Guillermo Ochoa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Guillermo Ochoa

Ochoa with Mexico at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Date of birth	(1985-07-13) 13 July 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth	Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Height	1.85 m
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club	AVS
Number	13
Youth career
	América
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2003	Tigrillos UANL Coapa	12	(0)
2004–2011	América	239	(0)
2004	→ San Luis (loan)	1	(0)
2011–2014	Ajaccio	112	(0)
2014–2017	Málaga	11	(0)
2016–2017	→ Granada (loan)	38	(0)
2017–2019	Standard Liège	78	(0)
2019–2022	América	118	(0)
2022–2024	Salernitana	41	(0)
2024–	AVS	8	(0)
National team‡
2004	Mexico U23	6	(0)
2021	Mexico Olympic (O.P.)	6	(0)
2005–	Mexico	151	(0)
Honours Men's football Representing  Mexico CONCACAF Gold Cup Winner 2009 United States Winner 2011 United States Winner 2015 United States–Canada Winner 2019 USA–Costa Rica–Jamaica Winner 2023 United States–Canada Runner-up 2007 United States Copa América Third 2007 Venezuela CONCACAF Nations League Runner-up 2021 United States Runner-up 2024 United States Third 2023 United States Olympic Games Bronze 2020 Tokyo Team
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 January 2025. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 November 2024

Francisco Guillermo Ochoa Magaña (born 13 July 1985), known as Memo Ochoa, is a Mexican professional footballer. He plays as a goalkeeper for the club AVS in Portugal. He also plays for the Mexico national team.

Memo Ochoa is a very important player for Mexico. He has played more games than any other goalkeeper for his country. He is currently third on the list of all-time appearances for the national team, with 151 games.

Ochoa started his professional career with Club América in Mexico in 2004. He quickly became their main goalkeeper and won a league title with them. In 2011, he moved to France to play for Ajaccio. After three seasons there, he joined Málaga in Spain. He then played for Granada on loan. In 2017, he moved to Standard Liège in Belgium, where he won the 2017–18 Belgian Cup. He returned to Club América in 2019. In 2022, he went back to Europe to play for Salernitana in Italy.

He has been a key player for Mexico since 2005. Ochoa has played in five FIFA World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022). He is known for his amazing saves and great performances in these big tournaments. He has also played in many other international competitions, including the FIFA Confederations Cup, Olympic Games, Copa América, and CONCACAF Gold Cup. He has won five Gold Cup titles, making him the most successful player in that competition's history.

Playing for Clubs

América: Early Career and Success

Ochoa with América in 2006

Guillermo Ochoa started his career with Club América when he was just 18 years old. He made his first team debut in 2004. He quickly showed how talented he was as a goalkeeper. He even filled in for an injured veteran player.

After his first season, he won the Rookie of the Tournament award. He soon became the main goalkeeper for América. Under coach Mario Carrillo, Ochoa won his first championship with América in 2005. He also helped the team win the 2005 Campeón de Campeones and the 2006 CONCACAF Champions' Cup.

He was recognized as the best goalkeeper in the Mexican league for two seasons in a row (2006–07). In 2007, he was even named as a candidate for the Ballon d'Or award, which is for the best player in the world.

In 2008, Ochoa helped América win the InterLiga tournament. He made some excellent saves, including a penalty kick. His last season with América before moving to Europe was in 2011.

Ajaccio: Moving to France

First Season in France (2011–12)

Ochoa with Ajaccio in 2011

On 4 July 2011, Ochoa signed a three-year contract with the French club Ajaccio. The team had just been promoted to Ligue 1, France's top league. He played his first official game for Ajaccio on 5 August 2011.

Ochoa quickly became a key player for Ajaccio. He helped them win important games and keep clean sheets (not letting the other team score). In his first season, he had 8 clean sheets. Even though his team let in many goals, fans voted him Player of the Season.

Second and Third Seasons (2012–14)

Ochoa decided to stay with Ajaccio for the 2012–13 season. He continued to play a big role in the team's success. He helped them get a 0–0 draw against strong team Paris Saint-Germain. He finished that season with 12 clean sheets and was again voted Player of the Season by the fans.

In his third season (2013–14), Ochoa played his 100th game in Europe. After a tough season, Ajaccio was moved down to Ligue 2, the second division. Ochoa played his last game for the club on 17 May 2014. The club thanked him in a special message when he left.

