The historic milestone Guillermo Ochoa aims to reach with Mexico: Can Messi and Ronaldo achieve it too?

12/15/2024 12:52 PM

The Mexican goalkeeper aims to break the record by playing in the 2026 tournament, acknowledging the challenge posed by his age and current lack of playing time.

Veteran Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is aiming to make history by playing in his sixth FIFA World Cup. The 39-year-old, currently playing in Portugal, believes he can achieve this remarkable feat despite his age and current lack of playing time.

Ochoa's ambition would make him the only player to ever participate in six World Cups. While acknowledging the challenge, Ochoa expressed his determination in an interview with Flash Score: "I've played in five World Cups, and a World Cup is something very special, something important for a player. Not everyone gets to play in five World Cups, and nobody has been in six."

He expressed his profound desire to play in another World Cup, particularly in Mexico: "Playing in a sixth World Cup, in Mexico, would be very special for me, for Mexican football. It would go down in soccer history, and right now, at this stage, only three players could do it: Ronaldo, Messi, and me."

Competition from Messi and Ronaldo

Ochoa's pursuit of this record faces stiff competition from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who are also expected to participate in the 2026 World Cup, despite their age. Both players have already played in five World Cups.

Ochoa's extensive World Cup experience includes appearances in Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, and Qatar 2022. He acknowledges the challenges of maintaining his form and fitness at his age, including the increased risk of injury: "It's not easy as a goalkeeper. They score a lot of goals; it's easier to score goals than to defend. I want to be at the World Cup. We'll see if I can do it; I know I'm at the end of my career. It's not easy; there are more injuries, more pain, it's normal, that's life. Let's see if I can do it."

Ochoa is not the only player to have participated in five World Cups. Rafa Márquez, Andrés Guardado, and Antonio Carbajal also hold this record for Mexico, alongside Messi, Ronaldo, Gianluigi Buffon, and Lothar Matthäus internationally. Ochoa's immense contribution to the Mexican national team over the years is indisputable, enhancing his chances of making the squad even if this might not be the most objectively reasonable decision from a purely sporting point of view.