And the rich get richer.
Already sporting the best frontline tandem in Major League Soccer in the form of Juan Pablo Angel and his fellow designated player, Thierry Henry, the New York Red Bulls have added Henry's former Barcelona teammate Rafael Marquez.
Getting a mega-watt star like Thierry Henry was a big deal—he's a global brand, and he's a scorer. Adding a player like Marquez, the captain of the Mexican national team, might be an even bigger deal.
Rafa, a central defender for Barcelona, plays defensive midfielder for his national team. The Red Bulls plan to use him in that midfielder role as well. In addition to choking off the opponents attacking runs, Marquez will excel at turning defense into offense and be the primary link between the two. Just picture a Marquez to Henry to Angel counterattack—scary stuff.
Like Henry, Marquez is just 31 years old. Like Henry, he does not consider MLS a retirement home. Neither player is that far removed from his prime and both are here to add to their glory (win titles), not bask in it.
While not hugely popular with fans of the U.S. national team (his flying head butt of Cobi Jones during the 2002 World Cup won't ...