Rafael Marquez Lugo is a footballer from Mexico, playing for Atlante F.C., and is popularly called Marquez Lugo, in order to help differentiate between Barcelona player Rafael Marquez Alvarez, who is also a Mexican National Team player. Starting his professional football career with arch rivals of his current club, UNAM Pumas in 2000, Lugo made over 35 appearances with the team, and scored 9 goals in this duration. Most of his appearances for the club were as a substitute, and in 2003 Lugo moved to Jaguares, in time for the 2003 Clausura season.
In over 30 appearances Lugo only managed three goals, and after a year with Jaguares, he moved to Morelia in 2004. Finally gaining his true form, Lugo broke into the scene as a talented striker, and in the 13 appearances he made for the club in the 2003 Clausura tournament, he managed to bag 7 goals. Lugo backed this up with an impressive 11 goals in the 16 appearances he made in the Apertura 2004 season, though he only managed 5 during the 2005 Clausura.
| Position | Defender |
| Height / weight | 1.84 m / 83 kg |
| Born | 13 Feb 1979 |
| Nationality |
Mexico
|
| Number | 4 |
| Team History | |
| Atlas F.C. | 2016 - 2018 |
Hellas Verona
|
2014 - 2015 |
| Club León | 2012 - 2014 |
Red Bulls
|
2010 - 2012 |
Barcelona
|
2003 - 2010 |
Monaco
|
1999 - 2003 |
| Atlas F.C. | 1996 - 1999 |
Lugo remained with the club till 2007, when he was transferred to Pachuca, along with teammate Luis Gabriel Rey, in exchange for Luis Angel Landin. Soon in 2008, Lugo was once again transferred to UAG Tecos, and in the same year he was loaned out once again, this time to Puebla, this time once more with former teammate Puebla. Here Lugo met with a roadblock, when Puebla’s head coach, Jose Luis Sanchez Sola, or El Chelis, made it clear that he did not want Lugo, or even Rey on the team, and Lugo was eventually loaned to Club America.
Not finding a permanent spot here either, Lugo was transferred to Atlante F.C. for the Clausura 2009 season. On the international front Lugo has made many appearances with Mexican youth national teams, such as Under-20 and Under-23, appearing in the 2004 Summer Olympics with the latter. Apart from this Lugo has also been brought into the Mexican National Team, el Tri, on the behest of former coach Ricardo Lavolpe.
