Mexico, the 39-year-old Ochoa dreams big: “I want the sixth World Cup!”

At 39 years old Guillermo Ochoa he is ready to play his sixth career World Cup with the Mexico. At least this is the goal that the expert Mexican goalkeeper has set himself between now and the next World Cup in 2026 which will be played in his country, as well as in the United States and Canada. The goalkeeper, a native of Guadalajara, has been defending the goalposts since last SeptemberAVS – Futebol SADa newly promoted club in Liga Portugal.

The name of Ochoa is an institution in Mexico. Ochoa really doesn’t want to know about stopping playing football at the moment. Indeed, he has already set his sights on his possible sixth World Cup. Ochoa – most capped goalkeeper with elTricolor (152) – he participated in five final stages of the World Cup (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022), as well as having also played in two Confederations Cups, two Olympics, two America’s Cups and six Gold Cups. In his career he defended the posts Of Club America, Ajaccio, Rum raisin, Granada, Standard Liège And Salernitana.

With the Campania team he made 41 overall appearances in Serie A with 77 goals conceded and 5 clean sheets. On the board, at club level, a Mexican championship (Claura 2005), a Campeòn de Campeones (2005), InterLiga (2008) and a Concacaf Champions’ Cup (2006) with Club América, a Belgian Cup (2017-2018 ) with the Standard Liège. With Mexico Ochoa won 5 Gold Cups (2009, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023) and an Olympic bronze at Tokyo 2020.

Adventure in Portugal

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Ochoa chose to move to Vila das Avessmall town 30 minutes from Porto. In a recent long interview, the Mexican goalkeeper confessed that he didn’t even know where the location was: “I didn’t need to talk to anyone about the Portuguese league because it had already been talked about before. We talked a lot, I watched the matches of the Portuguese League with players like Herrera, Corona, Diego Reyes, Layun, Raul Jiménez, Omar Govea. Many of them played for Porto and when I was at the training center with them we talked about Portugal, the quality of life and the game. it’s done in that championship.

Everyone spoke well of it. They said that the food is good, the games are good and that the Portuguese are always ready to help. When AVS called me in the last days of the market, I finally understood where Aves was. My family lives in Madrid, they stayed there. Changing everything at this stage was difficult. Even in Italy I was alone and it’s something you don’t notice in the life of a footballer. There are a lot of things behind it, a lot of difficult responsibilities, decisions to make.”

Adds Ochoa: “The first thing I saw was the city. I didn’t know where Aves was. It’s a small town, close to Porto and the airport, a direct flight to Madrid in 50 minutes, five hours By car. This way I can be close to my family, close to Spain and Madrid. As soon as I finish my career I will go to live in Spain. I can continue playing football at a high level like the Portuguese La Liga, which I knew thanks to to my colleagues who have played here and I knew that the level was good for me and that it would allow me to continue in the national team and see how far I can go. Even as a tourist, I didn’t know much about Aves.

When I arrived, I really liked it. I live in Porto, near the beach, it takes me 30 minutes to get here. Everyone here in Portugal says it takes a lot of time, but for me, living in Mexico, it’s absolutely nothing. Half an hour on the highway, without traffic, is really nothing. I’m very happy. I miss my family, yes. The children then begin to grow.”

Ochoa and the sixth World Cup dream

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There are 8 players who took part in 5 World Cups: Antonio Carbajal (Mexico) with 5 World Cups played; Lothar Matthaus (Germany, 5); Rafa Marquez (Mexico, 5); Lionel Messi (Argentina, 5); Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, 5); Andres Guardado (Mexico, 5); Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, 4 World Cups played and present in 5) and, indeed, Guillermo Ochoa with 3 World Cups played and present in 5 editions.

Ochoa’s real dream is to play his sixth World Cup with his Mexico in 2026: “Yes, I played in five World Cups. A World Cup is something very special, it’s a unique feeling, something important for a player Not everyone gets to play five World Cups and no one has ever played six. Playing the sixth World Cup in Mexico would be very special for me, for Mexican football. I could go down in football history and now, in this moment, only three players can do it: Ronaldo, Messi and me. It’s not easy for a goalkeeper.

They score a lot of goals, it’s easier to score than defend. I want to participate in the 2026 World Cup. We’ll see if I can, I know I’m at the end of my career, it’s not easy. There are more injuries, more ailments, it’s normal, it’s life. Let’s see if I can do it.”