Guillermo Ochoa, known by the nickname “Memo”, is a footballer who has attracted attention for his brilliance, outstanding talent, and breathtaking saves. Most notable was his performance against the Brazilian national team at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and for the Mexican national team he was called up for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Read to learn more about him – his fortune, his relationships, and his biography.
Guillermo Ochoa Biography, Age
Guillermo Ochoa is a Mexican soccer player (goalkeeper) who was born on 13 July 1985 as Francisco Guillermo Ochoa Magaña. He was born in Mexico and his birthplace is Guadalajara, Jalisco. He is also popularly known as “Memo”, especially in his native country, and his star sign is Cancer. According to his ancestry, Ochoa is of Spanish descent and has Mexican citizenship.
There is little or no information about Ochoa’s family, his parents, siblings, or early life. His educational details, such as the high school or college he attended, or the year he graduated, or the course of study, are not known or probably not available.
Career – Club América
The professional career of Guillermo Ochoa began when he was 18 years old. He started working for Club América, also known as Las Águilas (The Eagles), a club based in Mexico – in the Mexican professional football league commonly known as Liga MX. It is said that he was appointed to the senior team in 2004 by the club’s former coach, Leo Beenhakker. The fact that he was appointed to the senior national team means that he probably played for the club’s youth teams, although this is not officially started and the actual dates are not given.
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Despite his age, he was forced onto the main stage after he was injured in the club’s first choice and goalkeeper number one, Adolfo Ríos. His potential and skills shone like a thousand stars and soon after his return from injury, he shared the goalkeeping duties with the veteran goalkeeper. After Ríos resigned, he consolidated his place as the club’s first choice until the club appointed a new coach who had different ideas. Coach Oscar Ruggeri came in and decided that Ochoa was not what he had in mind. He brought fresh faces with him, including Argentinian goalkeeper Sebastián Saja, and young Guillermo Ochoa had to be content with being in the background.
But the tide turned as quickly as it came and coach Oscar was on his way out of the club, along with the staff he brought with him, after controversies that followed his brief stay at the top, and so fortune smiled back at Ochoa when he was reinstated to the team by new coach Mario Carrillo. He then consolidated his place among the Club America posts with increasingly brilliant performances for the team. He has never missed a game for Club America, apart from injuries and international assignments.
His club won the Campeón de Campeones championship and cup in 2005, followed by the 2006 CONCACAF Champions Cup, and Ochoa was at the center of everything that went well for the club at the time. For his efforts, he was named a candidate for the Ballon d’Or in 2017 by the French magazine France Football, which was a big deal as he was one of only three nominated players who do not play their football craft in Europe.
Ajaccio
As his shares continued to rise, he attracted the attention of major clubs around the world, and one of these clubs was French Ligue1 giants Paris Saint Germain (PSG). PSG held out the prospect of a contract for the Mexican international in 2011 after recognizing his outstanding performances. However, a failed doping test after a 2011 Gold Cup match meant that the contract never materialized.” And although he and five other clubs involved in the scandal were acquitted two months later, the contract with PSG was long gone, leaving him with Ligue 1’s Ajaccio as the only way to play in Europe, which was his long-standing dream.
He spent three seasons with French side Ajaccio and in that time Guillermo Ochoa played 112 games and scored over 400 saves. However, his exploits against Brazil at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and his relegation to Ligue 1 in the 2013-14 season meant that Ajaccio would leave the team for good.
Málaga CF & Granada
On the League side came Malaga CF and Ochoa was flown to Spain and joined them with a three-year contract. His time with the club did not go as well as he had hoped, with Cameroonian goalkeeper Carlos Kameni the preferred first choice. He spent his first season on the bench, his only season being a cup match against Deportivo de La Coruña that ended in a 1-1 draw.
The next season (2015-16) was the same as his only season as a substitute in a game in which Kanemi was knocked out with an injury. In July 2016, following an outcry from his then-coach Miguel Herrera, Ochoa was sent on loan to another La Liga side, Granada, for the entire season. He played all the games for Granada that season and was voted “Player of the Season” by Granada fans.
Standard Liège & National Team Career
Guillermo Ochoa, Rafael Marquez, President Enrique Pena Nieto, and coach Miguel Herrera After leaving Granada, Guillermo Ochoa decided not to return to Malaga but to join Belgian club Standard Liège after signing a two-year contract.
He received his first call-up to Mexico’s senior side in 2005 for the 2006 FIFA World Cup and made his debut in a friendly match against Hungary, although he never played a match throughout the tournament as he was the third choice. After the World Cup, he was still in the team, backing Mexico’s first-choice player at the time, Oswaldo Sánchez.
He was part of the Mexican team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and was still Óscar Pérez’s replacement. He failed in a single match at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups but became Mexico’s goalkeeper of choice at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Ochoa was named the man of the match in two games for his outstanding performances in the Mexican goalpost, including his brilliance in the Brazil goal, where he parried after parrying after parry when the game ended in a goalless stalemate. He was also appointed to the Mexican team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
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Is Guillermo Ochoa Married? Wife
Guillermo Ochoa is not yet married, but currently in a relationship. In 2006 he was together with Dulce Maria, a Mexican actress, and singer. Their relationship did not last long, as it ended the following year – 2007. After Maria, he met Karla Mora when he played for the French Ligue 1 team Ajaccio. Karla is a model from her home country Mexico. Although she is not married yet, the couple has taken in two children – Lucciana and Luciano Ochoa. Their daughter was born on February 8, 2013, while their son, who is the second child, was born on April 1, 2015.
Quick Facts About Guillermo Ochoa
Name: Francisco Guillermo Ochoa Magaña
Known as: Guillermo Ochoa
Nickname: Memo
Profession: Soccer player
Birthdate: July 13, 1985
Horoscope: Cancer
Birthplace: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Nationality: Mexican
Partner: Karla Mora
Children: 2 (Lucciana and Luciano Ochoa)
Height: 6 ft (1.85 m)
Weight: 172 lbs (78 kg)
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Brown
Salary: N/A
Net Worth: $5 million
