Cuauhtemoc Blanco 9781422226476, 1422226476, 9781422226674, 1422226670, 9781422292082, 1422292088

Table of contents :
Cover
CONTENTS
1: Starting Out
2: Passport to Europe
3: Number Four on the “Tri”
4: Márquez in the World Cup
5: What’s Next?
FIND OUT MORE
GLOSSARY
INDEX

Citation preview

S U P E R S TA R S O F S O C C E R

Rafael Márquez To the Top! 2010 Leaves Barcelona and joins the New York Red Bulls. 2009 With Barcelona, he wins six trophies in one season. 2008 On December 13, plays his two-hundredth match with Barcelona,

against Real Madrid.

2006 Crowned champion of Europe’s Champion League with his team. 2005 Gets his first title in the Spanish League. 2003 Signs with Barcelona, Spain. 2002 Makes his debut in World Cup South Korea-Japan. 1999 Wins the Confederations Cup. 1999 Makes his debut in the America Cup. Starts playing for Monaco. 1997 On February 7, wears Mexico’s uniform for the first time. 1996 Makes his debut in Mexico’s First Division, playing for Guadalajara’s Atlas. 1979 Rafael Márquez is born on February 13, in Zamora, Michoacán.

Mason Crest 370 Reed Road Broomall, Pennsylvania 19008 www.masoncrest.com Copyright © 2013 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. Printed and bound in the United States of America. First printing 987654321 Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-2647-6 ISBN: 978-1-4222-2651-3 ebook ISBN: 978-1-4222-9192-4                Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Paco Elzaurdia was born in Montevideo, Uruguay and is an independent writer and editor. He has been the General Editor for La Vision (the Vision), a newspaper in Georgia, United States, and works as freelance for magazines and newspapers. He is also correspondent for the Argentinian sports magazine Ole and director of the Atlanta’s soccer newspaper Contra Ataque. PICTURE CREDITS: EFE Photos: 1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 28

Andrés Guardado, ‘El Principito’ de Guadalajara, un jugador joven con breve pero rica historia.

S U P E R S TA R S O F S O C C E R

Rafael Márquez CONTENTS Chapter 1: Starting Out 5 Chapter 2: Passport to Europe 9 Chapter 3: Number Four on the “Tri” 15 Chapter 4: Márquez in the World Cup 21 Chapter 5: What’s Next? 25 FIND OUT MORE 30 GLOSSARY 31 INDEX 32

Andrés Guardado, ‘El Principito’ de Guadalajara, un jugador joven con breve pero rica historia.

CHAPTER 1

Starting Out

E

ach player on a soccer team has his job to do. Some players try to score goals against the other team. Some work to keep the ball away from their own team’s goal.

The players on defense don’t always get the same attention as the players who score big goals. But playing defense takes a lot of skill. Being a midfielder is very hard work. The midfielder has to run up and down the field, sometimes trying to get the ball closer to the other team’s goal, sometimes defending their own. Midfielders have to help the team in whatever way they can. Defenders are a big part of any team. When a forward scores a goal, there’s usually a midfielder who helped him make it. And of course, they help keep the other team from scoring. Rafael Márquez has done what few defensive players have been able to. The Mexican defensive midfielder has become a big star in the world of soccer. He hasn’t scored as many goals as some other players, but fans still love Márquez.

From Zamora to Guadalajara

Rafael Márquez Álvarez was born on February 13, 1979, in Zamora de Hi-

dalgo (in the Mexican state of Michoacán). Rafael’s father was a professional soccer player. He played for a team in the Second Division of the Mexican League. Watching matches with his father, Rafael learned to love soccer. His father also taught him skills he could use on the field as a player. Rafael’s father told him that with hard work, he could play for Spain or Italy some day. Márquez started playing in Zamora’s school for soccer. He thought he would soon play for the club that was closest to his hometown, the Monarcas Morelia. But another team found him first. Márquez began playing with a team called Atlas. The team is from Guadalajara, which wasn’t far from Márquez’s hometown.

