With Mexico’s roster officially unveiled, Ochoa joins Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the only players ever selected for six World Cups. The veteran goalkeeper didn’t see the pitch during his first two trips, finally earning the starting job in 2014.

Ochoa’s best result in a World Cup run came at Brazil 2014. Although El Tri suffered a heartbreaking Round of 16 exit against the Netherlands, Mexico still secured a impressive No. 10 spot in the tournament’s final standings.

Is Guillermo Ochoa the best goalkeeper in Mexico’s history?

One of the biggest debates surrounding the national team is whether Ochoa is the greatest goalkeeper the country has ever produced. While El Tri boasts a rich history of elite shot-stoppers, Ochoa’s unique international accolades may push him ahead of the pack.

His primary rival for the top spot is Jorge Campos. Renowned for his spectacular reflexes and agility, Campos was named the world’s third-best goalkeeper in 1993 and famously lifted the 1999 Confederations Cup after defeating Brazil.

In contrast, Ochoa is defined by his historic World Cup heroics and globally celebrated saves. He has claimed multiple CONCACAF titles and made history as the first Mexican goalkeeper to firmly establish a career in Europe.

How far can Mexico go in the 2026 World Cup?

Outside of hosting the tournament in 1970 and 1986, Mexico have never advanced past the Round of 16. The elusive “fifth game” has long haunted El Tri, but the 2026 edition offers a prime opportunity to rewrite the script.

Due to the expanded 48-team format, simply reaching the Round of 16 now guarantees a fifth game. However, Mexico’s ultimate goal is to push past that threshold and deeply excel on home soil to make history as co-hosts.

He spent over two decades proving that reflexes and positioning can defy the natural aging process of an athlete. Affectionately known as ‘Memo,’ his iconic curly hair and physics-defying saves against elite global superstars have earned him a cult-hero status that transcends North American soccer.

His presence in the national setup represents the ultimate bridge between eras. Whether starting between the posts or guiding youngsters from the bench, Ochoa remains the spiritual anchor of a Mexican squad facing immense pressure as tournament co-hosts.

How old is Guillermo Ochoa?

Guillermo Ochoa is 40 years old. He was born on July 13, 1985, in Guadalajara, Mexico. At an age when most goalkeepers have long since retired to the commentary booth, ‘Memo’ continues to defy Father Time, relying on his elite anticipation and decades of high-level experience.

How tall is Guillermo Ochoa?

Guillermo Ochoa stands 6-foot-1 (1.85 meters) tall. While he does not possess the towering height of some modern European shot-stoppers, he more than makes up for it with his explosive lateral movement, incredible wingspan, and legendary cat-like reflexes on his goal line.

What are Guillermo Ochoa’s social media accounts?

Guillermo Ochoa is one of the most popular and marketable Mexican athletes on the planet, maintaining a massive digital footprint. Fans can follow his journey, commercial projects, and behind-the-scenes life through his verified social media channels:

• Instagram: @yosoy8a
• X (formerly Twitter): @yosoy8a
• Facebook: Guillermo Ochoa Official

Is Guillermo Ochoa single?

No, Guillermo Ochoa is not single. He has been married to Mexican model and designer Karla Mora since July 2017, after dating for several years. The couple tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in Ibiza, Spain, and they have three children together: Lucciana, Guillermo, and Karla.

When did Guillermo Ochoa start his career?

Guillermo Ochoa started his professional career in 2004 with his boyhood club, Club America. He was handed his first-team debut as an 18-year-old prodigy by legendary Dutch manager Leo Beenhakker, quickly displacing veteran keepers to become the undisputed starter for the biggest club in Mexico.

Which teams has Guillermo Ochoa played for?

Ochoa has enjoyed a globetrotting club career across Europe and North America, playing for Club America (Mexico), Ajaccio (France), Malaga (Spain), Granada (Spain), Standard Liege (Belgium), and Salernitana (Italy), AVS Futebol SAD (Portugal), and most recently Cypriot club AEL Limassol.

Will Guillermo Ochoa be at the 2026 World Cup?

Yes, Guillermo Ochoa remains an essential part of the Mexican national team story heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His inclusion allows him to participate in a historic sixth World Cup cycle, providing invaluable leadership and tournament know-how as El Tri looks to maximize their home-field advantage.

With Mexico’s final 26-man roster officially revealed, Ochoa is on the verge of making history with his sixth World Cup appearance. Rather than just traveling as a veteran mentor, momentum has shifted significantly in his favor to stand between the posts on June 11.

Back in 2010, Ochoa was enjoying a spectacular run of form with Club America. However, Aguirre famously benched him in favor of Oscar Perez—a decision that deeply frustrated the fanbase. Now, a reverse parallel seems to be unfolding ahead of the opening match at the Mexico City Stadium.

