Despite being accused of a drug case by the United States, Rafael Marquez will lead the Mexico football team in the World Cup in Russia. Mexico has announced a 28-member preliminary squad for the upcoming tournament.
39-year-old Marquez, who was away from football for almost three months because of a complaint against the United States in August last year, was named as the head of a drug smuggled city based in Guadalajara, Mexico. However, the club's coach Juan Carlos Osorio has said that he will play an important role as the leader of the former club star. "There is no doubt that he will bring the team out of the field as a footballer," he said.
Marquez, who is playing his fifth World Cup, has been included in the squad as a midfielder than the defender. As a midfielder, there are two brothers Giovanni and Jonathan Santos in the Los Angeles Galaxy. Osorio has teamed up with 12 players in European clubs and three players in the United States Major League Soccer. He will announce the final team on June 2 after a friendly match against Scotland in Mexico.
Team: Goalkeeper: Guillermo Ochoa, Alfredo Talavera, Jesse Crona. Defender: Carlos Salcedo, Nesto Arauzo, Diego Reyes, Hector Moreno, Hugo Awala, Oslodo Alanis, Miguel Leon, Edson Alvarez, Jesús Gallardo. Midfielder: Jesseus Molina, Hector Herrera, Rafael Marquez, Jonathan Dos Santos, Andrés Guerdado, Eric Gutierrez, Marco Fabian, Giovani Dos Santos. Forward: Javier Hernandez, Raúl Jiménez, Oreb Perlata, Jesús Manuel Corona, Carlos Vella, Xavier Aquino, Harving Lojano, Jargon Dam.