Downloaded from YTS.MX
[tranquil music playing]
Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX
[tuning in radio station]
[woman on radio] Joan Laporta and Barcelona's sporting director
have chosen Rafael Márquez
to take the reins of Barcelona Atlètic,
known until recently as Barcelona B.
The Barcelona president has full confidence in Márquez.
According to Laporta, Márquez has demonstrated
that he has the skills to help the youth players in the reserve team
complete their training and move up to the first team.
[indistinct chatter]
[music intensifies]
JOHAN CRUYFF STADIUM
[man 1] Rafael Márquez understands the game
and can help Barcelona's youth develop their skills
to become more competitive on the field.
[man 2] So, Rafa, I want to ask,
first of all, "What does soccer mean to you?"
What does soccer mean to me?
It's everything.
[rock music playing]
[crowd roars]
[cheering]
-Let's go for it! -[cheering]
[crowd roars]
[man] Every once in a while,
someone has a record that's unbeatable, unrivaled.
[woman] And no wonder.
We're talking about the most important and iconic Mexican soccer player,
historic captain of the national team.
[whistle blaring]
Knowing that I would play with Rafa gave me a lot of joy. [chuckles]
He's one of the best players that soccer has ever produced.
We looked into each other's eyes and knew what to do.
[man 1] That guy was touched by God. He's a leader with great soccer skills
who's played for the best teams on the planet.
I think he's the type of person who changes more on the field than off it.
[thud]
It was difficult to play against him.
To be honest, I would rather play on the opposite side of the field!
[chuckles]
All the important players are in the thick of it.
That's where they belong.
[man] Today, the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control
has added Rafael Márquez Álvarez,
a Mexican soccer player with a record number of international titles,
to the list of people who act as frontmen for drug traffickers.
One of the names on that list was drug dealer Raúl Flores,
but the most impactful name was Rafael Márquez.
[reporter] Rafa, over here!
[man] First, you're a hero, then out of the blue,
you're labeled as the worst kind of criminal.
Rafa was… devastated.
[crowd groans]
[man] That media storm
raised doubts as to whether his legacy would remain intact.
[supporters whistling]
[Márquez] This is my toughest game.
I'll try to clear all this up as soon as I can,
so I can be the Rafa Márquez you all know.
[music fades]
[intriguing music playing]
[coach shouting instructions]
[Márquez] Two!
Four!
Two, six! Now don't let them go back!
Well, now I'm coaching Barça Atlètic.
My main goal with this team is to try to develop and help the players
so they can make it to the first team.
[man] Come on. Let's do it faster!
[Márquez] Obviously, the players who stand out
will be the ones who make it.
But the experience of having been a professional player
allows me to help them, and, in some ways, act as a father figure to them.
[pensive music playing]
[Márquez] Doing this makes me think about my father a lot.
He was also a coach,
and I know that he'd be proud of this new achievement.
It's a great opportunity for me.
[laughter]
[woman] Interview two, Rafa, take one.
FORMER SOCCER PLAYER AND COACH OF BARCELONA ATLÈTIC
[man] Okay, Rafa.
Uh, tell me, who was your father?
[laughs] Right to it?
[man] Yeah.
So, well, my father…
-[inhales deeply] -[camera clicks]
Well, he was born in Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, near Guadalajara.
Based on all the articles and everything I've heard,
I'm very similar to him.
THE BEST ARTILLERY - THE WALL
Physically, it's impressive how much I resemble my father,
and in the way we played the game.
He would come out with the ball, totally in control.
He was graceful but also tough when he needed to be.
He got to play for Oro Jalisco, which no longer exists.
And then with second-division teams. He played for Irapuato, San Luis, Morelia,
until he got to Zamora, and then he wasn't allowed to leave.
[bell tolling]
[train whistle blowing]
[bells continue]
[woman] My husband was a player here for the Zamora team when Rafa was born.
When he retired, he joined the Municipal Soccer School.
RAFA MÁRQUEZ'S MOTHER
He was invited by Carlos Sebille Rinaldi,
a former Atlas player and founder of the soccer school.
And he invited him to be the school's coach.
CARLOS SEBILLE RINALDI ZAMORA MUNICIPAL SOCCER SCHOOL
Rafa Márquez's dad got involved with Carlos Sebille and the school.
Because of their shared passion, they started to develop young talent.
And that's exactly how Rafa joined the school
where he started training.
My dad, he meant everything to me.
He… he was the one who taught me how to play soccer.
And I looked up to him, and I wanted to model myself after him,
and so because he was a center back,
then I dreamed of being a center back too.
[cheering and applause]
[woman 1] Tell us how you feel.
[boys] Fine, good.
[woman 1] Then work hard because you need to win.
[boy 1] We're gonna win.
-[boy 2] We'll totally win. -[boy 3] We'll win.
[woman 2, in Spanish] Two, three…
[women, in Spanish] Hip, hip, hooray!
Michoacán! Michoacán! Go, go, go!
[Márquez, in English] We played in the nationals, organized by SEP,
representing Zamora.
And in the middle of the school year,
they told us, "Hey, we want you to go to the Michoacán state team."
So I had to talk to the school.
My mother went with me to ask for permission
to miss the 15 days of the tournament.
But the principal refused and said he wouldn't give his consent.
"It's better Rafael forgets soccer
because soccer's not gonna give him anything."
My husband and I looked at each other, and then he said,
"Yes, let him go. We give him permission to go to the nationals."
So obviously I was kicked out of middle school.
Nah, I was one of the best players, and we made it to the semifinals.
It was a great experience.
I'd like to see the principal of that school,
so I could tell him, "Well, thank you for your advice,
but you were so wrong. Soccer gave me everything."
[crowd roaring]
-[crowd fades] -[whistle blowing]
JOHAN CRUYFF STADIUM
Giuliano!
-[indistinct chatter] -[whistle blows]
[ambient upbeat music playing]
Getting to be a part of a team like Barcelona
is a matter of talent and skill,
but I also think it's a matter of luck
because you have to be in the right place at the right time.
And I also think it's destiny.
For example, my destiny was to play for Atlas.
[Pérez] At some point, Atlas was based in Zamora.
In fact, they recently sent the team back to another school in Zamora.
At that time, the team held scouting sessions
to get players to bring into their youth academies.
They'd search for talent at the schools in the city of Zamora
and throughout the region of Michoacán.
[Márquez] They took about eight or ten players from that team.
After some tryouts, there were only two guys left,
an 18-year-old boy and me, at 14.
[Álvarez] He came back on Saturday, and I asked him what happened,
and he replied, "They want me there on Monday."
And I said, "What do you want?"
[Márquez] I had no doubts. I told them, "I wanna go. I wanna go and play there."
"It's my dream. It's what I want."
And I made that decision without any hesitation.
[man] Atlas has always had some kind of curse in Mexican soccer.
It was always the, uh, ugly duckling, a small awkward team.
It always flirted with relegation.
Until this generation of good players like Rafa Márquez arrived…
SPORTS JOURNALIST
…and, all of a sudden,
it sparked some hope.
[festive music playing]
Just a few of us were from Guadalajara.