Málaga: Time in Spain

Joining Málaga (2014–15)

Ochoa signed a three-year contract with Spanish club Málaga on 1 August 2014. However, he didn't play much in the league at first. The coach preferred another goalkeeper. He played his first game for Málaga in a cup match in December.

Even though there were rumors he might move to other clubs, he stayed with Málaga. In 2014, he was ranked among the world's best goalkeepers.

Playing More (2015–16)

On 5 March 2016, Ochoa finally made his league debut for Málaga. He came into the game after the main goalkeeper got injured. It was his first league game in over a year.

Loan to Granada (2016–17)

In July 2016, Ochoa joined Granada on a loan for one season. He played his first game for them in August. In May 2017, Ochoa set a new record for the most goals conceded in a single La Liga season. He let in 82 goals. However, he also made the most saves (162) among goalkeepers in Europe's top leagues. Granada was moved down to the second division that season.

Ochoa played every minute of Granada's season. The club's fans voted him their Player of the Season.

Standard Liège: Belgian Adventure

Ochoa with Standard Liège in 2017

On 9 July 2017, Ochoa signed a two-year contract with Belgian club Standard Liège. He quickly became the team's main goalkeeper. In his first season, he played almost all of their league games.

In his second season (2018–19), Ochoa played in every league match and also in the Europa League. He was named the club's Player of the Season. In May 2019, he hinted that he might leave Standard Liège.

Return to América

Ochoa training with América

On 5 August 2019, Ochoa returned to his first club, Club América. He signed a three-and-a-half-year deal. It was reported that he would be the highest-paid Mexican player in the Liga MX. He chose the number 6 jersey.

He played his first game back with América on 24 August. The team reached the league finals that season. Ochoa played in both final games and even saved a penalty kick in the shootout. However, Monterrey won the championship.

In August 2020, he became the team captain for the first time since returning to América. On 24 August 2022, Ochoa made history for Club América. He became the goalkeeper with the most clean sheets in the club's 105-year history, breaking the old record of 110.

Salernitana: Italian Experience

On 23 December 2022, Ochoa signed with Italian club Salernitana. He helped the club avoid being moved down to a lower league. Because of his great performance, Ochoa won Salernitana's Player of The Season award. He left the club in 2024 when they were moved down to the Serie B.

AVS: New Chapter in Portugal

On 2 September 2024, Ochoa signed with Portuguese club AVS. He joined them as a free agent.

Playing for Mexico

Early Years and First World Cups (2004–2010)

Ochoa was part of Mexico's team for the 2004 Summer Olympics but didn't play. He made his debut for the senior national team on 14 December 2005, when he was 20 years old. Mexico won that friendly match 2–0.

He was called up for the 2006 FIFA World Cup as the third-choice goalkeeper. He also played in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2007 Copa América. He was praised for his performance against Brazil in the Copa América.

Ochoa was the captain for the under-23 team in the Olympic qualifiers. Mexico didn't qualify for the Olympics that year. He played most of the qualification matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He was part of the team that won the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. In the semi-final, he saved a penalty in a shootout, helping Mexico win. He was named to the All-Tournament Team. For the 2010 World Cup, he was a back-up goalkeeper.

2011: Gold Cup and False Allegations

During the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Ochoa and four other Mexican players had a positive test for a banned substance. They were removed from the team. However, they were later cleared by the Mexican Football Federation. It was found that the substance came from contaminated meat, and they didn't mean to take it. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) later dropped their appeal.

2014 FIFA World Cup: A Star is Born

Ochoa in action against Brazil during their group stage match at the 2014 FIFA World Cup

On 9 May 2014, Ochoa was chosen for Mexico's team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He started in Mexico's first game, a 1–0 win against Cameroon. This was his first time playing in a World Cup match, after being a reserve in two previous tournaments.

On 17 June, in the game against host country Brazil, Ochoa made four incredible saves. One save, from a powerful header by Neymar, was compared to a famous save by Gordon Banks in 1970. This helped Mexico get a 0–0 draw. Ochoa was named man of the match and received praise from many, including Brazil's coach. He said it was "the match of my life."

Mexico won their group and moved to the next round. Ochoa played in Mexico's knockout match against the Netherlands. He made several important saves. Even though the Netherlands won 2–1 with a late penalty, Ochoa's performance was highly praised. He was named man of the match for a second time.

