Rafael Márquez held his first pre-match press conference as Mexico head coach on Friday in Baltimore, one day before his debut against Colombia. The former Barcelona defender said he will not try to impose the Barcelona style on El Tri, admitting the squad does not have the “materia prima,” or raw material, to play that way.
What Márquez Said
Asked about the style he wants to implement, Márquez was direct: “Bajo mi opinión ahora como entrenador, yo me adapto a lo que tengo. Y no es que yo vaya a poner o imponer un estilo de juego, porque obviamente, ¿a quién no le gustaría?, yo que fui jugador del Barça, jugar como el Barça, pero no tienes la materia prima, así que te tienes que adaptar a eso.”
He also explained why he recalled Hirving Lozano while leaving Alexis Vega out of the squad for this FIFA window: “Realmente lo que me hace traer a Hirving es cree que nos puede dar algo más. Es un jugador diferencial, lo cual sabemos lo que nos puede dar. Alexis creo que está teniendo un gran torneo también, pero quería ver también a otros jugadores.” Lozano returns to El Tri after nine months away; his last appearance was the draw with Uruguay on November 15, 2025.
Context
Márquez stressed continuity over revolution. He said his priority is to adapt to the players available and build on the idea Javier Aguirre developed during the 2026 World Cup, where Mexico reached the round of 16, before introducing changes gradually. He also refused to reveal his starting eleven for Colombia, drawing a contrast with his predecessor: “No soy el Vasco. Yo sé quién soy, no soy de los que da un adelanto.”
His staff includes Juan Manuel Lillo and Andrés Guardado as assistants, Vidal Paloma in the methodology area and Xabier Mancisidor as goalkeeping coach. Colombia arrive under Néstor Lorenzo in the middle of a generational renewal, with nine debutants in the squad and without James Rodríguez or Juan Fernando Quintero for this tour.
What Comes Next
Mexico face Colombia on Saturday, September 26 at 9:00 PM ET at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, the first of four friendlies in the United States during the September and October FIFA window. The match will be shown in the United States on ViX, according to TelevisaUnivision’s official September 22 programming schedule. El Tri then travel to New Jersey to face Peru on September 29, with a match against the United States also scheduled for the October window.