Reports from Carlos Guerrero of TV Azteca indicate that Ochoa has a very real chance of starting against South Africa. This tactical shift would relegate Raul Rangel to the bench, ironically mirroring Aguirre’s past controversial move—except this time, a promising younger star would sit in favor of the ultimate veteran.

Experience over current form?

Raul Rangel, the talented Chivas goalkeeper, has a relatively brief history with the national team. Entering a tournament as ruthless as the World Cup with limited international experience (13 games with Mexico) presents an undeniable risk, particularly at a position where communication and confidence are paramount.

This is precisely where Ochoa makes his strongest case. The seasoned goalkeeper has historically saved his most iconic performances for the global stage, earning worldwide acclaim for his World Cup heroics far beyond his traditional club career.

While Rangel is an exceptional goalkeeper playing at peak form, Aguirre may ultimately prioritize veteran composure. With El Tri currently lacking a definitive, vocal icon on the pitch, Ochoa is uniquely equipped to step into that leadership role.

Ageless excellence under the crossbar

Guillermo Ochoa is currently 40 years old and will turn 41 on July 13. He hopes to celebrate his birthday with Mexico still alive in the competition, which would mean a historic semifinal run on home soil.

In comparison, Raul Rangel is 26 years old. Ochoa boasts 153 international caps for the Mexican national team. That massive gap in experience is a primary factor that Javier Aguirre will carefully weigh before making his final, definitive selection.

The inclusion of Guillermo Ochoa in the squad for Mexico ahead of the 2026 World Cup marks a major milestone in his career. With this tournament, the goalkeeper will reach his sixth World Cup appearance, joining Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who will also have competed in six consecutive editions since 2006.

On Saturday, during the friendly matchup against Australia at the Rose Bowl where Mexico won 1-0, Guillermo Ochoa played again for El Tri after a 561-day absence, coming on as a substitute in the second half. His return was closely watched by both the coaching staff and the fans, following a prolonged period without participation in official matches for the squad.

The official 26-man squad list

There are no surprises in Javier Aguirre’s 26-man squad, although Guillermo Ochoa’s inclusion in goal stands out. Among the surprise call-ups are Carlos Acevedo, Obed Vargas, Armando Gonzalez, Alvaro Fidalgo, and young sensation Gilberto Mora, who managed to recover from pubalgia that affected him at the start of 2026.

Goalkeepers:

• Guillermo Ochoa (AEL Limassol), Raul Tala Rangel (Chivas), and Carlos Acevedo (Santos).

Defenders:

• Jorge Sanchez (PAOK), Israel Reyes (America), Cesar Montes (Lokomotiv), Johan Vasquez (Genoa), Edson Alvarez (Fenerbahce), Jesus Gallardo (Toluca), and Mateo Chavez (AZ Alkmaar).

Midfielders:

• Luis Romo (Chivas), Erik Lira (Cruz Azul), Brian Gutierrez (Chivas), Gilberto Mora (Tijuana), Alvaro Fidalgo (Real Betis), Obed Vargas (Atletico de Madrid), Orbelin Pineda (AEK), and Luis Chavez (Dinamo Moscow).

Forwards:

• Alexis Vega (Toluca), Cesar Chino Huerta (Anderlecht), Armando Hormiga Gonzalez (Chivas), Guillermo Memote Martinez (Pumas), Roberto Piojo Alvarado (Chivas), Julian Quinones (Al Qadisiya), Raul Jimenez (Fulham), and Santiago Gimenez (AC Milan).

With these 26 players, Mexico will look to make history in their home World Cup, aiming to reach beyond the famous fifth game. The combination of experience, youth, and international talent will be key for Javier Aguirre and his group to advance as far as possible in the 2026 World Cup.

Mexico’s 2026 World Cup schedule

Mexico will be in charge of getting the ball rolling in the 2026 World Cup. El Tri will inaugurate the World Cup at home by hosting South Africa on June 11, while a week later, they will travel to Guadalajara to face South Korea.

Group stage activity for Mexico will come to an end on Wednesday, June 24, once again in the Mexican capital and this time against Czechia in a matchup that could ultimately define the leadership of Group A.

However, the six-star club was expected to have a third member. Guillermo Ochoa, who—like Messi and Ronaldo—has been present at every edition since Germany 2006, is now facing reports that he may be left out of Javier Aguirre’s final plans for the Mexican national team.

Should Ochoa fail to represent his country this summer, the 40-year-old goalkeeper would remain at five participations, leaving the path clear for Messi and Ronaldo to become the only players in history to reach the six-tournament milestone.

The battle for Mexico’s goal

Reports from Mexico indicate that Raúl ‘Tala’ Rangel (Chivas) and Carlos Acevedo (Santos Laguna) have virtually secured their spots following the devastating Achilles injury to Luis Angel Malagon, which has ruled the expected starter out of the World Cup.

