2003 Mexico Home – R.Marquez #4

Tournament Overview

This shirt takes you back to Mexico's triumph at the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which was co-hosted by Mexico and the United States. Ricardo La Volpe's side opened by beating Brazil 1–0 in Group A. Brazil sent an Under-23 team, which included a young Kaká. El Tri then thrashed Jamaica 5–0 in the quarter-finals and beat Costa Rica 2–0 in the semi-finals.

The final was a rematch with Brazil at a packed Estadio Azteca. It stayed goalless until substitute Daniel Osorno scored a golden goal in extra time to win it 1–0. That gave Mexico its fourth Gold Cup and its first since 1998. Oswaldo Sánchez won the Golden Glove, Mexico did not concede a goal all tournament, and Jesús Arellano was named best player.

Player's Impact – Rafael Márquez

Rafael Márquez Álvarez wore the #4 and was one of only seven 2002 World Cup players on La Volpe's preliminary Gold Cup roster, so he linked the old guard to the new. He arrived that summer as a new Barcelona player, and he is regarded as the first Mexican to represent the club.

Márquez scored in the 2–0 semi-final win over Costa Rica, alongside Jared Borgetti, which helped send Mexico into the final. It was the first of his two Gold Cup titles, and he won another in 2011. For collectors, a "R.Marquez" print on a title-winning shirt is the one to have. Márquez later played at five World Cups, and this shirt comes from the start of that era.

Mexico Squad – 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Manager: Ricardo La Volpe

Goalkeepers: Oswaldo Sánchez, Óscar Pérez

Defenders: Rafael Márquez, Salvador Carmona, Ricardo Osorio, Omar Briceño, Fernando Salazar, Mario Méndez

Midfielders: Pável Pardo, Octavio Valdez, Rafael García, Luis Ernesto Pérez

Forwards: Jared Borgetti, Jesús Arellano, Daniel Osorno, Omar Bravo, Juan Pablo Rodríguez