2017 FIFA Confederations Cup

Ochoa was part of the team for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. In the third-place match against Portugal, he made many crucial saves. He even stopped a penalty kick. Mexico lost the game, but Ochoa won the man of the match award.

2018 FIFA World Cup: More Heroics

Ochoa celebrating against Germany at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

In May 2018, Ochoa was again named to the squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In Mexico's first game against Germany, Ochoa made nine saves. He notably pushed a powerful free-kick onto the crossbar. This helped Mexico win 1–0 and keep a clean sheet. He played in all four of Mexico's games, making 25 saves.

2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup: Another Title

Ochoa was included in the team for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup. In the quarterfinal against Costa Rica, he made many key saves. The game went to a penalty shootout, where he made a critical stop to send Mexico to the semi-final. He won the man of the match award. Mexico won the final against the United States. Ochoa was named to the tournament's Best XI and won the Golden Glove Award. This was his fifth Gold Cup, a record for a Mexican player.

2020 Summer Olympics: Bronze Medal

Ochoa was chosen as one of the older players for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. This was his second time at the Olympic Games. He helped the Olympic team win the bronze medal.

2022 FIFA World Cup: Fifth World Cup

In November 2022, Ochoa was named to the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This was his fifth World Cup, a huge achievement. In Mexico's first match against Poland, Ochoa saved a penalty kick from Robert Lewandowski. This helped Mexico get a 0–0 draw, and he won the man of the match award.

2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup: Captain and Champion

After the previous captain retired, Ochoa officially became the captain of the national team. In June 2023, he was called up for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Mexico won their ninth Gold Cup title, beating Panama 1-0 in the final. This was Ochoa's fifth Gold Cup title, making him the most successful player in the competition's history. He kept four clean sheets during the tournament and again won the Golden Glove award. He was also included in the competition's best eleven.

How He Plays

Experts describe Guillermo Ochoa as a very confident and strong goalkeeper. He has a lot of experience, which helps him handle pressure well. He has played in many important tournaments like the World Cup.

Ochoa is excellent at dealing with high balls, like crosses or shots in the air. He can catch them or push them away with strong dives. His reflexes are incredibly fast, allowing him to make amazing saves even after blocking an earlier shot. He is also good at closing down angles to make it harder for opponents to score.

Ochoa has said that famous goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel influenced his playing style.

Personal Life

Guillermo Ochoa is married to Mexican model Karla Mora. They have three children: a daughter named Lucciana, a son, and another daughter. They got married in Ibiza, Spain, in 2017.

Ochoa often wears the number 13 jersey when he plays internationally. This is because his birthday is on July 13.

He has appeared on the cover of the FIFA video games, FIFA 08 and FIFA 09, in North America. Ochoa also studied Football Management online. In 2017, he helped start the Mexican Footballers Association.

Career statistics

Club

International

Honours and Awards

San Luis

• Primera División A: Apertura 2004

América

• Mexican Primera División: Clausura 2005
• Campeón de Campeones: 2005
• CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 2006
• InterLiga: 2008

Standard Liège

• Belgian Cup: 2017–18

Mexico Olympic Team

• Olympic Bronze Medal: 2020

Mexico National Team

• CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023

Individual Awards

• Mexican Primera División Best Rookie: 2003–04
• Mexican Primera División Golden Glove: Apertura 2006, Clausura 2007
• Tecate Premios Deportes Best Goalkeeper: 2008, 2009
• Tecate Premios Deportes Best XI: 2008, 2009
• Ajaccio Fan's Player of the Season: 2011–12, 2012–13
• Ajaccio Player of the Month: August 2013, September 2013
• Premios Univision Deportes Save of the Year: 2014
• Granada Fan's Player of the Season: 2016–17
• Standard Liège Player of the Month: November 2017, October 2018, November 2018, February 2019, April 2019
• Standard Liège Player of the Season: 2018–19
• CONCACAF Gold Cup Golden Glove: 2019, 2023
• CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 2009, 2019, 2023
• Liga MX All-Star: 2021
• CONCACAF Champions League Golden Glove: 2021
• CONCACAF Champions League Team of the Tournament: 2021
• Salernitana MVP of the Season: 2022–23
• Salernitana Player of the Month: January 2023, October 2023

See also

In Spanish: Guillermo Ochoa para niños

• List of footballers with 100 or more caps

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