Memo’s moment: Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa’s emotional World Cup farewell leaves lasting legacy for Mexico fans
When Guillermo Ochoa stepped onto the pitch in the 78th minute of Mexico’s match with Czechia on Wednesday night, the stadium let out a roar that seemed to reverberate across the country and beyond.
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Clad in a purple jersey and shorts, a misty-eyed Ochoa made the sign of the cross and high-fived a handful of teammates. Edson Álvarez gave him the captain’s armband and then “Memo,” as the legendary goalkeeper is affectionately nicknamed, jogged over to the goal in Estadio Azteca, his signature curls bouncing with him.
Ochoa’s jersey was branded with a commemorative patch marking his sixth World Cup, an exclusive club with just two other members: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He had already indicated he’d retire after this one.
Ochoa, who turns 41 next month, is hanging up his gloves after six World Cup selections, more than 150 national team games, six CONCACAF Gold Cup titles and an Olympic bronze medal.
“I felt that Memo had to play. For how long? I didn’t know,” Mexico national team coach Javier Aguirre told reporters post-match. “But I knew it was a night for Mexico to enjoy its legend that is Memo Ochoa.”
And he had his moment: A long goal kick from Ochoa began a play that ended with teammate Alvaro Fidalgo scoring. Mexico, which has never lost a World Cup game on that sacred pitch, won 3-0 in front of a crowd of nearly 81,000.
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It was a poetic return to the stadium where Ochoa kicked off his career at Club América as a fresh-faced 19-year-old before he left Mexico for Europe and went on to establish himself as an undisputed starter in front of his national team’s goal.
“Being able to close it out here at Estadio Azteca — with my people, with my family, a World Cup — was the cherry on top,” he told Telemundo Deportes after the final whistle. “I’m happy, I’m grateful, empty — I’ve given it all. I left everything.”
Jesús Martínez, a 35-year-old lifelong Mexico fan who lives in Birmingham, Alabama, watched the match at a bar in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and likened it to “a fairy tale.”
“Everything just played out the right way for Mexico. When the crowd started chanting ‘Memo, Memo,’ you could hear it on the broadcast. People at the bar where I was at, we all started chanting it, as well, and then when he came in everyone was clapping and cheering,” he told NBC News.
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“It’s definitely a little sad,” to see Ochoa go, Martínez said.
