Guillermo Ochoa, Mexico’s best ever goalkeeper, has announced he will retire from football after the 2026 World Cup. The AEL Limassol goalkeeper will be named for the Mexico squad for a sixth time in his career after having the only major career in Europe for a Mexican goalkeeper as well as some of the best, if not the best, performances by a Mexican goalkeeper in the World Cup. Ochoa, who came out of Club America, had spells in France, Spain, Belgium, Italy and Portugal besides his current spell in Cyprus.
He was the starting goalkeeper for Mexico in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Guillermo Ochoa made his debut in first division in 2004 with Club America. He would soon gain the starting spot with his great level shown and would only have a setback when Sebastian Saja temporarily benched him in the short tenure of coach Oscar Ruggeri. With America he would win the Liga MX Clausura 2005 title and had enough recognition to be constantly called for the World Cup but not enough to get playing time. He made the 2006 World Cup squad as the third goalkeeper without playing a minute. In 2007 he would made his big statement match with the National team when he started in the 2007 Copa America against Brazil and had a standout performance in a shocking 2-0 victory for Mexico. Incredibly in the next match against Ecuador, he would be benched for Oswald Sanchez. Ochoa would play the third match against Chile (with Mexico already qualified to the Quarterfinals) and the third place Match. Ochoa continued standing out with America and became the Mexican National team starter as Sanchez stopped being called up. Ochoa would win the 2009 Gold Cup with Mexico (with a key performance in the Penalty Kick shootout of the semifinal clash against Costa Rica) and help Mexico to qualify to the World Cup. In 2010 he had a supposed drop in his level and controversially coach Javier Aguirre would call him up to the 2010 World Cup but it was Oscar Perez who would start all four matches.
In 2011, Ochoa would be one of five players suspended in the 2011 Gold Cup because of testing positive for Clenbuterol. The players were determined to have consumed Clenbuterol accidentally because of tainted meat, as the chemical had been widely used in Mexico’s bovine industry. Ochoa would then make a move to European football as he went to France to play in Ajaccio. In Ajaccio, Ochoa shined and had great performance as he became one of the top goalkeepers in Ligue 1 and was long rumored for moves to a bigger team. With Mexico though, Jesus Corona had gained the starting position with his performance in the 2012 Olympic games where Mexico won the gold medal (Corona had been one of three overage players in the squad). After Mexico barely qualified to the World Cup, Corona looked set to be the starter until he got injured in a friendly against Israel. Ochoa would then win the starting spot and give quite simply the best ever performance by a Mexican goalkeeper in the World Cup. In a 0-0 tie against Brazil, Ochoa made one of the best saves of the tournament off a header by Neymar as Mexico shocked the hosts. Mexico would go out in the Round of 16 but overall have one of the better performances in their World Cup history and Ochoa would be one of the standouts of the tournament.
After the World Cup, Ochoa would make a disastrous move to Malaga. While Malaga seemed like an up and coming team, he wasn’t brought up because of the coach and was benched in favor of goalkeeper Carlos Kameni. He would have a loan spell in Granada, where he would be relegated before leaving for Standard Liege in Belgium. There he once again became a top keeper and was the undisputed starter for Mexico. In the 2018 World Cup, he was the goalkeeper as Mexico had their best ever first round result by defeating the defending champion Germany with a 1-0 score. He would have some key performances as Mexico once again made it to the Round of 16.
Ochoa would return to Club America, where he would have some good performances but not enough to win a title. He would win the 2019 Gold Cup title and in 2021, he would take part in the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo where Mexico won a Gold Medal. It was no surprise that Ochoa would once again be the starting goalkeeper in the 2022 World Cup for Mexico. In the first match against Poland, he once again made the world highlights when he stopped a Penalty Kick by Robert Lewandowski, one of the top forwards in world football in a 0-0 tie. Overall Mexico failed to make it out of the group stage of the World Cup for the first time since 1978 (not counting failing to qualify in 1982 and being suspended in 1990).
In 2022, Ochoa would return to Europe to play in Salternitana, where he stood out. As Mexico’s starting goalkeeper, he would win the 2023 Gold Cup. Ochoa would get relegated with Salernitana and then move to AVS but although he would still get called up for Mexico, he would lose the starting position to Luis Malagon and now Raul Rangel. Ochoa made a move to AEL Limassol in a bid to make it to another World Cup, where he would be a part of the squad but almost assuredly he will not start.
Guillermo Ochoa announced what everybody expected, he will hang the gloves after the 2026 World Cup. Ochoa’s career with the Mexican National team and in European football has him as the most notable Mexican goalkeeper, followed closely by Jorge Campos. Ochoa leaves football as an icon for Mexico and should Mexico have a player with his level in the future, things would be good for the Mexican National team.
