Mexico manager Rafael Márquez says he wants to change the culture within the national team to inspire players to achieve a greater goal on the international stage.
Márquez, who took over for Javier Aguirre after the 2026 World Cup, returns to the Mexican national team as head coach after spending over 20 years with 'El Tri'. During his time as a player, Márquez and the Mexican national team failed to advance from the Round of 16 of the World Cup.
"I played for the national team for a long time, five World Cups and I didn't achieve anything different from what we had already accomplished," Márquez said on Friday at the FCC international forum.
"However, football brings short-term challenges, and today there is an opportunity to seek something different for the national team. I hope the history I have in my career helps me convince the Mexican player and change our culture so we can achieve something different."
Márquez emphasized the role of mental health for players in the sport. He insists each coaching staff should have an internal psychologist to help players get through the current demands of football, on and off the field.
"Having a psychologist or a [mental] coach on the technical staff is essential these days. The evolution of football has brought about significant changes; there is an increasing amount of information to process, along with the complexities of social media. It is crucial to support players mentally so they can remain focused on their work on the pitch and make sound decisions, ensuring that external factors do not negatively impact their mindset," Márquez said.
"Nowadays, most clubs and national teams have at least one psychologist or coach on staff, a resource that a head coach should certainly lean on. With a squad of 25 or 26 players, all of who are unique, a coach needs to understand each individual to know how to reach them and how to motivate them. Ultimately, the goal is to get the very best out of every single player.
During my time at Barcelona, I did, in fact, make use of a psychologist. Given the immense pressure and the personal situations that were affecting me, I sought that support to ensure those thoughts or circumstances wouldn't hinder my performance on the pitch."
Márquez added that he continues to use his experience from coaching the Barcelona B team to maximize the potential of each of his players.
"We would train on one pitch, then one away, and in a different area the first team trained. I would take on the role of a psychologist, telling [Barcelona B players]: "You are less than 100 meters away from realizing your dream; what are you going to do in training today to take a step toward that side of the club?" said Márquez.
"I had the advantage of their respect because they knew I had played for that side of the club. You become a psychologist to bring out the best version of them. I had to give them care and attention so that when I needed them, they would give their all and now, many of them play for the first team."
Márquez and the Mexico national team will return to action in the November international window when facing Jamaica in the Nations League quarterfinals.