And that's why we had people from Tepic…
-[man] From Sinaloa, from Mérida. -…from Sinaloa, Mérida, I mean…
FORMER ATLAS SOCCER PLAYER
Players from all over the country, same as Borgetti.
All the non-locals were put in the clubhouse.
And there was about… 15, 16 players.
And the youngest was Rafa Márquez.
I saw him and literally said,
"What's this kid doing here?"
[Márquez] When I joined the team, it wasn't what I expected.
They put me with the guys that were still being tested.
I started losing hope because I wasn't playing,
and I wasn't being taken seriously.
Two, three weeks went by like this.
And I began feeling kind of melancholy and desperate.
And I remember one night…
well, one of many nights that I cried while I was there,
and I missed my family so much that I called home.
And… and I told them that I didn't wanna be there anymore.
[Álvarez] He started to cry.
"Mama, come and get me. I don't wanna be here anymore."
I said, "What?" He said, "Yeah, I wanna go home."
"So you wanna quit?" "Yeah."
"Who decided to go there?"
I couldn't believe it. I was like, "What? Excuse me?"
"Hey, come get me."
"You made your choice."
"Now it's your responsibility. Earn your position."
"Earn your place."
"So give it your best, son."
"What about my dad?"
I hung up.
She didn't even put my dad on the phone.
She didn't even try, and so…
Well, that's when I said, "Okay, there's no turning back."
RAFAEL MÁRQUEZ HAS A SOCCER LEGACY FROM WHICH TO GET INSPIRATION
[Borgetti] Rafa started playing in the first division in 1996 or so.
He had the qualities of a good center back.
A lot of presence, vision, and, uh, serenity.
Shy.
FORMER ATLAS AND MEXICAN TEAM PLAYER (1996-2009)
He obviously was a good height.
Very skinny, you know? Very skinny,
but he had a lot of personality on the field.
That brought out the best in him.
[Faitelson] He had an extraordinary combination.
He had it all in one single player.
He had the physical and athletic attributes,
which are obviously important,
but also a rare attribute for a Mexican player.
The mind.
[crowd roaring]
There were great players on that team.
There was Rafa. There was Juan Pablo Rodríguez, Osorno…
Well, we were all part of Atlas's golden generation at that time.
[Márquez] With La Volpe as our coach, we made soccer a spectacle.
Many people admired it, and they still remember it fondly.
[man] I understood we had to build a team from the beginning, from scratch.
We had a team that had to develop players from the youth club.
This was an Atlas that played a different kind of soccer.
[crowd roars]
We couldn't believe when we saw Atlas play
in that tournament at the turn of the century.
They moved on to the playoffs
and reached the final to face Toluca.
SUMMER '99
ATLAS QUALIFIES STRAIGHT INTO THE PLAYOFFS
That Atlas team really started
to write a different story.
JUNE 3, 1999 SUMMER TOURNAMENT FINAL
FIRST-LEG MATCH
[spectators chanting]
[Márquez] I vividly remember that Jalisco Stadium was packed.
You could see the stands moving because it was completely full,
and the people were happy, excited.
We faced a really good Toluca team.
Cardozo was one of the best players in the league.
It was like facing a bull.
We, on the other hand, were just rookies.
We were young. We were at the beginning of our careers.
But we still gave 'em hell.
I still get goosebumps…
FORMER ATLAS SOCCER PLAYER
…remembering that moment and what it was like.
[commentator] He passes back.
He strikes it. Cabuto…
Cardozo!
-[crowd roars] -Goal!
Goal for Toluca!
The second in eight minutes!
[Andrade] Within the first minutes, we were down by two goals,
and people said, "They're gonna be massacred."
We turned to look at each other and said,
"Come on! This is our home."
[commentator] And here comes Andrade and…
Goal!
Osorno, he's in! Here comes Andrade.
Jared…
Castillo! The ball is in the back of the net!
Misionero Castillo!
[Márquez] We gave it everything we had.
Nobody bet on us.
But we fought hard anyway.
At least for myself, I can say I'm proud of what we did.
On the field, La Volpe had an ally in Rafa Márquez,
even though Márquez was very young.
[commentator] The ball is in the air.
A header and there it goes! The ball's in the back of the net!
Rafa Márquez tied it up!
Márquez ties the match!
WHAT A FINAL!
[Márquez] We didn't think we had a chance.
Atlas hadn't reached the finals for a long time.
They obviously hadn't won the championship in a very long time.
But the desire was there, and we badly wanted to win it.
JUNE 6, 1999 SECOND-LEG MATCH
-[rhythmic drumming] -[supporters chanting]
Toluca has a famous fan club called La Perra Brava,
or the Raging Bitch.
They really intimidate teams.
The match was brutal.
In regulation time, we weren't beaten by Toluca.
[Méndez] You could say, "Anyone could win the championship."
But unfortunately, we didn't.
[Márquez] The game continued until the end of regulation time,
then went to extra time
-and ended in a penalty shootout. -[whistle blows]
[commentator 1] Here comes Taboada. He shoots…
[crowd roaring]
[commentator 2] Here comes El Chato. He shoots!
-[crowd roars] -[commentator 2] Goal!
[Faitelson] Honestly, that penalty shootout
in the finals in the summer of 1999
was one of the most dramatic moments in the history of Mexican soccer.
[Márquez] When I was going to the penalty spot,
a Toluca player came to mess with me.
He was trying to get inside my head, and he told me,
"You don't have the balls. You're gonna miss it."
[commentator 1] And a brawl has started. Who's in there, Daniel?
[Faitelson] The atmosphere in the stadium was very explosive,
putting pressure on Márquez.
[commentator 2] Here he comes. Born in Zamora, Michoacán.
He comes from the youth academy of Atlas.
A great center back. Rafa's ready.
Cristante's ready.
He doesn't go far. He's ten feet behind the ball.
Rafa, the Zamorano, shoots…
Goal!
[crowd roars]
[percussive music playing]
[Márquez chuckles] After I scored the goal,
I looked where the Toluca players were and made the gestures like,
"I did have what he said I didn't have."
[Méndez] It was sudden death.
The ball seemed to be on fire, so if you missed…
-[Andrade chuckles] No. -…you lose.
[oscillating high-pitched tone]
-[crowd roars] -[whistle blows]
-[crowd roar fades] -[high-pitched ringing]
We were all upset.
We had never seen La Volpe cry.
Unbelievable.
I realized Toluca was good, no doubt about it.
But perhaps
it would've been nice to win that one.
[Faitelson] At the end of the day, Toluca lifted the trophy.
But Atlas had won something much more important than the trophy.
That team had won the recognition and respect of all the fans.
DEVILS!
[Márquez] It hurts not to have won that championship.
But at the time,
there was a lot of merit in what we did and the way we did it, how we did it.
And many people still remember us with a lot of joy.
-[distant cheering] -[whistle blaring]
RUNNER-UP - SUMMER 1999, 1ST DIVISION MEXICAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION
Mexico had already had players
who seemed to have everything you'd need to become a star
but failed to reach their potential.
Rafa Márquez had to break that taboo.
He had to go from a good player in a youth club
to a great player
on the national team
MEXICO VS ECUADOR
There was gonna be a friendly in the Azteca Stadium against Ecuador,
and Bora Milutinovic, the coach of the national team at that time,
sent a list to Atlas,
and he called up Márquez, but there were two of us.