6

The Great Fox Ricardo La Volpe is known as the Great Fox. He was born in Argentina, but has worked with soccer teams in many different countries. He first played on the Argentinian team that won the World Cup, and later went on to coach the Mexican national team. Later he worked in Costa Rica. La Volpe can sometimes have a short temper, but most people agree that he’s a great coach!

Rafael Márquez

Coach Ricardo La Volpe has been part of Márquez’s success.

7

Starting Out The Mexican League Mexican professional soccer has been around since 1943. It started with ten clubs, and has grown since then. Mexican soccer is split into divisions. The First Division is made up of the top teams and players. Each year, there are two championships, the Apertura (Opening) in the winter, and the Clausura (Closing) in the summer. After the end of each season, the worst team from the First Division is moved down to the Second. The best team in the Second Division is also moved up to the First Division. Moving teams to different divisions keeps the competition between teams interesting.

Rafael’s father couldn’t have been happier for him. He later said that he thought, “One day he’ll [my son] be selected, will be champion in a tournament, and will represent Mexico abroad.” It wouldn’t be long before his words would come true!

A Quick Rise

When he was thirteen, Márquez started playing at the Atlas Soccer School. The young soccer player had natural talent. He also had a very famous soccer player teaching him the game—Marcelo Bielsa. With help, Márquez became a better player. Márquez played in his first game with Atlas’s First Division when he was just seventeen years old. Famous Argentinean coach Ricardo Antonio La Volpe coached Márquez. The young Mexican

soccer player had gone from student to the First Division in just a few years! Márquez’s first years in the First Division went well. He and his team played well in the 1999 Mexican championships. Atlas reached the finals, but the team didn’t win the tournament. Second place wasn’t bad for Márquez’s very first season, though! While playing with Atlas, Márquez also started to get attention around the world. In 1999, he was picked to be on the national youth team. The team played in the Youth World Cup in Nigeria. Márquez even scored two goals. While Mexico beat rival Argentina, the team was soon knocked out of the Cup. In all, Márquez played three seasons with Mexico while still in his teens. The young soccer player was on his way to becoming a star of the sport!

Between his natural talent and his full attention on the field, Márquez has become a worldwide soccer star.

CHAPTER 2

Passport to Europe T

oday, many Mexican soccer players want to play outside of their home country. They look for teams that will challenge them and make them famous. Usually, they turn to Europe.

Not every player who goes to Europe comes back a better or more famous player, though. A lot just end up on the bench for a season or two. Márquez decided to take the risk. His father had told him for years that he could make it. And Márquez believed he could.

Prince of Monaco

Márquez played for Mexico during the 1999 America Cup in Paraguay. Scouts from Monaco were at the Cup, looking for new players. They saw how well Márquez played and decided to see if he wanted to come to Monaco. They offered him millions of dollars. The young Mexican player knew this was his chance to get to Europe. He signed a contract and headed to Monaco. In August 1999, Márquez played his first game with Monaco. The team ended up winning the game. And that was just the beginning! Soon, he and his team won the French League Cup. The team won again in 2003, too.

By then, Márquez had earned a name for himself. Many people thought he was one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe. Coaches in other countries started wondering whether he might do well on their teams.

Barcelona

In the end, one of the best teams in Europe wanted Márquez. In 2003, Barcelona offered him five million euros ($6.1 million) to play for the team. Márquez played his first game with Barcelona in September. A few days later, he scored his first goal in Spain’s First Division. Barcelona’s coach talked about why the team had chosen Márquez. He said, “He’s got a lot of character and personality with the ball. He’s always there at the right time, and besides, he transmits his winning mentality to the team.”

10

Rafael Márquez Márquez’s first season out wasn’t always great, though. He also had several injuries. He played just twentyone games in 2003. But the next year, Márquez came back strong. Barcelona fans liked him, and many thought he was one of the top players on the team. Even Péle (a Brazilian player who many soccer fans believe was the best in history) thought Márquez was a great player. He said, “Márquez is one of the best in the world. Rafa is in this moment the best defender in Europe.” Márquez had made it to the top!

