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Rafa Marquez still hoping to be part of Mexico’s World Cup squad

Rafa Marquez is 39 and hasn’t featured for the Mexican national team since the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, but he’s still hoping to join El Tri in Russia for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

“I still have the same dream as always, hope dies at the end, so I’m still hoping, continuing to work with the same desire I’ve had to be there,” Marquez said.

Marquez has gone through a rough last few months, as he was designated a frontman for a drug operation in Mexico, but he’s fought the accusation and returned to the field with Atlas.

However, Marquez is dealing with form issues in Liga MX with Atlas, who won two of their last three Clausura games.

“If I had a legal problem holding me up, I wouldn’t be playing with Atlas,” Marquez said. “I have global brands at Atlas, and there’s no problem. That also applies to the national team,” he said. “I know he’ll make his decision about the administrative part of things, although obviously the most important is the sporting side and that depends on ‘professor’ Osorio.”

Even at full fitness, Marquez might not be one of the 23 players selected by head coach Juan Carlos Osorio to represent El Tri in Russia.

With that in mind, a consulting role this summer isn’t out of the question for the 39-year-old, who wants to be involved in some regard.

“I’ll always be available to support the national team no matter the position or the way,” Marquez said. “Obviously we haven’t spoken about that topic yet, they haven’t proposed anything to me and you have to wait for the time that might be necessary to know if it’s going to happen.”

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