Guillermo Ochoa

Lore & Background

Ochoa made his professional debut with América in 2004, where he won the Clausura 2005 league title, the 2005 Campeón de Campeones and the 2006 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. He moved to Europe in 2011, playing for Ajaccio in France, Malaga and Granada in Spain and Standard Liège in Belgium, where he won the 2017–18 Belgian Cup. He returned to América in 2019, setting a club record for the most clean sheets, before returning to Europe with spells at Salernitana in Italy, AVS in Portugal, and AEL Limassol in Cyprus.

Over his career, he made more than 750 senior club appearances. Ochoa received his first cap for Mexico at age 20 in a friendly match against Hungary. He was selected for six consecutive FIFA World Cup squads between 2006 and 2026, joining a select group of players to achieve the feat. His international career also included appearances at two FIFA Confederations Cups, two Olympic tournaments (winning a bronze medal in 2020), two Copas América, one Toulon Tournament, one CONCACAF Pre-Olympic Tournament, four CONCACAF Nations Leagues and seven CONCACAF Gold Cups.

Winning six Gold Cup titles, he is the most successful player in the tournament's history. Prior to the start of the 2026 World Cup, Ochoa announced his intention to retire from professional football at the end of Mexico's run, concluding his career following their elimination in the round of 16.

Reader's Guide

Ochoa made his debut with América during the Clausura 2004 tournament against Monterrey, being only 18 years old when called up by head coach Leo Beenhakker. He quickly demonstrated his skill and talent in goal, and the young goalkeeper was thrust into the spotlight to replace injured veteran Adolfo Ríos. He would then share the starting job with Ríos after he recovered from his aforementioned injury. At the conclusion of his first season, he won the Rookie of the Tournament award.

When the Apertura 2004 tournament began, Ochoa was thought to be the heir apparent to Ríos, who had retired. However, new head coach Oscar Ruggeri brought new goalkeepers with him, among them Argentine Sebastián Saja. Ruggeri's stay at the club was marred by controversy and unpopular decisions. He was fired after only six games into the season and Ochoa was soon reinstated by new coach Mario Carrillo.

Thereafter, he started every game for Club América save for incidents involving injuries or national team duty. Under Carrillo, Ochoa won his first championship with América following the Clausura 2005 season. He also won the 2005 Campeón de Campeones and the 2006 CONCACAF Champions' Cup with América. His high-level domestic performances during this period culminated in him winning consecutive Golden Glove awards for the 2006–07 season.

The peak of Ochoa's first stint with América arrived in October 2007, when he was included in France Football's shortlist for the Ballon d'Or. He made history as the first Mexican player ever nominated for the prestigious award, finishing 30th overall in the global voting and standing out as one of only three candidates on the shortlist who did not play for a European club at the time. He sustained this elite form into early 2008, helping América win the InterLiga tournament with excellent performances, most notably in the group match against Monarcas Morelia, where he saved a late penalty kick, preserving América's 1–0 lead.

By the winter of 2010, his performances drew substantial transfer interest from abroad, with British media widely reporting that Manchester United were heavily tracking the goalkeeper for the 2011-12 season. Ochoa ultimately concluded his first era with Club América at the end of the Clausura 2011 tournament, following a quarter-final defeat to Monarcas Morelia, before completing his highly anticipated move to Europe.