So they sent both César Márquez and I.
It's an anecdote that everyone tells,
but, well, I was the one who ended up playing.
[chuckles]
It was really great, you know?
I always dreamed of being able to wear the national team jersey,
to be able to sing the national anthem.
And it was… it was very special
because, at 17 years old, I made my debut on the senior national team.
Uh, that's right. Mr. Bora gave me the opportunity
to be on the senior national team,
and I think it's an amazing opportunity, and I hope he keeps calling me up.
[Márquez] A few months later, I was called to go to Copa América
with Manolo Lapuente as the coach.
Claudio Suárez and I had to cover Marcelo Salas and Ivan Zamorano,
two great forwards at that time.
There were two Monaco scouts watching that game
because they wanted to watch a Chilean defender.
But they said to me, "We've seen you play. We wanna ask
if you have any interest in playing for Monaco."
And I was like, "Monaco… Monaco…"
[engine revs]
[ship horn blares]
When I got to Monaco, I realized that, I mean,
this is like a fairy tale.
[man] Rafael Márquez doesn't mind playing defense or offense.
This is the first interview in which the player explains
why he wanted to come to Monaco.
"France is the champion. They just won the World Cup."
"And Monaco, in this league of champions,
is an important team."
Nothing can compare to Mexico.
And leaving your friends, your family, your traditions is difficult.
To move from one country to another, to have to learn a different language,
to get used to the French culture…
-[rhythmic drumming] -[supporters chanting]
[crowd groans]
[Faitelson] There is a syndrome in soccer we call the "Jamaicón Syndrome."
A player has the ability to play in Europe,
but as soon as he gets there,
he'll come back, or he'll call on the phone to say,
"I'm cold. I'm hungry. I miss my food. I miss my friends."
"I'm well paid in Mexico."
"So what am I doing here suffering in Europe?"
[Pardo] Things are always going to be difficult.
But if you have a good mindset, stay strong, and wanna win,
you'll succeed in Europe.
[commentator] The ball is recovered.
And Rafael Márquez was obviously the first one
to take advantage of the opportunity presented to Monaco.
[Faitelson] Rafa was ready.
He broke the molds, the paradigms of the Mexican soccer player.
He was never gonna quit.
[Márquez] Even though I was new and I didn't know the league,
I felt totally comfortable, you know, playing both offense and defense,
and I faced guys who were much faster and bigger,
but still… I could show off my skills.
[thud]
LIGUE 1 CHAMPIONS
We ended up being champions,
and also I was able to finish
as one of the best defenders in that league, in that tournament.
[players singing and chanting]
[Márquez] I started to enjoy myself.
I began to earn too much money. I was young, just 20 years old.
I had vices.
I had cars that obviously attracted attention.
I bought an A3, an SLK,
then a Porsche, then a Ferrari, then a Maserati,
a Mercedes.
And those were my vices.
One day, he calls my mom and says, "I'm getting married."
And we were all like, "What? Why? With whom? How?"
He was almost 22 years old when he told us that
He said, "I'm getting married in…"
I don't remember if it was three or four weeks.
"Everything's ready. When you guys arrive, I'm getting married."
[crowd roars]
[Álvarez] I think he was happy when his children were born.
I think those were his happy moments.
Okay.
RAFA MÁRQUEZ'S SON
It still happens to this day if I watch videos on social media,
and, um, I'm like, "Wow, is this really my dad?"
I still can't believe it, you know?
[Márquez] One, two, three, four.
Nothing. To Edu.
[man 1] Arena, go up and out!
[Márquez] One, two, three, four, five, six…
-[man 2] It's out. -[Márquez] One, two.
-[man 3] No, he touched it. -[man 4] Joan.
[Márquez] I think that most soccer players' biggest dream
is to represent their country on their national team.
And obviously after that,
to be able to play and represent your country in a World Cup.
-[gong bangs] -[rhythmic drumming]
FIFA WORLD CUP KOREA AND JAPAN 2002
[fans chanting]
Everything you experience in a World Cup is totally different.
It's like nothing else in life.
I was excited, enthusiastic,
especially because my family was coming with me to the World Cup.
My sister, my mother, and my father
had the opportunity to go with me.
And Javier Aguirre, well,
he gave me the responsibility of being the captain in this World Cup.
[man 1] Are you recording already?
Are you recording with sound and everything?
-[woman] Everything. -[man 1] Perfect. You're badasses.
-Don't edit it. -[man 2] No, we won't.
Okay, thanks. Rafa was my captain.
He had that touch, that emotional balance that allowed him to talk to the group,
uh, to be concrete, and be heard.
[Faitelson] There are some soccer players who are born to be captains.
Rafa Márquez was born to be a captain.
[Márquez] To stand up in front of that group,
and… to be their guide, to have this responsibility,
first, it makes you proud
to represent your country.
And second, it felt good to be the leader of this team.
MEXICO - CROATIA
[crowd roars]
[fans chanting]
[all chanting] Ecuador! Ecuador!
[crowd roars]
[chanting] Italy! Italy! Italy!
-[fan blowing trumpet] -[fans chanting] Mexico!
We were highly motivated.
But we were also aware…
MEXICO - ITALY
…that the next opponent we could go against was,
uh, the United States.
I love USA, but I'm sorry for today!
Come on, Mexico! Let's win!
With one of Mexico's best soccer teams in a World Cup,
what I'm really hoping for is that we win by two goals, 2-0,
and the US can't do anything.
2-0. 2-0. Let's win.
Beat the gringos! 2-0.
[Márquez] I don't think anyone knows,
but I have a very personal rivalry with the United States
because of something that happened in my family.
It's very sensitive.
[poignant music playing]
It's a chapter in my dad's private life.
He was separated from his father.
His father abandoned them to go to the United States.
And every time my father had a few drinks,
these memories of my grandfather came up.
And he started to cry.
He started to remember things.
And the truth is that…
I think that me, my sister, and my mother,
we also suffered through it.
[camera clicks]
[bell ringing]
But, yeah, there was this resentment, you know.
Like, he left us for the United States,
and I related that country to that memory.
Also, with them being such a powerhouse in other sports
and because we were better in soccer,
I felt we couldn't lose to the United States.
And, well, for sure,
um,
those little things added up in that particular match.
[sniffs]
[spectators cheering]
ROUND OF 16 MEXICO VS USA
[rhythmic drumming]
Our technique was better, and our team was better,
but we had something going against us. Mexico had a lot to lose.
A whole lot.
[Márquez] When you have an opponent, maybe of the same size or smaller,
you always relax a little,
and I think that's what happened to us.
[tense music playing]
[crowd roars]
MEXICO - USA
Son of a bitch!
[Borgetti] That was the worst-case scenario,
to start the game losing,
because that would make them stronger.
"They can't beat us. We can't lose to them."
"No, it can't happen, especially not to them."
I decided, instinctually, to change, uh, from a line of four to a line of five,
which we hadn't practiced very much.
And then we lost a little bit of control,
and the team started to get disorganized,
and by the second half, we became desperate, you know?
We were trying to even the score against our rivals.
