In an exclusive interview with Flashscore, Ochoa reflects on Leo Beenhakker’s early faith in him, his unforgettable World Cup memories, his years in Europe and the lessons he took from Javier Aguirre. He also discusses Malaga’s return to LaLiga, his plans for life after football and what he hopes to leave behind.
Guillermo, it’s been a few weeks since the end of your career. How’s life? Aren’t you bored? What’s the rhythm like?
"Not at all. I think I’m adapting comfortably to this new reality. After so many years in football, it’s obviously different, but I’m enjoying it. I’m enjoying it because I had been preparing for the day after football for the last few years.
"I’m ready. I’m calm, happy with my family, travelling and keeping busy. I’m still doing a lot of things, just not on the pitch anymore."
So you had already planned for this moment?
"Yes. After the Qatar World Cup, I started thinking about when and how I wanted to end my career. It’s natural at this age, and I think planning is important. Fortunately, I was prepared for it.
"Obviously, in the last years of my career, I was looking for ways to stay active. I went to different countries, and eventually I set myself the goal of finishing my career at the 2026 World Cup in Mexico. I thought that would be a great reason to keep going until then and close the chapter there."
A few days ago, you received a beautiful tribute in Los Angeles. It was very special. What did you feel in that moment?
"I’m very grateful, happy and proud. I’m not always very good at expressing what I feel, but receiving that affection and that treatment from my country, especially from the Mexican fans in the United States, meant a lot to me.
"The Mexican and Latino community in the United States is very strong and very important to us. They are unconditional. They are there in the good moments and the bad; they fill the stadiums and create an incredible atmosphere every time we play there.
"I’m very grateful for those details, for the federation, the fans and the people who organise the games in the United States. To receive that kind of tribute after dedicating yourself body and soul to your national team is beautiful. I really enjoyed it, and I was happy to share it with my parents, who have also been an important part of my career."
Leo Beenhakker and the beginning
I’d like to go back to the beginning, when you were 18 and Leo Beenhakker gave you the opportunity to debut for Club America. What do you remember from that moment? And what kind of coach was Beenhakker?
"Beenhakker was a very special coach because of what he had already achieved. He had worked in Mexico before, and when he returned for his second spell, he brought a different mentality, a different approach to training and a different way of playing compared with many other coaches.
"He had spent many years at clubs like Ajax and Real Madrid, especially Ajax, and that experience influenced his mentality. He believed in players with ability. He didn’t look at your age or your passport. He was a coach who trusted young players. He demanded a lot of intensity and was very demanding, but at the same time he was very friendly and close to his players.
"For an 18-year-old to get that opportunity at a club like America was incredibly important. For those who don’t know Mexican football, America is like Real Madrid in Spain. It’s the biggest club in Mexico, with the most titles, and giving an 18-year-old a chance there isn’t an easy decision for a coach.
"At the time, there was a more experienced goalkeeper who got injured, so Beenhakker had to decide whether to play me or bring in another experienced goalkeeper. He told me, 'I see you doing very well. I trust you, I like you and I believe in you. I don’t care about your age.' From the age of 18, he started playing me."
What did he give you as a coach?
"He knew how to get the best out of players. He understood what they needed, and he inspired you to follow him and share his vision. You could learn a lot from his teams. Now he’s gone, but I’ll always remember him."
Six World Cups
You made history by becoming the first goalkeeper to play in six World Cups. Do you see that simply as a statistic, or is it the greatest achievement of your career?
"It’s certainly one of the most important achievements of my career. There are many others when you look at so many years of football, but six World Cups is obviously one of the biggest ones. We had players who played in five World Cups, but nobody had played in six. Now there are three of us.
"It’s not easy. Throughout football history, we’ve seen great, legendary players who never even had the opportunity to play at a World Cup, while others played in one or two.
"So six World Cups speak about longevity, consistency and discipline. You have to maintain a good level for so many years, and there are four years between each World Cup. It’s not easy to remain in the national team for so long. At every stage, you have to prove that you’re capable and that you deserve to be there.
