Half of his life path focused on the main football tournament on the planet. In this way, it is possible to summarize the professional journey developed by archer Guillermo Ochoa. The great exponent of the Mexico national team begins this Thursday, in the clash against South Africa (although starting on the bench), his sixth round in the World Cup. A historic feat that only he, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have achieved to date.
— On an individual level, I feel motivated and happy with this unprecedented period in my career, with another World Cup about to start. As I mentioned on different occasions, reaching my sixth World Cup was not a simple task. I feel the same excitement that I recorded in my first experience — said the archer, in a statement given to football’s highest authority.
Guillermo Ochoa is in his sixth World Cup, however he has not played in all editions. In the initial tournament, in 2006, Oswaldo Sánchez occupied the starting position. In 2010, Óscar Pérez gained a new opportunity at the age of 37 — precisely overcoming competition from Guillermo Ochoa.
- 2006 – Remained in reserve throughout the tournament
- 2010 – Remained in reserve throughout the tournament
- 2014 – Played in four matches: two wins, one draw and a single defeat
- 2018 – Played in four matches: two victories and two setbacks
- 2022 – Played in three matches: got a triumph, a draw and a single defeat
The athlete held the title for the Mexican goal in 2014, 2018 and 2022. Guillermo Ochoa presents himself for the 2026 competition without being unanimously preferred for the position. Even in the face of Luis Malagón’s absence, due to physical problems, the likely scenario points to him being José Raúl Rangel’s immediate backup.
However, this condition does not reduce its relevance to athletes and the country’s citizens, in a broad sense. It was up to Guillermo Ochoa to receive Mexico’s national pavilion from the hands of the country’s highest ruler, Claudia Sheinbaum, during a ceremony held last Monday.
The defender spent the year 2025 without appearing on the Mexico national team’s squad lists, but ended up being remembered for the preparatory clash against Australia in May and secured a place in the definitive list for the 2026 tournament. A squad that also features the youngest competitor in the entire championship.
— To be quite honest, Memo is one of my great references, since since childhood, every time I followed the national team’s matches, he positioned himself in the goal, preventing us from suffering defeats. Currently, taking advantage of the opportunity to be on the pitch with him and count on his partnership in the squad represents the achievement of a great objective — declared young midfielder Gil Mora, currently 17 years old.
How did Guillermo Ochoa achieve such an accelerated rise to the position of main archer in the Mexican squadron? His first match for the national team took place in December 2005, in a friendly match against Hungary, when he was 20 years old. At that time, he was in his third year as a main athlete in América. The chance in the Mexican club’s top team came through the support of a professional born in Brazil.
— I was responsible for giving Memo Ochoa the first chance. His given name is Guillermo, but we call him Memo. I’ve been following his evolution since his formative period in America. He will not start among the starters, however he is focused and has full capabilities. It is not a simple task to endure a cycle of six World Cups. There is a need to tolerate a lot of pressure. Present an extremely relevant constancy. I have enormous consideration and deep admiration for its history — declared former Brazilian athlete Zaguinho, holder of the title of greatest scorer in the history of América and the Azteca Stadium.