Sometimes, things simply don't work out.
Sometimes, you're searching
and you're trying,
but you don't understand why it doesn't happen.
[crowd roaring]
[fans chanting]
How do you like that? How do you like that? Yeah!
[Márquez] At 2-0,
the team was obviously frustrated, desperate to achieve something,
but we were no longer synchronized.
We couldn't do what we'd worked on during the previous weeks,
and I was blinded by desperation.
[music fades]
[crowd roaring]
[whistle blows]
It was Cobi Jones, but it could've been whoever I came across at that time.
[Álvarez] We were in the stands,
and I said, "Oh my God, he didn't even hit him."
"At least he should have hit him hard enough to mess up his face."
[laughs]
[indistinct chatter]
[Márquez] There are times when people say,
"At least give it everything. At least make them struggle."
"At least let them know we're there."
"Make it hurt."
[fans chanting] They smashed us
On Father's Day, they made us pay
[chanting] USA! USA! USA!
Against any fucking team, man, except the US.
-[man 2] Except the US. -It's a national shame.
We lost!
And the worst thing is who we lost to.
[crowd booing]
FRUSTRATION MEXICAN NATIONAL TEAM'S DEFEAT HURT
[Álvarez] When we returned from the World Cup,
my husband already had health issues.
He had a surgery. He had a tumor in the stomach,
but fortunately it was encapsulated.
The surgery went well,
but afterwards, there were internal complications,
and that was what started to weaken him more.
[melancholy music playing]
[Márquez] Later, I had a knee injury.
So I decided to have surgery in Mexico to be closer to… to my dad.
A few weeks later, Monaco told me that I had to return.
They hadn't given me permission to stay that long
and said that if I didn't come back,
then they were gonna start taking drastic measures to get me back to Monaco.
But… the next day, when I was ready to go to the airport to get on my flight,
I decided I didn't wanna leave.
[music fades]
And sometimes it makes me tear up thinking about him, like now.
[sniffles]
[sighs]
[poignant music playing]
MÁRQUEZ LIVES A DAY OF SORROW
No matter how much time…
no matter how much time passes,
it still hurts.
You still miss that person.
[interviewer] During those last weeks,
do you remember any conversations with your father?
[Márquez sighs] Yes, uh, I told him,
at some point, I didn't promise it,
but I did tell him that I was gonna be on a great team.
And so, in Mexico at that time,
we were all Real Madrid fans because of Hugo Sánchez.
And… yeah, I told him,
"Hey…"
As a joke, I said, "Hey, so…
don't think about dying now
because you still have to see me play for Real Madrid."
And, well, he took it as a joke,
but he said,
"I know you're gonna do it whether I'm there or not. I'm sure."
And now he's probably making fun of me,
laughing at the fact that I signed with their rival.
He must be very proud of everything I achieved.
Today's FC Barcelona news can be summarized by three names.
the Brazilian player Ronaldinho, to whom Barcelona has made a new offer,
the Portuguese Quaresma, who is already in Barcelona,
and Márquez, who the club has officially presented this afternoon.
[woman] This handshake is the result of many meetings
and several contract revisions between Rafael Márquez and Barça.
[man] Márquez has played for Monaco since 1999.
After a little rest, he will apparently change teams to Barça.
The Mexican defender,
who has signed for four seasons, wants to succeed in Europe,
just like his idol, Hugo Sánchez.
-[woman] Hugo Sánchez. -Go ahead.
-[woman] Scene one, take one. Mark. -[clapboard claps]
[crowd roaring]
[man] Ever since I went to live in Spain, where I wanted to be successful,
I loved the idea that more Mexican players would follow.
And when I heard that Rafa was going to Barcelona,
I was very happy for him.
[indistinct chatter]
[Pardo] So he was a Mexican at one of the biggest clubs
not only in Spain, but in all of Europe.
Clearly, he was looking forward to a very bright career.
Barça is another magnitude. You can't compare it to anything else.
Yeah, sure, Monaco is a club, a big club,
but you come to Barça, and this is a whole… a whole different story.
It's hard to adapt, not only on the field, but also off it.
Two hundred journalists are waiting for you.
Everyone talks about you in the press. It changes your life even in Mexico.
And in the case of Márquez,
he's known as "the Kaiser of Michoacán."
He's a man who could be compared to a world-famous player,
a historic player like Beckenbauer.
But it was more about my frame of mind that I would make my own history,
that I'd try to be the best in my position,
that I wanted to be someone important,
and be supported because I'm Mexican.
Mexico will always be with me.
Ronaldinho and I arrived the same year.
And I knew that he was already a star,
both on and off the field.
To be able to say that Ronaldinho was gonna be my teammate was awesome.
I could feel that I was gonna be on a very good team.
Rafa and I arrived at Barcelona at the same time,
and it was amazing, you know?
We arrived in a moment when the club was not doing so well.
The club's situation wasn't so good at that time,
but thanks to the work of the whole team,
and he was an important piece,
that situation changed completely.
The standards at Barça, and in that particular team,
were extremely high.
To be a Barcelona player, you had to pass through the crucible.
You have to be the best in your position or one of the best in the world.
It was a dream team.
I don't even know how they managed
to bring in that amount of talent and put it all together.
[Márquez] If you show enough professionalism
in each training session,
the players will always receive you with open arms.
When they see someone who is dedicated, someone who gives their full effort,
then you quickly earn their trust.
[crowd cheers]
[Hernández] He was a defender who won duels.
His aerial play was spectacular.
Hardly ever lost a one-on-one.
He was very aggressive.
[crowd cheering]
He was not only good with the ball but also with his footwork.
Rafa had this technique where he'd switch from side to side and surprise you.
[Hernández] Even his defense was offense.
From his position, Rafa could feed you assists.
He helped me a lot. We understood each other.
We looked into each other's eyes and knew what to do.
Also, he was a player who could score from set pieces.
[commentator] He takes it and…
[crowd roars]
Goal!
RAFA GIVES BARÇA THE WIN
Everyone in Mexico supported Real Madrid when I played for Real Madrid,
but when the years went by and Rafa began to gain attention playing for Barcelona,
in Mexico, a lot of people became Barcelona fans.
That was thanks to Rafa.
[supporters groan]
[Faitelson] A lot of Mexican fans were actually seeking out the Barcelona games.
They wanted to be able to see how that extraordinary Atlas player
would continue to perform at the highest possible level.
[Márquez] Barcelona became like my second home.
There were… moments
that were important in my personal life that happened here.
And professionally, it goes without saying,
this was the best time.
I won everything with Barcelona.
[commentator] It's a difficult match in terms of how the field impacted the--
Goal! Goal! Goal! Goal! Goal! Goal! Goal! Goal!
Goal by Márquez!
Let's win the trophy!
Let's go for the victory! Let's go for the three points!
Let's close it out!
Let's take the league title.
And let's finally begin to celebrate what we witnessed this magnificent season.
[whistle blowing]
-[crowd roaring] -[fanfare playing]
SPANISH LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
[group singing "Cant del Barça" playing]
[Eto'o] You could see on the field that beyond the skill we brought to games,
we were also just good friends.
["Cant del Barça" continues]
[woman] They have done it.
