With just over two months remaining until the start of the 2026 World Cup, Guillermo Ochoa has been recalled to Mexico’s squad. This puts him in a strong position to reach a record also coveted by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo: the most appearances in the FIFA tournament.
Currently, Ochoa, Messi, and Ronaldo are part of a select group of players who have featured in five different World Cups. Other legends from the past include Germany’s Lothar Matthaus and Mexico’s Antonio Carbajal, Rafael Marquez, and Andres Guardado.
Having started his World Cup journey in Germany 2006, Ochoa, Messi, and Ronaldo also featured in South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, and Qatar 2022. The Argentine forward and the Portuguese star appear likely to participate in North America 2026, putting them within reach of the historic record of becoming the first players to appear in six World Cups.
Ochoa, on the other hand, until just a few weeks ago seemed almost out of contention, having lost favor with head coach Javier Aguirre as one of Mexico’s goalkeepers. However, Luis Malagon’s serious Achilles tendon injury unexpectedly opened the door for his return.
Mexico icon Guillermo Ochoa.
Ochoa back with Mexico
This week, the Mexico national team officially announced its 26-player squad selected by Javier Aguirre for the FIFA March break friendlies against Portugal and Belgium. Guillermo Ochoa is listed as one of the three goalkeepers, alongside Carlos Acevedo and Raul Rangel.
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For Ochoa, this marks his return to Mexico after several months away. He had not been included in the September, October, November, January, or February call-ups, and his World Cup hopes appeared uncertain.
His last call-up was for the 2025 Gold Cup, where he did not see any game time. To find the last occasion Ochoa played internationally, one must go back to November 2024, when he appeared against Honduras in the Concacaf Nations League.
Ochoa at club level
At 40 years old, it’s clear that Guillermo Ochoa’s prime days as a professional player are behind him. Nevertheless, he remains active in the Cypriot league: in the 2025-26 season, he has made 24 appearances—all as a starter—for AEL Limassol.
