40-year-old goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa has been included in the preliminary list for World Cup 2026, and is widely expected to be included in the final list by coach Javier Aguirre for the Mexican team. This would make him only one of three players to appear in six editions of World Cup (after Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, and Qatar 2022), alongside Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal and Leo Messi for Argentina, who are also expected to be included in their teams.
Ochoa made his debut for Mexico at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, even if he did not play (was third goalkeeper). His senior debut for the national team was in 2005, and went to 2006 World Cup also as third-choice goalkeeper. He was also unused in the 2010 World Cup but his importance grew and made one of his most memorable performances in a 0-0 draw against Brazil at the 2014 World Cup, saving a header from Neymar that drew comparisons to Gordon Banks' save against Pelé in 1970.
In clubs, Ochoa played between 2003-2011 and between 2019 and 2023 in Club América, in the Mexican Primera División, and also played in Ligue 1 (Ajaccio), LaLiga (Málaga, Granada), Belgian Pro League (Standard Liège), and Serie A (Salernitana). Currently he plays in Cyprus, in AEL Limasol.
Ochoa has made 151 appearances for the Mexican team and if selected, he will play in the friendlies against Ghana on May 22, Australia on May 30 and Serbia on June 4, before their debut game of the tournament against South Africa on June 11.