Cups

The next season was even better. With his team, Márquez won the Spanish league title. He won the Super Cup in Spain. And he won the Champion’s League. Almost nothing could get in Barcelona’s way! The Champions League match was very close. Barcelona won the semifinals against AC Milan, from Italy. Then they had to face Arsenal, from England. In front of 77,000 fans, Barcelona beat Arsenal 2–1. Márquez played for the whole game.

Soccer players put a lot of stress on their bodies, and many—including Márquez—have had to take some time to heal after injuries.

Passport to Europe

Playing for Barcelona was Márquez’s ticket to new and exciting challenges.

11

12

Rafael Márquez

Playing for Money Mexican soccer players don’t leave the country in search of money. Mexico is well known for paying its players a lot. In fact, players from outside the country want to come to Mexico because of how much money they can make! Many South American players aim to get a chance in Mexico, along with some from other parts of the world.

Injuries can stop a player in his tracks, and Márquez has suffered from more than his fair share.

The star defender had served his team well. Barcelona made a deal with Márquez to keep him on the team until 2010. This time, he would be making almost 40 million euros ($49 million). More injuries kept Márquez from playing all the time. He had to rest and watch while Barcelona kept on winning and winning.

In the 2008–2009 season, Barcelona swept the championships in Europe. The team won the King’s Cup and the Spanish Supercup. Barcelona was also in first place in the Spanish league. They also won the Champions League in Europe, Europe’s Super Cup, and the FIFA Champion Clubs World Cup. Márquez couldn’t help his team

13

Passport to Europe

What Is the Super Cup? The Super Cup is a championship game in Europe. Every year, it is played by the champion of the UEFA Europa League and the champion of the UEFA Champions League. They are the two top leagues in Europe. The Cup is only one game long, and determines the best team in Europe for that year. Sanchez’s team Real Madrid most recently played the Super Cup in 2011, but the team lost to Barcelona.

win all the time, but he could celebrate with them. And once again, Márquez recovered and went back to playing. Márquez played with Barcelona from 2003 to 2010. He has won more international tournaments than any other Mexican player. He was lucky to play with such an amazing team! In 2010, Márquez decided to leave Barcelona. He could have stayed two more years. He knew he wasn’t adding much to the team because of his injuries. Barcelona needed the best players in the best shape. Márquez wasn’t through with soccer, though. He still had more games ahead of him, on other teams.

Márquez was ready for the next step with new teams after Barcelona.

CHAPTER 3

Number Four on the “Tri”

R

afael Márquez may have been playing for Barcelona, but he didn’t forget his home country. He also played for Mexico’s national team, known as the “Tri” for the three colors on the team’s uniforms (red, white, and green—the colors on the Mexican flag). Márquez began playing for the Tri when he was still a teen. He played his first international game in 1997, against Ecuador. After that, he was almost always on the list of players that would play on the national team. Márquez’s time playing in Europe helped him a lot during his time on the Mexican national team. He brought his new skills to the Tri. He became more of a fan favorite as he helped the Tri win more games.

An International Start

The first big competition that Márquez played with the Tri was the 1999 America Cup. Mexico was invited to play alongside the South American teams. Although Mexico won its first match against Chile and another against Venezuela, the team lost to Brazil. Mexico moved on to the semifinals slightly behind. Brazil beat them, but the Tri still had a chance to win third place. Mexico played Chile and beat them. Mexico had won third place!

It was this tournament that convinced Monaco that Márquez was a player the team wanted. He did so well, that he started his European career before his international one had even taken off.

An Amazing Confederations Cup

Early on in his international career, Márquez faced a big challenge. In 1999, the Confederations Cup was coming up. Not only that, but Mexico was hosting it. There was a lot of pressure for the Tri to do well. There were a lot of great players on the national team, and people thought that Mexico could pull it off. In the very first game, Mexico won against Saudi Arabia, 5–1. The Tri tied the second match with Egypt. Then, the team won against Bolivia and moved on to the next round. So far, so good.

16

Rafael Márquez

Márquez has gotten to celebrate a lot of big wins during his career.

