Guillermo Ochoa’s heroics gave him Ballon d’Or feat and Salma Hayek link before final World Cup

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are far from the only World Cup heroes set for their last dance on FIFA’s grandest stage this summer.

Guillermo Ochoa, one of Mexico’s most iconic goalkeepers ever, has confirmed he will hang up his gloves after the tournament.

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‘Memo Ochoa’, who will turn 41 at the World Cup, could join Messi and Ronaldo in being included in six editions of the Jules Rimet Trophy.

His country, Mexico, are co-hosting the 2026 tournament with the United States and Canada, and thus qualified as hosts.

And journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed Ochoa’s intention to retire on social media in a post that was reposted by the man himself.

The goalkeeper, who plays for AEL Limassol in Cyprus, later expanded on his intention to leave his career behind after the World Cup.

Ochoa set to retire after his sixth World Cup

“I’m leaving calmly,” Ochoa told TUDN. 

“It is difficult, without a doubt, but in my case it will not be so difficult because I have enjoyed it for many years and there comes a point where your head and body say, ‘we have given everything, you have left everything’, then you leave calmly, and that will be my case.”

Ochoa’s international future looked to be over after sustaining an injury in El Tri’s Concacaf Nations League clash with Honduras in 2023.

Luis Angel Malagon emerged to become Mexico’s first-choice goalkeeper until he ruptured his Achilles tendon in March.

Ochoa returned to Javier Aguirre’s squad for the friendlies against Belgium and Portugal, although he was an unused substitute for both matches, meaning his last appearance was in November 2024.

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Ochoa’s World Cup stats

Memo’s back-up role this summer will take some adjusting for fans who have watched him star for Mexico at the past three World Cups.

He first arrived at football’s grandest tournament in 2006 as the third goalkeeper but failed to play a single minute.

That decision looked to have been an epic mistake, with Ochoa going on to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or just a year later.

In fact, his 2007 nomination made him one of only three players who were plying their trade in a non-European league at the time.

Ochoa again didn’t play a minute at the 2010 World Cup, but rose to international acclaim in Brazil four years later.

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Mexico went unbeaten in the 2014 group stages, conceding just once across three games while keeping a clean sheet against hosts Brazil.

A Round of 16 exit to the Netherlands followed, but Ochoa returned to the World Cup with a bang in Russia 2018.

The 40-year-old kept another clean sheet against an elite nation to help Mexico to a 1-0 win over Germany.

The Last-16 again proved their undoing, but Ochoa truly cemented his World Cup legacy in Qatar despite El Tri’s group-stage exit.

Mexico’s long-standing No.1 saved a penalty from Robert Lewandowski to rescue a goalless draw with Poland.

And only a 95th-minute consolation from Saudi Arabia‘s Salem Al Dawsari meant Ochoa’s side failed to qualify on goal difference.

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Throughout the past 12 years, Ochoa has been celebrated for the cat-like reflexes that have also made him a legend in Mexico.

As such, it’s ironic that ‘Memo’ has also been named after a rescue puppy adopted by his compatriot and Hollywood icon, Salma Hayek.

The Oscar-nominated actress is a huge football fan, with her father-in-law, French billionaire businessman François Pinault, founding the group that owns Ligue 1 club Stade Rennais.

And while appearing on The Graham Norton Show, Hayek hilariously admitted she faked an affair as cover to adopt her dog, Ochoa.

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“I had promised my husband I was going to stop because at the time I had 10 dogs, five parrots, alpacas, horses, cats, and by the way, one without a tail, the other one without a leg,” she explained. “And they always find me, they come to me these animals — which he doesn’t believe me, but they do –, and I promised him no more.”

“We were up to 30 animals, and I swore no more,” Hayek added. “And I was there [filming a movie in Bulgaria] and a little puppy who was abandoned and was going to die — I won’t tell you the sad story because this is like a comedic show — he came to me, and I couldn’t help it, and I picked him up.

“His name is Ochoa, after the goalie [Guillermo Ochoa] of the soccer team in Mexico.

“I came up with this brilliant idea to pretend that I was having an affair with somebody, and at the end I would say, ‘No, it’s not an affair, I picked up a dog,’ and then he would feel better.

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“So I left him a message, ‘You must call me at this time, we need to talk. It’s very important,'” Hayek continued.

“And I never do that, and this time, [he said] ‘OK, what happened?’ And I said, ‘Listen, I feel so terrible, I don’t know how to say this to you, and I know this is not going to go down well, and I’m really nervous, and please have mercy on me.'”

His response? “Oh please don’t tell me you picked up another dog,” Hayek joked.

Far from an old dog learning new tricks, Mexico will hope their Ochoa will be the same as ever at the World Cup this summer…