"I feel fortunate to belong to that group. I obviously can’t compare myself with the other two players, but being part of that line in the history of football is important.
"And in the history of Mexican football, it’s also significant. Many years ago, Mexico had the record of having played in five World Cups, and that lasted for a long time.
"Now we hope this record of six lasts for many years too, because if the World Cup is held every four years, very few people will have the opportunity to reach that number."
Which of your six World Cups was the most significant for you?
"I think every one of them was important in its own way. I don’t want to rank them because each one marked me differently.
"When you’re young and you’re not the starter, getting minutes as a goalkeeper is much more difficult than for an outfield player. When you’re 19 or 20 and you go to your first World Cup, you know you’re probably at the end of the line when it comes to getting on the pitch.
"In 2006, I knew I wouldn’t have many opportunities to play. So for me, it was a World Cup of learning, gaining knowledge and discovering what the biggest competition in football was like. I enjoyed it because I didn’t have the pressure of being number one. I was watching, learning new things and enjoying the experience.
"Then came the 2010 World Cup, which was also a learning experience. People know the story. Javier Aguirre was the coach. I had played with him in the Gold Cup, we won the competition and qualified for the World Cup, but in the end he decided to use another goalkeeper. That was difficult.
"I was still playing in Mexico, but it was also a moment when I reacted and said to myself: 'I want to prove that I can do this. I have to go to Europe, I have to experience a different kind of football and grow as a person and as a player.'
"After that World Cup, I moved to Europe. I managed to challenge myself, improve and grow a lot. I experienced European football and played against international players. That helped me get my first minutes as a starter and eventually win my position.
"Then, 2014 is a World Cup I remember with a lot of love because that’s where I got my first minutes. It was my debut, against Cameroon. Then came the game against Brazil, which was another great experience, and the match against Croatia, which we won.
"Then came Russia in 2018. That was a fantastic World Cup in terms of experience. In the first game, we played Germany, a team very few people thought we had a chance against. And then we won 1-0. By that point, I was a much more mature goalkeeper. Juan Carlos Osorio trusted me, and I felt very comfortable.
"Then came Qatar. I was Tata Martino’s goalkeeper from the beginning. He trusted me as a goalkeeper and as captain. That World Cup had an important moment against Poland, with the penalty I saved from Robert Lewandowski. Getting that point was very important for us.
"After Qatar, everything seemed to indicate that it would be my last World Cup and my last minutes with the national team. But I felt good physically and mentally, and I still had the desire to keep fighting and to continue giving something to my country.
"When I knew the 2026 World Cup would be in Mexico, I thought: “This isn’t going to be easy. Nobody in history has played six World Cups.” But I thought that finishing my career at a sixth World Cup in my own country would be fantastic.
"So I kept going around the world to get there. And in the end, that’s exactly what happened. It was a fantastic way to close my career."
The Lewandowski penalty
Let’s go back to that penalty against Robert Lewandowski. You studied him, but there’s very little between saving a penalty and conceding one. What was going through your mind?
"He’s a great striker. He’s lethal, and he misses very few penalties. Obviously, we were practising and analysing him, but penalties are complicated. There’s also a mental aspect. There’s the moment, the pressure and everything happening around you.
"As a goalkeeper, you analyse the forward, you watch videos, you look at percentages and study his style. But the striker is also studying the goalkeeper. He knows where you move and why you dive in a particular direction.
"So it becomes much more complicated. Very rarely is a goalkeeper relying purely on instinct.
"In that moment, I felt that way with my goalkeeper coach, Gustavo. We had been practising a particular movement on the line for a long time. It was designed to distract and deceive the striker. We had worked on it many times.
"It wasn’t something we suddenly came up with that day. We were prepared for that situation, and fortunately it worked perfectly."
So taking a penalty is a psychological war?
"Absolutely. The moment, the pressure, the minute of the game, all those things influence it. The numbers matter too, but I think the psychological aspect will always be key."
The Brazil game
Is there one save or one moment that has stayed in your head until today?