Number Four on the “Tri” The America Cup in 2001 was the next big international event for Márquez. Again, the Tri defeated Brazil—this time, in the very first game. Mexico moved on up to the semifinals, and even the finals. It was the first time Mexico had made it so far in the America Cup. But it was as far as the team was going to go. Mexico lost to Colombia, 2–0. Even though Mexico lost the last game, the team was proving that it was one of the best in the world. The next America Cup wasn’t great for Mexico. The team didn’t do as well as fans had wanted. Brazil beat the Tri early on, knocking them out of the Cup. The 2007 American Cup in Venezuela went much better. Mexico beat More Big Games Paraguay in the quarterfinals, but lost The Tri didn’t slow down. There were to Argentina in the next round. That more tournaments to play. Fans of the meant the Tri was fighting for third Tri hoped the team could do as well as place. The team beat Uruguay for the it had in the Confederations Cup. third place trophy.

In the semifinals, Mexico faced the United States. Near the end of the game, Mexico scored a goal to win the match. The Tri was moving on to the finals. Mexico would be playing Brazil in the finals, a big rival. Fans were excited to watch to see what would happen. First, Mexico took the lead 2–0. Then Brazil scored a point, then another to tie the game. Mexico scored again and took back the lead. Finally, Márquez made a great pass to teammate Cuauhtémoc Blanco, who scored again. Brazil scored another goal, but Mexico won 4–3. The Tri had done it!

How Does a Soccer Tournament Work? Teams are first placed into groups that compete against each other in the first round. Teams get points based on whether they win, lose, or tie the game. They get three points for winning, one for tying, and none for losing. The top two teams in each group that score the most points move on to the quarterfinals. Each team is paired up with one other for the quarterfinal. The winner of each game moves on to the semifinals. Then the winners of those games move on to the finals. First-place goes to the winner of that match, and second-place to the loser. The winner of a game between the two semi-finalists that didn’t make the finals decides third place.

17

18

The Gold Cup The Gold Cup is a contest between soccer teams from North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and a couple of South American countries. It is held every two years. Every other Gold Cup also leads to the World Cup. The top three teams in the Gold Cup get to go to the World Cup. Mexico and the United States have won the most Gold Cups in the past few years.

Rafael Márquez

Rafael Márquez is a familiar face on the Mexican national team.

19

Number Four on the “Tri”

Márquez celebrates with his Barcelona teammates.

Gold Cups

Rafael Márquez also got to play in three Gold Cups for Mexico. In two of them, he shared the trophy. In 2003, the Tri tied a game just once, and won every other game they played. Mexico won the Cup easily. In 2007, Mexico did almost as well as it had four years before, leading up to the final. The team played the United States in the last game. This time, Mexico lost 2–1. The Tri had almost won another trophy, but not quite.

Four years later, Mexico did very well in the Gold Cup. The Tri won games against El Salvador and Cuba, both 5–0. In the quarter- and semifinals, the team beat Guatemala and Honduras. Then Mexico faced the United States. In a game in Houston, Texas, Mexico beat its rival 4–2. The United States scored the first two goals, but Mexico came back and scored four in a row. To top it all off for Márquez, he was the captain that led his team to victory.

Andrés Guardado,Márquez ‘El Principito’ Guadalajara, un from jugador joven con breve pero rica tries tode keep the ball away an opponent. historia.

CHAPTER 4

Márquez in the World Cup M

árquez has played in many America Cups and Championship Cups, but playing in the World Cup is an even bigger challenge. The Mexican soccer star has played in three World Cups.

Each World Cup marked a different point in Márquez’s career. In 2002, he played in his first World Cup while he was playing for Monaco. He was with Barcelona when he went to the Germany World Cup in 2006. By the time he played in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Márquez was a star player who had plenty of skills to show off.

Márquez’s First World Cup

Márquez’s first World Cup was in South Korea and Japan in 2002. Even though it was his first World Cup and he was young, Márquez’s coach made him the team captain. He was the youngest captain in Mexico’s soccer history. Mexico did well in the first round. The Tri first played Croatia, who had won third place in the last World Cup. But Mexico defeated them 1–0. Then Mexico beat Ecuador and tied with Italy. The Tri moved on to play the United States. Márquez was kicked out of the game for head butting another player. He had to watch his team lose to the

United States. Mexico’s World Cup was over.