Barça has won its 18th league title.
The result of the match, 0-1.
Well, the team performed, they performed well until the end,
and we're happy now.
And now you'll go for title on the 17th, right?
[players speaking indistinctly]
We are still here on the Rambla de Canaletas,
where thousands of fans have come
to celebrate Barça's second consecutive league title.
It's the best gift I've ever received in my life.
[man] Now the Champions League final against Arsenal awaits them,
and they have two weeks to prepare for it.
["Cant del Barça" continues]
May 17th, 2006.
Saint-Denis, France, in the heart of Europe.
He's playing as a starter for Barcelona
in a game in France…
MAY 17, 2006
…to be the champion of Europe.
This was going to separate him from the rest of his peers,
the rest of the Mexican players.
[Hernández] When you saw the lineup
and looked at the defense and saw that Rafa was playing,
you would feel relief, and I'd say, "Oh, that's good."
"There's Puyol. There's Rafa."
[commentator 1, in Catalan] The stadium is packed tonight, May 17th.
[commentator 2, in Catalan] The Frenchman playing…
[in English] Rafa played a very important role,
him and Puyol.
They had to mark Thierry Henry,
who, at the time, was very tough.
[spectators groan]
Both of us had a difficult time with Henry,
but when Henry overtook me, Rafa was there,
and when he overtook Rafa, I was there.
I think we did a pretty good job.
[commentator 2, in Catalan] He passes it forward.
Goal! Goal!
What a goal! What a goal! What a goal! What a goal! What a goal! What a goal!
What a goal by Barça!
[players chanting]
[in English] He should be remembered as one of the best players
in the history of Mexican soccer.
Finally, the trophy is ours!
[Faitelson] Rafa Márquez had reached the pinnacle
and was on the field with the European champions.
EUROPE'S MASTERS
THE PRINCE THAT BECAME KING
THE BEAUTIFUL GAME!
Although personally, I was not going through a good time
because, well, I was already separated from my ex-wife,
and obviously I had two children,
and… and, well, nothing was easy about the divorce.
[gentle guitar music playing]
RAFA MÁRQUEZ'S DAUGHTER
When I was about two years old, my parents decided to divorce,
and it was really difficult.
So when I was little, I only saw him through the TV,
or he was always working when we were with him.
But the truth is that he's a great dad.
[Rafael Márquez] It was…
it was also difficult
because the Champions League final
was right before the World Cup.
[supporters cheering]
FIFA WORLD CUP GERMANY 2006
-Let's say hello. Hello! -[woman 2] Hi!
[supporters chanting]
This is a party!
Go, Germany!
Viva Mexico!
[Márquez] I arrived at the World Cup with the coaching staff at the time,
headed by Ricardo La Volpe.
There were a lot of players that I had good chemistry with.
I felt like I was at my peak,
physically and mentally speaking.
I had a huge boost of self-confidence after winning the Champions League.
That was one of the best groups we put together in a national team,
without a doubt.
We had it all. We had a great team.
[Faitelson] The secret was that La Volpe used to hire players that he knew,
that he had trained, that he had made, that understood his philosophy,
and among them, of course, was Rafael Márquez.
They will be the surprise team of the World Cup!
[Márquez] But I was no longer the Rafa Márquez
that La Volpe found at Atlas.
I trusted him. I no longer reproached him for anything
because he immediately provided solutions.
For me, he was a bulwark within the group,
uh, a leader.
[Oswaldo] There are different ways to lead a team.
Rafa wasn't the shouting type. He was the type who stood out
because of his skill, his elegant playing style,
great technique, and above all, he was a European champion with Barcelona,
simple as that.
In that World Cup, I think we saw the best version of Rafa Márquez.
[crowd roars]
[Márquez] It was the World Cup I enjoyed the most,
of all the ones I played in.
The results went our way, and we qualified for the next round.
♪ We're gonna win, this gang will win ♪
♪ It's okay, it's okay Argentina is going down the… ♪
As part of my preparation, I went to Argentina.
I prepared by watching the other coaches.
So Mexico knew Argentina's system.
[Borgetti] The advantage we had was that we always watch their games.
They never watch Mexican soccer.
[chanting] Argentina! Argentina!
[cheering]
[Faitelson] It was one of those nights
where the history of Mexican soccer could change.
It could take another course,
take the step that they'd been denied for so long.
ROUND OF 16
[Pardo] When we first went out on the field,
in those first few minutes, Argentina didn't know where we were.
We'd analyzed them really well.
Something we were very good at was set pieces.
[Pardo] Then we got a free kick that I took and…
Pavel kicks it to the center, and I tipped the ball.
And I'm basically alone in front of the goal and…
MEXICO - ARGENTINA
[crowd roars]
[cheering]
[Pardo] It was obvious that Argentina was really confused.
They didn't understand what was happening on the field.
[Faitelson] After Rafa Márquez's goal, it started to make us think
that this team could finally progress in the World Cup
and get to a stage in the tournament
that hadn't been reached since the World Cup at home.
But things didn't go that way.
Minutes later, Argentina tied the game with an own goal.
[somber music playing]
[crowd roars]
No fucking way!
Then the impossible happened.
[Márquez] We believed we were better than our opponent.
But then they had a play that was brilliant.
It was a stroke of genius.
[indistinct commentary]
We were close! The next World Cup, we're gonna win the whole thing.
[La Volpe] We didn't win the game, of course. I know that.
Mexico was superior,
by far.
[Márquez] Sad, disappointed.
I thought that was gonna be the World Cup
where we finally could've reached that fifth game.
By then, I also needed some time off
because I had gone through a lot of difficult emotions, you know?
I was involved in the Champions League for so many days.
I faced a lot of pressure.
I wanted to disconnect and enjoy some free time.
[man 1] Interview with Jaydy, take one.
RAFA MARQUEZ'S WIFE
[woman] Thank you.
[man 2] Quiet, please.
Well, I'm Jaydy Michel.
Mexican born, my mom is from the United States,
and I've been living in Spain for a few years now.
I was living in Madrid. He was living here in Barcelona,
and it was the moment
when Barça was winning absolutely everything.
[chuckles] It was all new for me.
He would say, "We won the Champions League."
And I'd be like…
I mean, I really didn't have any idea
how big it was to win the Champions League.
Barcelona demands that you always have to be at a high level
to be able to play
because every year they bring in the best of the best of the best
to improve the team.
[indistinct chatter]
[cameras clicking]
There was a restructuring of the team
where Rijkaard leaves as coach,
and Guardiola arrives to lead the first team.
I understand the doubts they have.
I feel like after a month or two,
these doubts will diminish, lessen simply because I feel like I am prepared.
[Márquez] From then on, he began to talk to each one of us
to find out what we wanted. He asked me, "What do you wanna do?"
"Do you wanna stay, or do you wanna go?"
I said, "I wanna stay."
"I wanna be here. I think it's a good opportunity."
But he said to me, "Okay."
"But on one condition. That you don't go to Madrid anymore."
And I said, "What?!"
MORE THAN A CLUB
"Well, no problem. I'm not going. That's it."
"Okay, well, I'm counting on you
because I really like La Volpe's way of playing,
and since you were with him,
I want you to explain it to me and to the group."