"There are so many. I remember the World Cups in Brazil and Qatar, but there are many beautiful moments from playing for the national team, against Brazil, against Holland and others.
"There are small details that sometimes change a game. They can become decisive."
If you had to choose one or two saves?
"I think the game against Brazil (in 2014). That marked a before and after in my career.
"People knew me before that World Cup because of my time in Mexico and the Copa Libertadores, but I think that after that game there was a big change at the international level.
"Even today, when I’m walking around in different countries, people of many nationalities stop me and remember that game and those saves."
The future of Mexican football
We’ve talked a lot about the World Cup and the Mexican national team. What do you think the future looks like for Mexico?
"I think Javier Aguirre left a small foundation. He built a competitive team for the last World Cup. The expectations before the tournament were very high, and Javier, together with his coaching staff and experience, created a team that could compete against good teams.
"Perhaps it wasn’t the most spectacular team, but it was effective. Javier is very good at that. He knows how to get the most out of what he has.
"Now Rafa Marquez will try to follow some of what was done at the World Cup. Obviously, there are players who won’t be there for much longer, so he’ll be looking at the younger players and using these friendly matches to see who he can count on and what options he has for the challenges ahead. That’s what he does as a coach: he looks to the future without neglecting the present.
"Rafa is surrounded by people who know a lot about football, and hopefully the results will accompany him. There are some very interesting young players who need to keep progressing, growing and maturing. I’m sure they can contribute a lot to the national team."
France and AC Ajaccio
Let’s go to France. You became an AC Ajaccio legend in just three seasons. Your arrival was surrounded by the whole anti-doping situation. How difficult was that moment for you?
"It was difficult. It was hard because I came from a summer in which I had suffered a lot. I was waiting for a transfer to PSG, and then the whole clenbuterol situation happened. I was finishing my contract and was a free agent, but with that situation I couldn’t sign for anyone. My future at that time was very unclear and complicated."
"During the summer transfer window, the only club that came to me and said 'We trust you' was AC Ajaccio. The president, Alain Orsoni, told me, 'Memo, I believe you. I believe in your word. I believe that everything will work out well. Come and train with us. The doors are open.' He told me: 'We’re a small team from a small city, but we have a big heart, and the people will love you.'
"That meant a lot to me because I’m someone who values that kind of thing. When the decision came out a couple of weeks later and I was cleared, some clubs that had been interested in me started calling again, but I had given my word to Alain Orsoni. He believed in me when nobody else did. So I went there.
"That became one of the most beautiful stories of my career. I spent three years there and enjoyed it enormously. I loved the city, the people and the team.
"We were a small team with one of the lowest budgets in France and very low expectations. Nobody expected us to stay in the first division for three years, but we did."
Did you ever regret that Paris Saint-Germain move not happening? Do you still think about what could have been?
"These are things that weren’t in my hands. There are things you simply cannot control. What I could control was what I did on the pitch.
"When they told me that, once the situation was resolved, I could go there, I was aware they were also signing two goalkeepers. Eventually they signed (Salvatore) Sirigu. So that’s football. Everyone looks after their own interests.
"I’m grateful to them because they trusted me. It wasn’t a football decision that stopped the move. It was circumstances.
"Could I have done anything differently? No. I just focused on what I could control.
I never had any resentment towards them. It wasn’t a case of them not liking me or not wanting me as a player. It happened because of circumstances, and I still have a lot of affection for that period."
Do you still keep in touch with people from Ajaccio?
"Yes. I had a very close friendship with Alain Orsoni, who has since passed away. I still keep in touch with people from the club and we stay in contact.
"They were even preparing a shirt in my honour to help with the situation the club has been going through. Ajaccio has dropped down through several divisions, and I think the people of that city don’t deserve that.
"It’s a beautiful place with beautiful people, and the island deserves a first-division team. Hopefully Ajaccio can return there as soon as possible."
Spanish stint
After Ajaccio, you went to Spain, to Malaga and then Granada. Were you happy in Andalusia?
