Márquez on Mexico: “I’d love to play like Barça, but lack the tools” | OneFootball

Rafael Márquez did not try to hide the reality of the Mexican National Team. Before making his debut against Colombia, El Tri’s new coach explained why he does not intend to automatically transfer Barcelona’s style to his team: he does not believe he currently has players of the level the Catalan side had in its best years.

The remark made an impact, but Márquez’s message went beyond a tactical issue. The coach was talking about the individual quality of the players and the characteristics of the squad he has at his disposal.

It is not about abandoning Barcelona’s style

Márquez was developed as a footballer at Barcelona and later coached Barça Atlètic, so his admiration for the Catalan club’s philosophy is well known.

However, he understands that a style of play must adapt to the players available, not the other way around.

The coach made it clear that his intention is not to impose a system the squad cannot execute. His first decision is to maintain continuity with several concepts Mexico showed during the World Cup and, from there, gradually introduce his own ideas.

Xavi, Iniesta, Ronaldinho and Messi, a level that is hard to replicate

Márquez’s comparison refers to the Barcelona side that defined an era with players such as Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi.

The Mexican National Team currently does not have players with those same characteristics or who can individually reproduce the level of those stars. That is why the coach believes he must first identify what his squad can actually do.

It is not only about copying a formation or having more possession. For Márquez, technical quality, the ability to read space and decision-making are essential elements to fully develop that kind of football.

Márquez asks for time to build his idea

The new national team coach also acknowledged that he will have little time to work with his players because of the international calendar.

His plan is to gradually build an identity, without moving away from what Mexico has already shown and adapting his concepts to the real characteristics of the players.

Márquez’s tenure is only just beginning. The match against Colombia represents the first step in a process in which the coach aims to find the balance between the footballing idea he learned in Barcelona and the tools he currently has with the Mexican National Team.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.