Guillermo Ochoa ends 22-year playing career
The Mexico goalkeeper retired at 41 after a career that included six World Cup rosters, a long club career in Mexico and Europe, and six Gold Cup titles.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
Guillermo Ochoa has retired from professional football, closing a 22-year career that made him one of Mexico’s most prominent goalkeepers, according to The Associated Press. The 41-year-old’s decision ends speculation over whether he would seek another club after saying the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be his final tournament.
Ochoa announced the move Tuesday in a social media post cited by AP. “I gave it my all; I left everything on the field for my clubs and the national team, and today I hang up my gloves,” he wrote. “Being a goalkeeper means knowing you might wait 90 minutes for a single moment when everything depends on you. And when that moment arrives, you cannot hesitate.”
A six-World Cup career
Ochoa was named to Mexico’s squad for six World Cups, a total AP said he shares with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He was Mexico’s starting goalkeeper at the 2014 tournament in Brazil, the 2018 tournament in Russia and the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
At the 2026 World Cup in North America, Ochoa was mainly a reserve behind Raul Rangel, according to AP. Mexico manager Javier Aguirre brought him on for the final 13 minutes of Mexico’s last group-stage match against Czechia.
AP reported that after that match at Azteca Stadium, Ochoa kissed the goalposts, knelt as teammates embraced him and later walked to the centre circle after many fans had left. The stadium carried added meaning for Ochoa because his top-flight career began there with Club America.
Club America roots and years in Europe
Ochoa made his first-division debut for Mexico City club Club America in February 2004, AP reported. He spent seven seasons with the club before moving to Ajaccio in 2011, becoming the first Mexico-born goalkeeper to play in Europe.
His club career also included spells at Malaga, Granada, Standard Liege, Salernitana, AVS Futebol and AEL Limassol, according to AP. He also returned to Club America for three years from 2019 to 2022.
Ochoa won the Clausura league title with Club America in 2005 and later won the Belgian Cup with Standard Liege, AP reported. With Mexico, he won six CONCACAF Gold Cup titles and earned an Olympic bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
In his retirement message, Ochoa framed the decision as the end of a career that exceeded his expectations. “I never imagined how far a dream could take me. Today, I can only look back with pride and say: Thank you,” he wrote, according to AP. “I take with me the affection of millions and the peace of mind that comes with knowing I gave everything for Mexico.”
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.