"Yes. I’ve been fortunate to live in some beautiful places in southern Europe. I’ve always loved the beach, and Malaga is a spectacular city.
"Andalusians are fantastic. They know how to enjoy life, and Malaga treated me very well throughout my time there. The people at La Rosaleda were fantastic. It’s one of the best atmospheres in Spain. I really enjoyed it.
"It was also another period of learning. I came from the Brazil World Cup, from playing and having a great tournament, and sometimes you find yourself in circumstances that are beyond your control. You try to do your best, but you also have to learn that life and football can be like that. Not everything is beautiful. There are moments when you have to endure, suffer and overcome things. I had to do that, and eventually I ended up playing and enjoying myself.
"I have beautiful memories of the team and the people I lived with, and I made friends there. Two of my children were born in Andalusia, so that makes the connection even stronger.
"Then I moved to Granada, which is very close to Málaga. I enjoyed that too.
"Spain is an extremely competitive league, one of the most important in the world alongside the Premier League, and being there helped me enormously.
"Of course, I would have loved to stay longer, but another opportunity came and I moved on."
You must be happy to see Malaga back in LaLiga. Do you think they have what it takes to stay up?
"Absolutely, it’s not going to be easy, but yes. I’m delighted to see Malaga back in the top division. The fans deserve it. They have supported the club through everything, including the difficult moments and the years in the second division. They never abandoned the team, and they deserve the best.
"I’m sure better years are ahead. But going from the second division to LaLiga is difficult, especially because of the difference in budgets and the demands of the top flight. Hopefully, they can get the results they need to stay up.
"I’d love to see Malaga remain in LaLiga for many years and eventually return to European competition."
Standard Liege and the return to Mexico
After Spain, you chose Standard Liege despite interest from other clubs. You were voted the club’s Player of the Season in your second year and had a very successful period there. What made that stage so special?
"I think it was one of my best periods in Europe.
"When I decided to go there, it was because I wanted to compete for titles. When you’re in Europe, if you’re not at one of the biggest clubs in each country, it’s very difficult to win championships. I was looking for a club where I could compete and try to win something. Standard is a great and historic club in Belgium.
"The decision came after I was away with the national team. Standard were looking for a goalkeeper, and I spoke to the coach, Ricardo Sa Pinto, an excellent person. He told me: 'You’re going to be my goalkeeper. You’re number one. I trust you.'
"The decision was very good. From the beginning, you could see how important the club was, with fantastic fans, a great stadium and excellent facilities.
"We had a very strong period. We were near the top, almost won the league and finished second. We qualified for the Champions League play-offs and played against Ajax, who later reached the Champions League.
"We also played in the Europa League and beat Sevilla at home. I enjoyed competing in Europe again.
"It’s a league with a lot of potential and talented players, with many scouts watching. It was a very good experience to play for a big club like Standard."
Did you not want to stay in Europe? Why did you eventually return to Mexico?
"I arrived in Europe when I was almost 27 or 28. I spent three years in France, three and a half in Spain and three and a half in Belgium. By then I was around 34. After travelling around the world for so many years, I received an offer from the club I had always promised myself I would return to: America.
"It was very important to me personally. It was an offer I couldn’t reject, especially from a club like America. I had other options to continue in Europe, but the circumstances and the timing made me feel that it was the moment to return to Mexico.
"Maybe if I had been younger, the decision would have been different, because I had fought so hard to leave Mexico, go to Europe, grow and experience different countries. But I had already been away for almost nine and a half years. It doesn’t always feel that long, but it was a long time.
"I felt it was the right moment to come home, and I returned with great pleasure."
You had offers from other Mexican clubs too?
"Yes, but I said no. For me, if I was going to return to Mexico, it had to be America."
Advice for young Mexican players
With all the experience you’ve had, what advice would you give to a young Mexican footballer who wants to move to Europe?
"I would tell him to follow his dreams and fight to achieve them.
Whatever is in his hands, he should try to maximise it, prove himself and see how far he can go. He should look for that opportunity to take the next step and make an impact in football. And he should surround himself with people who add something positive to his career. I think that’s extremely important.
