Oh Ochoa!

The Mexican goalkeeper played in his sixth World Cup

There are moments in life that make life worth living. Everyone chooses these moments for themselves. And millions of people around the world were waiting for 40-year-old Guillermo Ochoa to take to the emerald lawn in the match with the Czech Republic...

The public first noticed this curly-haired handsome man in 2006, at a world forum in Germany. He was listed as the third goalkeeper after Osvaldo Sanchez and Jose Corona, but with his smile the boy from “America”, recognized as the best rookie of the season that year in Mexico, lit up the entire white and green bench.

Of course, then it was difficult to imagine that Ochoa would stay in the national team for two decades. But when he was entrusted with post number one, he immediately took, as they say, the bull by the horns. In 2007, at the America's Cup, Guillermo did not allow the Brazilians to score in the group stage match, and in the battle for third place, he missed only one shot from the powerful Uruguay, and Mexico, winning 3:1, won bronze. This is how a funny meme was born: “America” discovered Guillermo, and Guillermo discovered America.

Moreover, after those exploits, he was included in the list of candidates for the Ballon d'Or. And although the young sentry did not receive any votes, he became the first Mexican to be nominated for an honorary prize. True, the test of fame (and he appeared on the covers of the FIFA 2008 and FIFA 2009 computer games), let’s be honest, he couldn’t stand it a little and relaxed. And I watched the 2010 World Cup in South Africa from a bench under a canopy...

Experts believed that his journey in the national team would end on this note. But Ochoa pulled himself together and proved: it’s too early to write him off.

He rushed to the modest French “Ajaccio”, where he sometimes gave simply fantastic “dry” performances. And national team coach Miguel Herrera returned to Guillermo's candidacy before the World Cup in the Land of the Wild Apes.

Ochoa did not disappoint: neither the Cameroonians nor the Brazilians could print him... That tournament, as the goalkeeper himself put it, became an important Rubicon for him. And although Mexico then flew out in the 1/8 finals, its goalkeeper received truly global recognition.

In club football, his entire career did not go well. Not in “Malaga”, not in “Granada”, not in the Italian “Salernitana”, not in the Portuguese ABC, not in the Cypriot AEL... True, thanks to his help, the Belgian “Standard” took the country’s Cup and got on the podium of the domestic championship. But that was just an episode.

However, in the national team jersey, Ochoa, who had never played in top clubs, was always transformed beyond recognition. It was like a lion possessed him. He is a six-time CONCACAF Gold Cup champion. Moreover, in 2019 and 2023, he took the Golden Glove and was included in the symbolic teams based on the results of the competition. He is also a bronze medalist at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo...

In 2018, Guillermo came to Russia. After the fight with Germany, in which he made a dozen saves, and Mexico punished the reigning world champion 1:0, a huge line lined up for Ochoa's autograph. And Guillermo did not refuse anyone either a photo or a signature stroke. The fans thanked him, and the goalkeeper said that he was still thinking about jumping for the ball in Qatar 2022. The journalists chuckled.

But 48 months from now they will be giving the newspapers glowing reports of how the 37-year-old veteran took a penalty from Robert Lewandowski to keep Mexico a goalless draw...

And I retained the motivation and desire to continue. That’s why I was included in the application for my next and record sixth world championship in the USA. Coach Javier Aguirre chose the native of Guadalajara as the third. Of course, if Mexico had not defeated South Africa and South Korea, Ochoa would most likely still be smiling at the fans from the sidelines. But early entry into the playoffs allowed us to watch the legend in action again.

When it was early morning in Moscow, Guillermo, warmly embraced by main goalkeeper Raul Rangel before the historic event, ran in every sense towards his goal. To probably please the fans for the last time.

Yes, it was the 78th minute of the match between Mexico and the Czech Republic, but who really cared? The Azteca cheered and cheered as if the man in the blue number 13 jersey had single-handedly won the World Cup for them. When he kicked the ball into the field, the commentators simply couldn’t be heard... And then an absolutely cinematic thing happened: the national team’s living mascot directed the ball so well into the opponent’s half of the field that he dispersed, as it turned out, the scoring attack. And after Alvaro Fidalgo gave the Czechs the third “can,” the whole team rushed to cuddle and congratulate captain Francisco Guillermo Ochoa Magaña, who did not concede in what was perhaps his last, 153rd match for the national team. I didn’t miss, I repeat, at my sixth World Championships.

The hero himself, who will turn 41 on July 13, said about his achievement: “Messi and Ronaldo are many light years ahead of me. In terms of goals scored and trophies won. It's stupid for me to compare myself to them. But to be in such unique company is fantastic.”

Congratulations, Goalkeeper!