The possible selection of Guillermo Ochoa as a starter for Mexico in their sixth participation in the World Cup is gaining momentum. After the Mexican team secured an early place in the next phase of the tournament, rumors in the local media indicate that the iconic 40-year-old goalkeeper could start this Wednesday’s match, at 10pm, Mexico City time, against the Czech Republic.
The decision to include Ochoa in the first team could go beyond coach Javier Aguirre’s strategy of saving important players for the following stages of the championship. The goalkeeper’s entry would be a recognition of his trajectory, marking his sixth World Cup — despite him not being a starter in this edition and not having played in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.
“For Memo (Ochoa), this would be something truly extraordinary. In my view, he represents a legend for Mexico and the national team. He is an athlete who has always shown total dedication to the national team. In the end, I believe that Vasco (Aguirre) will make the best decision, and all 26 players in the squad are prepared if given a chance. I am sure that he will act correctly”, declared Alexis Vega, the attacking midfielder and number 10 of the Mexican team, on Tuesday.
The remarkable record of six World Cup appearances
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Guillermo Ochoa reach the mark of six appearances in the 2026 World Cup, solidifying themselves as the athletes with the most appearances in the world tournament. On the Brazilian scene, seven names, including King Pelé, share third place in this survey, with four editions of the World Cup under their belt.
The trio formed by the Portuguese, Argentine and Mexican surpassed four other players who played in five World Cups: Antonio Carbajal (Mexico), Lothar Matthäus (Germany), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy) and Rafael Márquez (Mexico). The current record holders participated in the 2006 (Germany), 2010 (South Africa), 2014 (Brazil), 2018 (Russia) and 2022 (Qatar) editions.
However, the fact that Ochoa did not play in two editions of the World Cup would be the reason, as reported by the Mexican press, for FIFA not granting him the “Legacy” badge on his uniform — an element of value that few news stories highlight, contrasting the honor for participation with the requirement for minutes on the field. The highest football entity did not comment on the matter. Other athletes with five or more World Cups, such as Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Manuel Neuer (Germany), Luka Modric (Croatia) and Yuto Nagatomo (Japan), display the adornment on the sleeve of their shirts in their respective games.