The stage will soon be ready to be set for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico—a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Mexican soccer. The eyes of the world will focus not only on emerging talents but also on the game’s greatest icons. With Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo expected to feature one last time, another player, equally consistent in the tournament’s folklore, seemed destined to join them in a historic sixth appearance.
But whispers have emerged, casting doubt over the presence of one of Mexico’s most iconic players—a man whose very name conjures memories of breathtaking saves, impossible reflexes, and heroic performances every four years. While his teammate Santiago Gimenez looks to lead the next generation, this veteran’s name may be absent from the squad list when Mexico kicks off on home soil.
Internet sensation and World Cup legend
That mystery man? Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa.
Few goalkeepers in world soccer have ever enjoyed the kind of love and mythos Ochoa has earned. Across five World Cup appearances, Ochoa has transformed himself from a solid club performer into a national hero, stepping into the global spotlight with stunning performances that became the stuff of legend.
From six saves against Brazil in 2014, including two miraculous stops on Neymar and Thiago Silva, to nine saves against Germany in 2018, helping Mexico stun the then-defending champions, he has consistently risen to the occasion. Even in Qatar 2022, at age 37, he proved his enduring brilliance by saving Robert Lewandowski’s penalty, earning the Tricolor a vital point against Poland.
“To appear at a sixth World Cup in Mexico would be very special for me; for Mexican football, it would go down in football history, and now, at this stage, only three players can do it: Ronaldo, Messi and me,” Ochoa said in a recent 2024 interview with Flashscore. “It’s not easy as a goalkeeper… but I want to be at the World Cup. We’ll see if I can.”
Race against time
Now 39 years old, Ochoa currently plays in Portugal with AVS, a move intended to keep him sharp and on the national team’s radar. He remains professional, dedicated, and physically prepared—but soccer moves fast, and a new generation of Mexican goalkeepers is making their claim.
The biggest sign of a shift came during the CONCACAF Nations League Finals, where Luis Angel Malagon, Raul Rangel, and Carlos Moreno were selected over him by coach Javier Aguirre. This exclusion raised eyebrows and led to speculation that Ochoa’s time with El Tri might be over.
And the harshest blow? Oswaldo Sanchez, himself a legendary goalkeeper with three World Cups under his belt, doesn’t see the veteran as a member of the 2026 roster. “I see both of them [Malagon and Rangel] doing very well… and I would add Carlos Acevedo,” Sanchez said at the official unveiling of the World Cup poster in Guadalajara. “Those are the three who should be fighting for the position.”
