Rafael Márquez began putting together the coaching staff that will accompany him as head coach of the Mexican National Team on the road to the 2030 World Cup. In his first public appearance since being named head coach of the Tricolor, Márquez was accompanied by Pol Llorente and Vidal Paloma, two names expected to join his coaching staff.
The new national team coach has already set his project in motion, and one of his first moves was to attend the Mexican Under-20 team at Cuauhtémoc Stadium, where the national team secured its spot in the World Cup for that age group and kept its hopes alive of qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
During that visit, Márquez appeared alongside Pol Llorente, Javier Aguirre’s former strength and conditioning coach, and Vidal Paloma, who served as his assistant during his time with Barcelona B. Both are shaping up to be key members of the coaching staff that will accompany the former Mexican national team captain in this new chapter.
As planned, the coaching staff will consist of up to seven members, although not all names have been finalized yet. Llorente decided to remain with the staff following the tenure led by Javier Aguirre, while Paloma will once again work with Márquez after they previously worked together in the Catalan club’s youth academy.
Negotiations are also ongoing with Juan Manuel Lillo, a former assistant to Josep Guardiola, whose hiring has not yet been finalized despite ongoing discussions between both parties.
Another name still on the list is Bernardo Cueva, who currently plays for Chelsea in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Alfredo Talavera was also considered for the project, although the former Mexican national team goalkeeper has not yet finalized an agreement.
Rafael Márquez’s coaching staff is expected to be finalized in the coming days and presented before the end of August. This will allow the coach to prepare for the friendly matches in September and October, which will mark his official debut as head coach of the Mexican national team.