So it was the start of a good relationship.
It was very difficult because we hardly saw each other.
And I had to decide that, well,
this relationship with him is something I would like to experience.
I told her, "Hey, I'm not allowed to go to Madrid anymore,
so now you're the one who is gonna have to come here."
And she took it pretty well.
But the thing is, professionally,
making all those… all those trips was affecting me,
and obviously, physically, it took a toll.
[ominous music playing]
[commentator] Good evening.
Welcome to one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world,
the Camp Nou in Barcelona.
Ninety-six thousand people tonight
for what promises to be an exciting Champions League semifinal.
[thud]
[man] Last night, Márquez tore the meniscus in his left knee,
and he will reportedly be out for two months.
Losing Rafa is the worst news of the day.
He'll be out for the rest of the season.
He's very important for us, but this will make us stronger.
We had some of our most important games ahead of us,
and it was a key loss.
When he got injured,
he was miserable, and we knew in that moment
that he couldn't play the finals.
Also, he's my friend.
BARCELONA SPANISH CUP CHAMPIONS
[Hernández] You missed the best part, everything we worked for that entire year.
We got to the cup finals, the Champions League finals.
The league was almost over.
The 6-2 win…
Yes, those were the best two months, where everything was getting settled.
-I enjoyed playing so much. -Yeah.
I really enjoyed what we were doing.
And to miss all of that, plus the important moments,
it was very sad.
[Faitelson] If you're on a team like Barça,
and you get distracted for a minute,
you miss a couple of matches or get injured,
when you come back, you've been replaced.
After the injury, the coaching staff's view of me had changed,
particularly Guardiola's.
He seemed to have forgotten me.
I no longer felt as important as before.
I didn't even go to the bench anymore. I was sent to the stands.
[man] Do you think there are a number of players, including yourself,
who need to step it up in the remaining months of competition
because they're not performing well?
[woman] I wanted to ask you if the team is surprised with Piqué's evolution.
He's gained so much confidence that he's even playing this afternoon
and has been for these past few days.
[Márquez] He was crystal clear with me. He told me,
"Hey, there's nothing I have to reproach you for,
not even in discipline. You train well. I think you're fine."
"But, well, it comes down to the fact that I trust someone else."
I think his priorities are other players.
And, well, I'm ambitious, right?
I wanna continue playing,
and maybe I don't wanna be on the bench
or in the stands.
I would like to thank everyone
and say goodbye,
but I'm sure I'll come back here to Barcelona and to this institution.
Thank you very much.
[man] I don't know if you can say it yet, if it's appropriate,
but can you tell us where you're going?
NEW YORK 2010
[Márquez] I preferred to leave and maybe lower the intensity a little bit
and play in a more peaceful place
after having spent seven years in Barcelona.
[Faitelson] He was already in a stage of his career
where he could make decisions that were more about money than the sport itself.
I didn't imagine that taking it easy, with my competitive mentality,
would lead to being so frustrated.
[somber music playing]
I didn't go to training sessions feeling happy.
I would get frustrated, angry, and I'd leave angry.
[thud]
Also, I wasn't very well liked in the United States.
Everywhere I went, I was obviously hated
because I was the captain of the Mexican national team.
[thud]
And he spent a long time thinking about what to do.
[Faitelson] At the end of the day,
I think Rafa's adventure with the New York Red Bulls
was more pitiful than glorious.
[Márquez] It was the wrong decision, to go to the MLS instead of Juventus,
That would have been a different story, but it made me realize
that I still had the chance to compete at a high level.
[gentle music playing]
[Michel] When we arrived at León, it was a big change for him.
Even the facilities weren't what he was used to,
but I think that this made him show his character again.
Be a leader,
be strong, and prove that he wanted to win.
[supporters chanting]
[cheering and applause]
[Faitelson] Mexican fans were happy to see Rafa on the field.
It was a luxury to see him
and a tribute to his great career.
[commentator] Rafa Márquez is,
for the first time in his career, in his life,
a champion in Mexican soccer.
[commentator 2] León are the champions of Mexican soccer!
LEÓN ARE MX LEAGUE CHAMPIONS OPENING TOURNAMENT 2013
[Faitelson] He was a champion in France with Monaco.
He was a multi-champion with Barcelona
and returned to Mexican soccer
to become a champion with León.
[Márquez] One, two, three.
Winning that two-time championship with León,
it honestly helped me enjoy soccer again and obviously reaffirmed
that I was still able to accomplish important things.
But I'd made another big vow to myself.
To make history with the national team in a World Cup
and to advance beyond the round of 16.
FIFA WORLD CUP BRAZIL 2014
[smooth dance music playing]
[fans chanting] Mexico! Mexico! Mexico!
[chanting] Mexico! Mexico! Mexico!
It was a very good team.
The caliber of the players was such that we could perform at a high level.
[inaudible]
[music continues]
There's nothing more to talk about. We've already done the work.
Now we have to put it all out there.
The companionship, the sacrifice, the effort, the grit.
We have to go balls to the wall from now on. Let's go!
[players cheering]
[player 1 yells aggressively] All right!
-[player 2] All together! -[player 3] May God protect us.
-[player 1] Let's do it! -[all] One, two, three, Mexico, ra-ra-ra!
[lively music playing]
We believed in ourselves,
because playing against Brazil in front of their fans
and getting that draw, it gave us a lot of confidence,
and obviously we got even more after beating Croatia.
[crowd roars]
MEXICO - CROATIA
When he scored that goal, he turned around
and went to celebrate where we were.
He celebrated doing this, looking up and doing like this.
And I said, "That's for me."
Next, the Netherlands. Play hard against the Netherlands.
The way Mexico's playing, we're gonna beat them.
I'm happy. We're going to Fortaleza. Kisses!
We're gonna win in Fortaleza.
-[fans cheering] -[vehicle horns blaring]
[fans chanting] Mexico! Mexico! Mexico! Mexico! Mexico! Mexico! Mexico! Mexico!
When I knew we were playing the Netherlands,
I thought, "They're a difficult opponent."
"But I think it'll be one of those matches where Mexico can gain confidence."
"We can play a good game, and it'll be a surprise."
[Michel] I saw he had a good attitude, and I knew he wanted to be there.
And since he was the captain,
he had the responsibility to encourage and inspire the others.
So if he wasn't in that headspace, if he didn't feel it,
it would be very difficult to project that and share it with the rest of the team.
Today is the day where we either advance to the next round
or fall out like usual.
I don't know about you, but I want more.
Today, we go for more.
We have to be different. We have to be winners, victors, guys.
-Let's go all out. You ready? -[players cheering]
[hopeful music playing]
ROUND OF 16 MEXICO VS NETHERLANDS
[Márquez] This time, it's our turn.
This time, we are… we're closer to what we all want,
which is to get past the fifth game. We were very confident.
[crowd roars]
MEXICO - NETHERLANDS
But then we lower the level of concentration,
the level of effort. We thought it was a done deal.
And also the opponent woke up a little bit.
[crowd roars]
Then they tied the game,
and that was when the doubts began to resurface.
And then that thought creeps back up that we could be in the same situation,
that it's gonna happen again.