"Sometimes, when you’re young, and you have achieved a few things, it’s easy to get carried away or think you’ve already reached the top. But in reality, there is much more ahead.
In Mexico, sometimes we live inside a bubble. That’s not necessarily a bad thing - Mexico has many very good things - but there is a limit. For Mexican footballers to grow, sometimes you have to leave Mexico. It’s not easy, and not everyone will succeed, but if a player really wants to do it, he should try. It’s important to discover how far you can go and to keep pushing yourself as much as possible.
"Of course, it depends on each player’s objectives and how much they want it."
Javier Aguirre and Valencia
Javier Aguirre has just joined Valencia. You worked with him in the Mexican national team. Why is Aguirre the coach people call when there’s a fire to put out? What does he have that makes him so good in those situations?
"I think that’s simply the kind of situation he usually finds himself in. In most cases, the teams he joins are not doing particularly well. Maybe 85 or 90 per cent of the time, something needs to be fixed, although sometimes it’s a more planned project.
"But Javier has a personality that makes him very good in those situations. I think his management of the group is excellent, and he gets a lot out of his players. He makes teams competitive. He creates groups that fight for each other and are willing to give everything for one another.
"His personality, experience and way of working are important. He knows when to be close to his players, when to demand more and when to put pressure on them.
"I think very few people are like him. He’s very direct. You may like his style or you may not, but he tells you things to your face. And I think that brings a lot to his teams.
"We’ve seen the results he’s achieved. With Mallorca, they reached a Copa del Rey final. With Osasuna, they qualified for the Champions League. He has shown that he knows how to get the best out of a group.
"When there is a lot of movement and the river is turbulent, he is someone who knows how to lead a team.
"I’m convinced that if Valencia give him time and patience, they can have a coach there for many years. Valencia is a difficult club, and everyone knows that, but if they give him the peace and time to work, I think he can do a very good job."
Quick questions
Let’s finish with some quick questions. Which player gave you the most problems?
"I played against so many great players. But I think Lionel Messi was really difficult. When he received the ball, turned and looked at the goalkeeper, you had to be extremely careful.
"Ronaldinho was also very good. Neymar had incredible speed and intensity. Then you have players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, who are lethal.
"Sometimes you think you’re playing better than them, but if you switch off for a moment, they score two goals. Those are the kinds of players where one small mistake can change the game."
Who was your childhood idol? Which goalkeepers inspired you?
"I had several. I liked Iker Casillas, (Gianluigi) Buffon, (Edwin) van der Sar, Dida and Oscar Cordoba. I followed many of those goalkeepers when I was a kid.
"I also watched Fabien Barthez. I liked that type of goalkeeper. (Jose Luis) Chilavert was another one. He wasn’t exactly my style, but I really admired him."
Are you going to remain involved in football? What are your plans now? What does the next chapter of Guillermo Ochoa’s life look like?
"Yes, definitely. I’m going to remain involved in football. I have several projects.
"I’m working as an ambassador on different projects, including work connected to Spanish, Italian and French football, as well as projects in Mexico. I’m also working with FIFA.
"I’ve been giving talks and working on football camps and other projects.
"I’m also developing a project involving software that connects parents, children, leagues and referees. The idea is to digitalise amateur football in Mexico and the United States, giving young players opportunities to showcase themselves, improve and access psychological tools. We also want to give them opportunities to study online without having to pay for everything themselves, and potentially help them access scholarships.
"Sometimes we focus too much on professional football, but there are so many areas at the grassroots level where we can help. Not every child will become a first-division footballer or play at a World Cup. But if you can help one kid get a job, continue their education or simply stay off the streets, that is already a success.
"That’s one of the things I’m focused on, especially in Latin America, the United States and Mexico.
"I’m going to continue in football. I’m also doing some television work. I’ll continue working as an ambassador, and I’ll keep looking for ways to stay connected with America and the Mexican national team.
"As for becoming a coach, I don’t see that happening. It’s not something I’m considering."