The battle for the final goalkeeping slot appears to be between veteran Jose Antonio Rodriguez (Xolos) and Ochoa. Currently, Rodriguez seems to have the edge in the eyes of the coaching staff.

“All I know is that Javier [Aguirre] has had talks with Antonio; whether he will call him up, I don’t know,” a member of Aguirre’s staff told Mexican outlet Record. “Personally, Antonio is a goalkeeper with good stats and the level to be at the World Cup, but Javier has the final word”.

Messi and Cristiano chasing the all-time scoring throne

The appearance record isn’t the only history on the line for these legends. Both Messi and Ronaldo are likely entering their final World Cup and have one last chance to become the competition’s all-time top scorer.

Achieving this record will be no easy feat for either player, as Germany’s Miroslav Klose continues to hold the all-time mark with 16 goals. Messi is currently the closest to catching the legendary striker, sitting at 13 goals after his dominant performance in Qatar, where he netted seven goals.

Ronaldo, on the other hand, faces a much steeper climb. With 8 career World Cup goals, the Portuguese captain would need to double his current tally in a single tournament to equal Klose—a monumental challenge even for one of the most prolific scorers in the history of the sport.

According to Mexican national team insider David Medrano, the Mexican Football Federation has already established contact with AEL Limassol to manage Ochoa‘s availability for the upcoming FIFA international window.

Javier Aguirre’s side is scheduled to play two high-profile friendlies in March. First, they will host Portugal on March 28 at the Estadio Azteca, followed by a final preparation match against Belgium on March 31 at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Should he receive the call-up, Ochoa would be on the path to making history by potentially securing a spot on the final roster for what would be his sixth World Cup appearance.

However, the veteran will face stiff competition for the starting role, as Carlos Acevedo, Andres Gudiño, Raul Rangel, and Andres Sanchez are all vying to fill the void left by Malagon.

Ochoa could make history alongisde Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

If the legendary goalkeeper secures a spot on Mexico’s final roster for the 2026 World Cup, he will become one of the first players ever to participate in six different editions of the tournament.

This potential milestone would place him in an ultra-elite category alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, both of whom are also expected to represent their nations in their record-breaking sixth World Cups this summer.

While the three legends have already appeared in five tournaments, 2026 represents a final run that would break a tie with historical icons like Lothar Matthaus and Rafael Marquez.

Players with five World Cup appearances

• Antonio Carbajal (Mexico): 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966
• Lothar Matthaus (Germany): 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998
• Rafael Marquez (Mexico): 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018
• Gianluigi Buffon (Italy): 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
• Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
• Lionel Messi (Argentina): 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
• Andres Guardado (Mexico): 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
• Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico): 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022

Head coach Javier Aguirre has decided that the starting goalkeeper for tonight’s match will be Luis Malagon, from America. As a result, Ochoa will begin the match on the bench, despite being one of the team’s most experienced leaders.

In fact, Malagon has been Javier Aguirre’s preferred choice in most matches since the coach began his third stint with the national team, which started in mid-2024 following the team’s failure at the Copa America.

The America goalkeeper played both of Mexico’s matches in this year’s Concacaf Nations League, against Canada and Panama in March. In the friendlies held last week as part of the team’s final preparation for the Gold Cup, he was a substitute in the loss to Switzerland and started in the win over Turkey.

Ochoa’s season

Approaching his 40th birthday, Guillermo Ochoa remains one of the most prominent Mexican players. He joined Avs Futebol of the Primeira Liga—Portugal’s top division—at the beginning of the 2024–25 season.

He appeared in 23 matches during the campaign, although the team’s results were disappointing: they finished 16th in the standings with just 27 points and had to play a relegation playoff against second-division side Vizela to retain their place in the Primeira Liga. Avs won that playoff 5–2 on aggregate, but Ochoa did not play in the decisive match. Instead, Simao Verza Bertell was in goal.

What did coach Aguirre say about Ochoa?

Guillermo Ochoa’s call-up for the Gold Cup drew some criticism in Mexico, given the goalkeeper’s age and the fact that his most recent season was not with a top-tier club. However, Javier Aguirre was full of praise when asked about the 39-year-old.

“I went to see him in Lisbon, he played well, and while his team struggled to stay in the division, I asked him to keep performing at an acceptable level, like he has in recent years,” Aguirre said recently. “He’s a mature man who’s on par with his teammates. I don’t give out favors—everyone is here on merit, and Memo is one of them.”

Ochoa has been a key player in Mexico’s history, he joined the small group of players to play in 5 World Cups, along with Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and his former teammate Andres Guardado, among others.

The experienced goalkeeper played a total of 151 matches for the national team where he kept a clean sheet for 65 games.He was very important in the 2014 World Cup with a marvelous performance against the mighty Brazil. Many people may wonder why this iconic goalkeeper is out of the roster.

