Goalkeeper Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa, at the age of 39, has recently made a significant decision to transfer to the Portuguese Primeira Liga team, AVS. His primary goal in making this move is to enhance his chances of being called up by Mexico for a remarkable sixth World Cup appearance in 2026. This feat would be unprecedented in men’s football, as no male player has ever participated in six World Cup tournaments. Compared to the women’s side, where midfielder Formiga holds the record with seven Women’s World Cup participations.
Upon his arrival as the new head coach of the Mexico national team, Javier Aguirre made a bold move by excluding veteran players such as Ochoa, Raúl Jiménez, and Hirving “Chucky” Lozano from his initial 26-man call-up for the Mexican national team’s two September friendlies. Despite these omissions, Mexico managed to secure a 3-0 victory against New Zealand and is set to face Canada next at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Despite being left out of the recent national team call-ups, Guillermo Ochoa remains confident in his abilities to earn his place back in the Mexican national team. He sees his move to the Portuguese league as an opportunity to further develop his skills and contribute to both AVS and the Mexican national team. Ochoa mentioned that his Mexico teammates have praised the level of play in Portugal, motivating him to continue working towards his goals of representing El Tri and competing in the upcoming World Cup.
The September friendlies mark the return of Javier Aguirre to his role as the head coach of the Mexican national team. Having previously coached the team in 2001-02 and 2009-10, Aguirre is determined to lead Mexico to success in the upcoming matches and beyond. With Ochoa being Mexico’s most capped goalkeeper with 150 appearances, his experience and leadership will be crucial in the team’s performance.
Joining AVS as a free agent, Guillermo Ochoa is focused on helping the club grow and achieve success in the Portuguese league. Despite AVS currently sitting in 11th place in the league standings, Ochoa remains optimistic about the future and looks forward to making his club debut in the near future. His dedication to both club and country highlights his determination to excel on the field and secure a spot in the record books with a sixth World Cup appearance.