He's not sure if he will be on the field when the Mexican national soccer team starters take their positions on the field.
Rafael "Rafa" Márquez doesn't know if he will even play in what would be his 99th international match when El Tri faces Paraguay in an exhibition match Saturday at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
But Márquez, a former team captain, is soaking in the opportunity to be part of El Tri's new regime. With José Manuel de La Torre now head coach, Márquez's future with the squad is in limbo.
It is not clear what his role will be with the team as it begins preparations for the Gold Cup in June, the Copa América in July and World Cup qualifiers next year.
It's not even clear if Márquez will be selected for future tournaments, including the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
"It is not impossible now, nothing is," Márquez said about his chances of being on the next World Cup roster if Mexico qualifies.
"I said it after the (2010) World Cup that it might be something I might not get to do. For now, I am taking it step-by-step and if I get the chance and I have the confidence, why not?"
Maybe not because the veteran central defender could be taking up a slot that could be used by a younger one. Márquez is 32 years old. He's played in the last three World Cups. He's considered one of the best defenders to wear Mexico's jersey. He has played in two of the world's elite clubs, in Barcelona and Monaco.
But his skills are said to have declined. His fitness might not be the same.
Márquez, who signed with Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls in August, could simply be on De la Torre's current squad as a mentor, a leader to a team filled with players in their twenties.
So, does Márquez fit in? What does he think of the young players such as Javier Hernández, Giovanni dos Santos, Carlos Vela, Andrés Guardado and Guillermo Ochoa?
"These young players have plenty of experience," Márquez said after the Mexican team practiced recently at the San Diego Jewish Academy. "They are experienced and talented. They come with high hopes and they are hungry."
Mexico is hungry for recognition as a possible world power. To be that, however, the team will need to gain respect by beating some of the best teams.
Márquez believes it's still important to be the dominant force in CONCACAF, the region's governing body. That is why winning the Gold Cup is a key goal. It's for bragging rights and a ticket to the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil.
"We always have the responsibility to be the best in the CONCACAF because it has become a tough region," Márquez said. "We know teams have become more difficult to beat, and not just the United States. The important thing is that we know we have a quality team in a new era. Let's hope that this will be a good group."
And Márquez hopes to be part of it for as long as he can.
ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com
