Another World Cup, another landmark achievement for one of football’s enduring figures. Veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa has been included in Javier Aguirre’s 26-man Mexico squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, putting the 40-year-old on course to become the first Mexican player ever to appear at six editions of the tournament. His World Cup journey began in Germany in 2006, and two decades later, he is set to add yet another chapter to an already remarkable international career.
Although Ochoa has played a reduced role for Mexico in recent years, Aguirre has once again turned to his experience as he balances youth with proven leadership in the squad. The selection also places Ochoa in rare company, with the goalkeeper joining football icons like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo among the select group of players to feature at six World Cups.
Guillermo Ochoa Set to Join Messi and Ronaldo in Exclusive World Cup Club
Guillermo Ochoa’s inclusion in Mexico’s squad has put the veteran goalkeeper on the verge of a historic milestone, with the 40-year-old set to become the first Mexican player ever selected for six World Cups. Head coach Javier Aguirre has blended experience with youth in his 26-man group, retaining key figures like captain Edson Álvarez and Raúl Jiménez while also handing opportunities to emerging talents such as Armando González and 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, who could become Mexico’s youngest-ever World Cup player.
Ochoa’s selection also places him in rare company alongside football icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Both superstars have also been named in their respective squads and are set to feature at a sixth World Cup in 2026, a feat few players in the sport’s history have achieved.
For Ronaldo, the tournament could represent one final opportunity to lift football’s biggest prize, while Messi will arrive as the defending world champion after Argentina’s triumph in Qatar. Together with Ochoa, the trio are preparing to add another chapter to careers that have already secured their places in World Cup history.
Who is Included in Mexico’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Squad? Full Team Revealed
Goalkeepers: Raul Rangel, Guillermo Ochoa, Carlos Acevedo.
Defenders: Jorge Sanchez, Israel Reyes, Cesar Montes, Johan Vasquez, Jesus Gallardo, Mateo Chavez.
Midfielders: Erik Lira, Orbelin Pineda, Alvaro Fidalgo, Brian Gutierrez, Luis Romo, Edson Alvarez, Obed Vargas, Gilberto Mora, Luis Chavez.
Forwards: Roberto Alvarado, Cesar Huerta, Alexis Vega, Julian Quinones, Guillermo Martinez, Armando Gonzalez, Santiago Gimenez, Raul Jimenez.
How Many FIFA World Cups Have Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo And Guillermo Ochoa Played?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to witness a truly historic moment, with Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Guillermo Ochoa all named in their respective national squads. Once they take the field in North America, the trio will become the first players in football history to actively participate in six different World Cup tournaments, adding another remarkable chapter to careers that have already defined an era.
Messi and Ronaldo arrive at the tournament having played in every World Cup from 2006 through 2022, making 2026 their sixth active appearance on the sport’s biggest stage. Ochoa’s path has been slightly different—although he was part of Mexico’s squads in 2006 and 2010, he did not feature in a match during those tournaments. His World Cup action came in 2014, 2018, and 2022, where he established himself as one of Mexico’s most reliable performers between the posts. Even so, his inclusion in a sixth World Cup squad remains a rare achievement shared by only a handful of football legends.
Among the trio, Messi also holds another piece of World Cup history. The Argentine captain owns the men’s record for the most World Cup match appearances with 26, surpassing the long-standing mark of 25 held by Lothar Matthäus during Argentina’s triumphant 2022 campaign. With another World Cup now on the horizon, Messi has the opportunity to extend that record even further while Ronaldo and Ochoa continue their own pursuit of history.