And, well, we all know that story. [chuckles]
[whistle blows]
The referee decided that I touched Robben.
[thud]
But we all know about the drama he made out of that light touch
that ended up being a penalty.
In my eyes,
that was not a penalty.
"Oh no," I said. "No, that's not a penalty, you bastard."
[supporters whistling, jeering]
[in Spanish] ♪ It was 2014 ♪
♪ June the 29th ♪
♪ The great Brazilian sun ♪
♪ Their faces were like snow ♪
♪ Blessed national team ♪
♪ It couldn't be true ♪
♪ Piojo was leading them ♪
♪ Straight to the final ♪
-It's not a penalty. -It wasn't a penalty.
-Just wasn't a penalty.
[emotionally] It wasn't a penalty! It wasn't! It wasn't a penalty!
That shit was not a penalty!
♪ The audience joined ♪
♪ In this ovation ♪
[crowd roars]
♪ Damn Dutch They took us out of the World Cup ♪
♪ With their feigned penalties And natural malice ♪
♪ Robben is a great actor ♪
♪ The referee is blind ♪
♪ Our great feats Were annulled by a creep ♪
[exclaims]
-Just a reminder, it was not a penalty. -[laughter]
-[thud] -[somber music playing]
MEXICO LETS THEMSELVES BE "ROBBEN"
He's had several moments that were…
[chuckles]
…pivotal, right?
All the important players are in the thick of it.
That's where they belong.
At some point,
he thought that it might be his last… his last World Cup,
and if that was his best shot,
it would be very sad for it to end like that.
But life has other plans.
I truly believe that when you do things right,
put your heart into it,
and you do your best,
you can surprise yourself.
[tranquil music playing]
[Márquez] Maybe most people know me as Rafa Márquez, the player,
who looks serious, who's always the captain,
who sets the example, who directs, who leads and scolds.
But I'm really a different person.
I'm fun. I'm cheerful. I'm friendly.
I can tell jokes. I'm totally different.
[man] Tell me a joke.
[laughs]
Uh, no, well, I have to bring my cheat sheet to look for one.
We are about to surprise the children of the Rafa Márquez Foundation,
with me dressed as Batman!
-[child 1] That's Rafa Márquez. -I'm dedicated to defending the world.
-[children] Yeah. -[child 2] He's not Batman.
-[indistinct chatter] -[Márquez] To save those most in need.
[child 3] Save Atlas.
[children laugh]
That's very difficult.
[children laugh]
-Guys, is it good? -[children] Yes!
Walking here with the family.
[woman] The three of you back there.
Give it to me.
[ominous music playing]
[Márquez] We went on a trip to Tlaquepaque.
Tlaquepaque means a lot because that's where my father's from.
I spent a lot of happy moments of my childhood there,
and I wanted my family, my children, to know about it.
Coincidentally,
it was one day before the terrible news broke.
[siren wailing]
AUGUST 9
I had a subpoena from the prosecutor's office.
My lawyer said, "Hey, they called me from Mexico City
because the attorney general needs to talk to you."
"You have to go."
I said, "But what is this about?"
And he said, "It's something I can't tell you,
but I advise you to go."
Wednesday, August 9, 2017.
We may not remember the date, but we will remember the day.
It's sad to say,
but today is the day the US government indicted two Mexican idols,
two popular Mexican idols,
one in sports and one in music,
both accused by the US Treasury Department
of serving as frontmen for a drug cartel.
We suddenly started reading tweets from the US media
saying there was a very important person on the OFAC list,
which is basically a blacklist that the US government has
for designating individuals who are terrorists
and people who are linked to drug trafficking.
Raúl Flores, also known as "El Tio,"
was able to fly under the radar for a long time,
until three weeks ago when he was arrested in Jalisco.
[woman] The DEA and the Treasury Department
have identified 64-year-old Raúl Flores
as the leader of the Los Flores criminal group.
He is charged with drug trafficking and money laundering.
RAFA MÁRQUEZ'S LAWYER
[Nassar] My dad and I received a call from Rafa
asking us to come and see him,
to… meet someplace
and talk about this issue that was very new,
that was just beginning to come to light.
In the investigation file,
there was a map with all the people involved in the case.
Anyone who had any kind of association
or link to this individual
would be investigated.
[Faitelson] It was a hard blow…
ACTED FOR RAFAEL MÁRQUEZ
…to his image, his persona. The news was exaggerated, sensationalized.
"Rafa Márquez linked to drug money."
Rafa Márquez and Julión seem to be in serious trouble.
It can become a matter of jail time in both jurisdictions,
both in the US and in Mexico.
[man] Inclusion on the list means, at least momentarily,
his financial death.
We were going to defend him,
but he would have to suit up. This would be the game of his life.
The Prosport & Health Clinic
is one of the companies reported by the United States Treasury Department
for its alleged relationship with members of Raúl Flores's criminal group.
This clinic, in Guadalajara's Minerva neighborhood,
has been operating for three years.
Its owners are soccer player Rafael Márquez and Luis Fossati,
a former doctor for Chivas in Guadalajara.
The news came out on August 8, 2017.
And on August 9, half the patients stopped coming.
I had gone to practice that day, but Rafa didn't come.
I left him some messages. "What happened? Where are you?"
But he was already incommunicado.
[reporters asking questions]
So today, several media outlets pointed out
that I am the subject of an investigation by the United States Treasury Department,
and I categorically deny any type of relationship with said organization
and with the facts referred to in the various journalistic articles.
It was something that… that had to be cleaned up,
and it had to be explained to the public
that not everyone who is accused is guilty.
[Mancera] Mexican society is consumed by drug trafficking.
Society lives with it.
It's part of the culture.
That said, drug traffickers have a myriad of ways
to reach places, events, agencies, and, of course, uh, businesses.
[tense music playing]
[Márquez] In Guadalajaran society, you never know who you're tied to.
You never really know who people are friends with.
Some look like businessmen or entrepreneurs,
some of them are "friends of" or rub shoulders with high society
or the government and…
[interviewer] In what context did you meet, uh, Raúl Flores?
No, well, yeah, as a friend.
As a friend. He was part of the group I hung out with in Guadalajara.
[interviewer] So you're talking about Raul Flores Jr.
-Right? -Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
-[interviewer] You were linked to-- -His father.
-[interviewer] Yeah. Why? -Exactly.
Because he was the boss, the center of…
[inhales] …of that investigation.
Everything came out because… I purchased a property.
-[interviewer] Which one? -A plot of land.
-[interviewer] In Guadalajara? -Yes, in Guadalajara.
Many properties, especially in the new area of Guadalajara,
belonged to… a certain public figure.
-[interviewer] What public figure? -Uh, Caro Quintero.
-[whirring] -[unsettling music playing]
It seemed like a good opportunity to buy some land,
and unfortunately, it belonged to this person.
[intriguing music playing]
[Faitelson] That media storm
raised a lot of doubts
about whether his legacy would remain intact.
Today, the Mexican Football Federation and Liga MX
recognized Rafa Márquez's career and confirmed that they trust
that the player will clarify the situation with the authorities,
and they said he has their full support.
After today, I don't think Rafa Márquez will ever be
the captain of the Mexican national team again.
