Mexican Players Oppose Guillermo Ochoa's Participation in Final World Cup Group Match

Young players within Mexico's national football team have expressed opposition to the participation of legendary goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa in their final group stage match of the ongoing World Cup, according to reports released Monday evening local time.

The reports indicate that the squad believes decisions should be based solely on current performance and sporting strategy, especially in a World Cup setting where every detail can influence the team's progression to the knockout rounds.

Mexico, which is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup alongside the United States and Canada, was the first nation to qualify for the knockout stages of the current tournament. The team is scheduled to play its last group match against the Czech Republic on Tuesday evening local time as part of Group A.

Guillermo Ochoa is regarded as one of Mexican football's iconic figures, having appeared in 153 matches for the national team over more than two decades.

Ochoa has not yet played in this World Cup edition, as coach Javier Aguirre opted to start Raúl Rangel in the matches against South Africa and South Korea.

If he participates, Ochoa would join Argentine star Lionel Messi and Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo as players who have competed in six World Cup tournaments.

Meanwhile, the Mexican Football Federation and coach Javier Aguirre have not issued any statements responding to these reports, according to the newspaper Publimetro.