Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, 40, who is competing in his sixth World Cup for the Mexican national team, hinted on Monday (15), in an interview with FIFA (International Football Federation), that he may retire from football: “Now that my career with the national team has come to an end, I no longer see any point in football.”
Alongside Argentine Lionel Messi and Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, Ochoa shares the record of six appearances in the World Cup, although he was a substitute in Mexico and South Africa (2-0), the debut match of the edition held in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
In his statements for FIFA’s “Letters that unite” series, Ochoa begins by reading, emotionally, a letter written by his daughter Lucciana, in which she encourages him to go far in the World Cup.
But, in the end, amid tears, the goalkeeper opened his heart about how he sees his life and career beyond the Mexican team.
“The Mexico national team has always been, in my career, in my life, my compass, my direction; I don’t understand my career without the national team, I don’t know what my career would be without the national team. Now that my journey with the national team comes to an end, I no longer see any point in football, in continuing to play”, declared the former América, México, and Málaga goalkeeper.
“I enjoyed every moment here, I gave my all, I left everything on the field, I leave in peace, with my head held high and proud to have experienced it all”, concluded the goalkeeper.
Mexico returns to the field on Thursday (18), at 10pm, against South Korea. The team completes its participation in group A, facing the Czech Republic on June 24, also at 10pm.