It's very complicated.
Regardless, he was more of a presence in the dressing room than on the field.
The federation…
so, you see, the federation, at the end of the day, it is…
it's a private institution.
It's like its own private society,
with economic interests that it could not survive without.
And you find yourself in the dilemma between supporting a player,
even if you want to support him, you can't because of the sponsors.
SPONSORS BACK AWAY FROM MÁRQUEZ BRANDS WITHDRAW
He was still an active soccer player back then,
so his contracts were canceled with sponsors like Nike and Gillette,
which, of course, were important resources for a player of his stature,
and this blow was absolutely devastating for his image.
[Nassar] First, you're a hero and then, out of the blue,
you're labeled as the worst kind of criminal.
And the weight of it hits you.
[Márquez] Those were dark and unjust times.
I think… I didn't leave the house for about a month,
And that's when the mind starts to play tricks on you.
You think, "What if this happens? What if that happens?"
"What are they thinking? What are they saying?"
Sometimes, I secretly locked myself in the bathroom to cry.
[stifles sob]
[sighs]
And I think it's normal, isn't it? I mean, to feel that way,
because you… don't know what's gonna happen.
He lost so much.
He lost friendships. He lost everything.
[poignant music playing]
-Hi. -[woman laughs]
[children laughing]
-[man and woman laughing] -[boy laughing]
[girl shrieks]
[Márquez] Thank God for Leonardo, who had just been born. [inhales deeply]
He…
he was the one who gave us joy at home,
the one who motivated us.
He motivated me to keep going.
[makes squeaking noise]
[both laughing]
[Michel] What's Daddy doing, honey?
[makes squeaking noise]
[in gruff voice] Who is it?
[Michel] Bravo!
Good!
[Márquez] Until, one day, I told my wife, "You know what?"
"We don't have to stay at home. We have to go out."
"In fact, let's go to dinner right now."
And we went to dinner at my favorite restaurant in Guadalajara.
And obviously the people immediately started to turn around
and stare at us while we were just trying
to have a nice time,
just trying to…
to eat some delicious food like normal.
And… when it came time to pay the bill…
he says, "No, you have nothing to pay."
"The man at that table already paid for it."
And then a man at another table…
[sniffles]
[inhales] A man at another table invited us to have some drinks.
And finally
the restaurant's owner said,
"This is your house. You're always welcome."
"Whatever happens, this is your home,
and you won't pay a penny."
And all this…
[sighs]
…makes me emotional, because in the end, people believe in you.
In the end, everything you did,
everything you worked for, all the effort
was worth it because people trusted that…
that despite all the talk,
they knew I was not guilty of those charges.
I think that,
um…
[exhales]
…you have to move on.
You know that it's not gonna last forever.
And I always knew, deep down inside, this was gonna pass.
The World Cup was approaching.
Márquez was still the leader of that team.
He was still coach Juan Carlos Osorio's right-hand man.
We didn't know whether he was going to play soccer again
or if our captain was going to retire just like that,
through the back door.
[Faitelson] We all knew that Márquez… deserved the chance
to play in a fifth World Cup.
[man] I wanted to ask you about the case of Rafa Márquez.
Throughout this season, there was speculation
that Rafa might reach his fifth World Cup. Did you talk to him during the week?
He's clearly expressed interest
and… a desire to contribute to the national team.
We believe and hope that, as with everyone,
the decision will be based on what he can contribute
to the team on the field.
Eight midfielders.
Jesús Molina,
Rafael Márquez,
Andrés Guardado…
-We're on the list. Let's go! -[Osorio] Erick Gutiérrez.
[indistinct chatter]
[fans cheering]
FIFA WORLD CUP RUSSIA 2018
[uplifting music playing]
[crowd roars]
[Márquez] I knew that, at some point, everything was gonna be solved,
and I could retire after playing one last World Cup.
I never laundered money.
I never had any relationship with the narco.
I had to prove it,
document after document, peso by peso,
where the money was sent, how the money arrived,
where it came from, where it went.
And at the end of the day, their office simply gave me a letter
saying that the investigation was over, so I'm free of all charges.
And it was clear that I never did anything wrong.
The Financial Intelligence Unit of the Ministry of Finance
has just officially removed soccer player Rafael Márquez
from its blacklist.
In September 2021, right at the end of the pandemic,
we learned, only because of a simple update of the OFAC page,
that his name had already been removed from this list.
But that didn't generate the same commotion,
the same media attention that it had received at the beginning.
Good news doesn't make as much noise as bad news, does it?
[upbeat music playing]
[supporters] ♪ Olé, olé, olé, olé… ♪
I was able to say goodbye to my beloved club at Jalisco Stadium.
[supporters] ♪ Márquez, Márquez ♪
♪ Olé, olé, olé, olé… ♪
[man] Mexican soccer now pays tribute to one of its greatest artists,
not only in the history of the Zorros, but in the history of Mexican soccer.
Rather than seeing it as a bleak situation,
it should be seen as…
as a great learning experience and a great life lesson.
[crowd cheering]
[upbeat music playing]
[Márquez] The best advice my father ever gave me
was to never do things halfway. If you do something, do it right.
And now, as a coach,
I try to convince my players, day by day,
to give their best effort, to offer the best version of themselves,
to take advantage of the opportunities
with great professionalism,
with discipline, effort, and sacrifice.
For me, that is simply called "attitude."
-[man] I can treat everyone well. -[tranquil music playing]
I can be quiet in a corner.
I may not come across as violent or a giant with the ball,
but when I go out on the field, I win.
And when I don't win, I win.
And even when I lose, I win.
He's one of the best players that soccer has ever produced.
He's been a leader all his life.
He's more than a teammate, a brother, as we like to call each other.
-Rafa is greatness. Rafa is greatness. -[boy] Rafa, over here!
[Hernández] Whatever he does, he'll do it well and do it big.
[Hugo Sánchez] A message that I'm sure Rafa, similar to myself,
has always wanted to pass on
is that Mexicans must work as a team,
because we've shown that we have skills, talent,
and we can be as good or even better
than the best players in the world.
And Rafa, of course, he's one of those.
[man 1] Okay, now change direction.
That's it. Let him see it. Let him see it.
[man 2] The will,
the determination, the conviction,
the leadership.
So when he speaks,
everyone listens.
His name is Captain.
-Rafa Márquez. -[woman] Bravo!
-[Márquez] Wow. Thank you so much. -[cheering and applause]
[cheering fades]
-[interviewer] Any final thoughts? -I'm gonna tell you a joke to end it.
Do you know how a rancher calls for his daughter or hija?
[interviewer chuckles] How?
Yee-ha! Let's go!
[laughter]
[funky hip-hop music playing]
[interviewer] How do you see Rafa today? What will he end up doing?
I believe he's predestined to be the coach for Mexico, hopefully.
Then he can get to the fifth game and beyond.
I think that he has it all.
Mexico is going to win the World Cup they've been searching for.
Whatever he does, he'll do it well, and he'll do it big.
Whether at that time, it's coaching Barça
or the Mexican national team someday.
Whatever Rafa wants to do, he'll do it.
Kisses, bombon.
Take care.
I love you.
[funky music playing]
[music fades]