Spain, the 2010 World Cup winners, play Morocco in the last-16 in Qatar on Tuesday but look at their fellow Spaniard as an athlete to be motivated by.
“It seems to me that Marc Marquez is another example of what it means to be a high-level athlete, and is stoic in what he is, despite all his operations and injuries,” Enrique said.
“Every time he competes, he competes to the fullest, I haven’t heard him complain or cry.
“He is a competitive beast, an example in good times and bad, a great guy, to whom I send a big hug.
“He’s still the best, and he’s also the best at overcoming difficulties.”
Enrique addressed Marquez directly: “I am sure that you will return to your level and, if not it does not matter, when you give one hundred percent as Marc Marquez gives, you have to take your hat off.”
For Marquez to fulfill Enrique’s faith, he faces an uphill battle with both his own body and his machinery in 2023.
He missed much of the 2022 season to undergo a fourth major arm surgery, the most serious yet on a troublesome injury.
A grueling return, which has inspired an Amazon Prime documentary set to be released in February, forced Marquez to consider retiring.
Related Articles
Upon his eventual return he shone with a first pole position in three years at Japan, then he finished on the podium in Australia.
He finished 13th in the MotoGP standings despite his injury woes – he was the highest-placed Honda rider, a sign of the team’s struggles.
Six-time premier class champion Marquez has already complained about Repsol Honda’s 2023 prototype after postseason testing in Valencia, warning that the team take much bigger steps in order to wrestle the MotoGP championship away from Ducati and Francesco Bagnaia.