his personal problems, concerning the drug trafficking scandal he was accused of a few months ago, he can be considered to be included in the list of 23 players he will take to Russia.

'Rafa' turns 39 without owing anything to football, this may be the last birthday he celebrates as an active player, but as long as he doesn't decide otherwise, we can only continue to delight ourselves with the class he shows on the field.

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