Ochoa's Final Dance? Mexican GK Set To Equal Messi, Ronaldo's Record In 2026 FIFA WC

Last Updated:May 12, 2026, 10:37 IST

Guillermo Ochoa is set for one final World Cup with Mexico, with the 40-year-old goalkeeper closing in on a historic sixth FIFA appearance.

There are very few players who are truly synonymous with the FIFA World Cup — and Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa is certainly one of them.

And now, at 40 years old, the legendary goalkeeper looks set for one final dance on football’s grandest stage.

The stalwart goalkeeper confirmed this week that he has joined the team’s training camp ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the veteran widely expected to be included in Javier Aguirre’s squad for the tournament.

The competition, hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico and Canada, will run from June 11 to July 19 and could mark the final chapter of Ochoa’s career.

“Putting this shirt on again was never routine … it was a privilege," Ochoa wrote on social media.

“Today begins my last training camp. But this time I see it differently. With a fuller heart, more scars, more memories, and the same excitement as the child who once dreamed of defending this badge."

Chasing Football Immortality

If selected, Ochoa will become just the third player in football history to appear at six FIFA World Cups.

That would place him alongside two icons of the modern game — Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Mexican shot-stopper has already represented his country at Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, building a reputation as one of the tournament’s ultimate cult heroes.

Now playing for AEL Limassol in Cyprus, the veteran has earned more than 150 international caps and remains one of the most beloved figures in Mexican football history.

One Last Ride

This World Cup, however, carries a deeper emotional weight.

Ochoa has already confirmed that the tournament will mark the end of his international career and possibly his playing days altogether.

“Retiring is undoubtedly difficult," he told TUDN.

“But in my case, it won’t be so hard because I’ve enjoyed it for so many years, for so long.

“There comes a point when your mind and body say, ‘You’ve given it your all,’ and you leave peacefully. That’s going to be my case."

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