Germany

Many fans think the 2006 World Cup was the best the Tri has ever played. Márquez also had some of his best moments during the Cup. He continued to captain the World Cup team this time around, too. Mexico did well enough in the first stage to move on to the next. Then the team had to face Argentina. In the sixth minute of the game, Márquez scored a goal! Even though he was a midfielder, he snuck in and scored. Not long after, Argentina tied the game. The game stayed tied at 1–1 and went into overtime. Argentina scored again, winning the game. Mexico had lost, but the Tri had played hard during the game.

22

Rafael Márquez

The national team never gets tired of winning!

23

Márquez in the World Cup Sitting Out Some people say Márquez doesn’t really care about the Mexican national team. He gets red cards a lot, and has to leave games. Some people even think Márquez wants to get kicked out of games. When he has to sit on the bench, he can’t help his team win. In 2009, in the first match of a Confederation of North, Central American, and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) tournament, Márquez kicked the U.S. goalkeeper. He was taken out of the game, and banned for the next two matches. Mexico was fighting to qualify for the South Africa World Cup, so it was important that all the best players could help. Márquez talked about his time in Germany: “There are many incredible moments in my career since my debut, like Copa America Paraguay, Confederations Cup won before Brazil in 1999, and the World Cups. But the one I remember the most is Germany, and is the one in which we, perhaps, showed our best soccer. But luck was not on our side, and I even believe we played better than Argentina in the knockout stage, although we were eliminated.”

South Africa… the last one?

In 2010, Mexico went to South Africa. The very first match of the Cup was between Mexico and the host country. There was a lot of pressure, because so many people would be watching. Except for the Mexico fans, almost all of the people in the crowd were cheering for the host team from South Africa. The game ended up in a tie. Márquez made another World Cup goal in this first game.

Mexico moved on to the next stage, even though they lost to Uruguay. The team had to face Argentina again, just like the last World Cup. This time, Mexico wanted to keep going. Argentina scored one goal, putting Mexico behind. Then they scored two more, while Mexico only scored one. Again, Mexico was knocked out in the fifth game of the World Cup. Although he lost, it was still a good Cup for Márquez. He was captain again, although he shared the role with Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Gerardo Torrado. He also beat the record for the Mexican player with the most matches played in the World Cup. South Africa 2010 may have been the last World Cup for Márquez. He’ll be thirty-five in 2014, which is old for a World Cup player. Then again, there have been some players over thirty-five that have played very well in the World Cup. They have experience, which is a great addition to the team.

24

Andrés Guardado

Fans know Márquez in uniform and off the field.

CHAPTER 5

What’s Next? R

afael Márquez has played around the world. He started out with Atlas in Mexico. Then he went to Monaco and eventually to Barcelona. All the while, he played for the Mexican national team.

There was one more step for Márquez after Barcelona. This time, he’d be moving to the United States—one of Mexico’s soccer rivals.

New York

In August 2010, Márquez signed with the New York Red Bulls, part of U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS). Márquez’s deal with the Red Bulls was one of the biggest in MLS history. Only the British player David Beckham and French player Thierry Henry were paid more. Moving between Barcelona and the Red Bulls was tough for Márquez. Barcelona is one of the best teams in the world. MLS soccer is still getting better. At one point, he talked about how his teammates didn’t play as well as he did. Fans weren’t always happy with Márquez, and even booed him after the press reported what he said. He does enjoy life in New York, though. He said, “Life in New York is

different; I live well and love the city and the team. I appreciate things from another point of view. I can now say I enjoy playing each weekend, as well as training every day.”

A Media Man

Like a lot of soccer players, Márquez isn’t afraid to speak his mind. He often says some controversial things to the press. And he gets a lot of attention for his words. Márquez’s face has been seen just about everywhere. Besides interviews and matches, he has been on television a lot. He has been in advertisements for sports drinks, cars, and more. He was on a Mexican TV show. He’s been on magazine covers and the front page of newspapers.