Guillermo Ochoa out of Copa America 2024

Guillermo Ochoa won’t be part of Mexico’s squad for the Copa America 2024 due to a decision from the coach Jaime Lozano to make a generational change where young players begin to have more prominence.

In addition, the former Malaga goalkeeper will have to look for a new club as he will not renew his contract with Salernitana of Italy when it expires.

The goalkeepers that Jaime Lozano selected to replace the iconic Guillermo Ochoa are: Angel Malagon (America), Jose Raul Rangel (Chivas) and Julio Gonzalez (Pumas).

According to reporter Nicolò Schira talks are “advanced” between the goalkeeper and the MLS side. Ochoa was recently with Serie A side Salernitana.

At 38, the Mexican national team goalkeeper is still very capable as he continues to backstop on the El Tri and has amassed 150 caps for Mexico.

Guillermo Ochoa’s career

Guillermo Ochoa, widely regarded as one of Mexico’s most accomplished goalkeepers, has carved out a distinguished career both domestically and on the international stage. Ochoa has played for clubs like America, Ajaccio, Malaga, Granada, and Standard Liège.

Ochoa has also been on five World Cup squads for Mexico beginning in the 2006 World Cup. He rose through the ranks of Club América’s youth system before making his professional debut for the club in 2004 at just 18 years old. Ochoa’s exceptional reflexes, shot-stopping ability, and commanding presence quickly caught the attention of fans and scouts alike, earning him the nickname “Memo” and establishing him as a formidable force between the goalposts.

San Diego FC is set to play their first MLS match on opening day next season in MLS, a season that will mark the league’s 30th year since its launch in 1996.

The Nations League will come to an end on Sunday. Once again, the United States will face Mexico in the Final, with both teams adding one more match to their epic rivalry.

This edition has been different, as six teams will qualify to the 2024 Copa America depending on their performance in the Nations League. However, there’s still a huge doubt about the prize money for the winner.

What is the prize money for the 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League?

In the semifinals of the 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League, the United States were able to defeat Jamaica, while Mexico did the same with Panama. Both games ended with a 3-1 score.

Now, the USMNT and el Tricolor will face each other in the grand Final. The United States seek its third title of the tournament, while Mexico wants to lift the trophy for the first time ever.

This edition of the Concacaf Nations League is unique. All four teams in the semifinals have qualified for the 2024 Copa America, while two spots remain to be filled by the winners of the playoff matches.

However, fans are wondering if the champion will receive a monetary prize. Unfortunately, there is no cash reward for the tournament winner, which comes as a surprise to many.

As a comparison, the winner of the UEFA Nations League gets €10.5 million, while the runner-up goes home with €9 million. In Concacaf, all they get is a golden medal and a trophy with 34 diamonds on it.

Is there any other prize in the Concacaf Nations League?

Last year, the top two nations of the tournament got a direct place in the Gold Cup. This year is set to be the same, which means that the United States and Mexico have already qualified for the next edition.

As mentioned earlier, Panama, Jamaica, Mexico, and the United States have qualified to the upcoming Copa America. Canada, Trinidad & Tobago, Costa Rica, and Honduras will compete for the two remaining spots.

However, even with great individual performances, the truth is Ochoa was also part of a major failure in Qatar 2022. The Mexican squad could’t reach the Round of 16 for the first time in three decades.

So, fans are getting tired of the old guard in a new process led by coach Jaime Lozano as the results are not coming. Two disappointing ties in friendlies against Australia and Uzbekistan triggered the alarms. Guillermo Ochoa is on the hot seat.

Mexican fans and media want Guillermo Ochoa out of the national team

Guillermo Ochoa had a big mistake in the third goal of Uzbekistan against Mexico during an International Friendly in Atlanta. It was a free kick which entered the net in a zone that should have been covered by the veteran goalkeeper.

As a consequence, fans and many analysts are asking for a new generation of players at the position. Ricardo La Volpe, one of the most important coaches in Mexico’s history, talked about it.

“There’s no doubt of what Ochoa has demonstrated in the national team. However, in these games, it’s important to see who can be behind him. That’s what’s missing. You have to see new players to be ready. If Ochoa is fine, he will be the starter.”

Nevertheless, La Volpe had a big warning for Mexico. “If he’s healthy, Ochoa is the starter. But, the age…sometimes…you have to be careful. There has to be someone if he’s not ready. You cannot take risks. Right now, there’s not a clear player who can be that man.”

The big question is if there are talented enough players who can compete with Ochoa. Rodolfo Cota is also a veteran at 36-years old and Carlos Acevedo, maybe the biggest prospect, hasn’t delivered when called to the national team and hasn’t received many opportunities.

Another name on the rise could be Fernando Tapia who has been sensational at Queretaro. Luis Malagon is also an option though he has been very irregular playing for Club America.