26

Rafael Márquez

Márquez is used to a lot of attention from the press.

In Europe, things weren’t much different. He was part of a few different advertisements for companies like Danone, Telcel, Telmex, Pepsi, and Nike. He and world-famous player Ronaldinho even worked together for TV ads for Nike. The more people talk about Márquez, the better things seem to get for the Mexican soccer star. Teams are more interested in players that get a lot of attention. So, the New York Red Bulls didn’t want Márquez just because he was a good player. They also knew he could help them sell uniforms, t-shirts, and more. Lots of people would come to

A Family Man Rafa married Adriana Lava in December 2001. The two got married in the church of San Fernando, in the historic center of Mexico City, with their son as a witness. Soon, the couple had two children together, Santiago and Rafaela. A few years later, Rafael and Adriana divorced. Since 2006, he’s been in a relationship with the model Jaydy Michel. And on January 4, 2011, the couple married on the Careyes coast, Mexico.

27

What’s Next?

Márquez can count himself among the rich and famous.

28

Rafael Márquez

Márquez is still winning awards, and people are still rooting for him.

29

What’s Next? see him because they knew Márquez’s name. Over the years, Márquez has learned how to deal with the press. Everywhere he goes there are reporters that want to talk to him and photographers that want to take his picture. He said, “It’s no easy task to handle that. [It’s] an additional pressure to keep you in the best possible technical and physical form. You… must learn to live with the press and the public.” Rafael Márquez has gone from being a young star in Mexico to being famous around the globe. Before, he was known only to Atlas fans. Now, he’s known all over the world! Today, Márquez is a professional in the last few years of his career. He has more time to spend on things like his

charity, the Rafael Márquez Foundation. The foundation gives back to kids in Mexico who live in poorer neighborhoods. It focuses on healthy eating, education, and sports. It doesn’t hurt that the star player shows up from time to time. The goal is to give kids better futures, and keep them away from drugs and crime. Márquez has done a lot with his career, from giving back, to playing in some exciting matches. His fans wonder what he will do next. Will he stay with the Red Bulls? Will he play in another World Cup? Or will he leave soccer and decide to focus on other things? Only time will tell. No matter what Márquez does next, his fans will be cheering for him.

FIND OUT MORE

On the Internet

ESPN.com Soccer News espn.go.com/sports/soccer ESPN Soccernet soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/11771/rafael-marquez?cc=5901 FIFA.com Mexico www.fifa.com/associations/association=mex/index.html FIFA Player Statistics www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players player=178119/index.html Goal.com Mexican Soccer News www.goal.com/en-us/news/114/mexico Major League Soccer (MLS) Player Profile www.mlssoccer.com/players/rafa-marquez

GloSSARY captain: The leader of a sports team. challenge: Something that is difficult to do.

forward: Soccer players who play closest to the other team’s goal, trying to score goals. injuries: Pains or hurt body parts that force a player to take a break from the sport.

championships: Competitions between two soccer teams to choose a winner of a league or division. midfielder: Midfielders (or mids) play in between forwards and contract: An agreement defensive players. They can help between two people or groups of keep the other team from scoring, or people. move the ball up the field to help the forwards score. controversial: If something is controversial, people have different overtime: Extra time in a match opinions about it. that is tied at the end of regular time. defense: A group of players working to keep the other team from professional: Professionals are scoring. paid for their work. experience: If someone has experience doing something, they have spent time doing that thing and getting better at it.

tournament: A series of games played to choose a winner.

INDEX America Cup 9, 15, 17, 21

Lava, Adriana 26

Bielsa, Marcelo 7

Major League Soccer (MLS) 25 Michoacán 5

Confederation of North, Central American, and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) 23

Péle, Even 10 Second Division 5, 7 Super Cup 10–13

First Division 7, 9 French League Cup 9

World Cup 6–7, 12, 18, 21, 23

Gold Cup 18–19 “Great Fox” 6

Youth World Cup 7 Zamora 5