by It turns out that Guillermo Ochoa is more than just a world championship.
For years the experienced Mexican – a goalkeeper with 134 caps under his belt – has been praised while playing for his country, but this season Ochoa has proven he can do it on the club stage.
The 37-year-old goalkeeper joined Serie A outfit Salernitana on a free transfer in December after leaving Club America, and in his first two games in Italy’s top flight he made a rather remarkable 18 saves.
In fact, no other goalkeeper in the league has made more stops than Ochoa, who made nine saves in a memorable debut against AC Milan.
Four days after that master class against Milan and Ochoa was back at it when Davide Nicola’s side took on Torino.
Here’s how social media reacted to his torrid start in Serie A.
One said: “Memo Ochoa brutally deconstructs the theory that he ‘can’t cut it at club level’ and is ‘a World Cup’ for Mexico every four years. He does it in almost 38 years, for Salernitana, in one of the biggest leagues in the planet. World class again today.”
Another commented: “Salernitana signing Guillermo Ochoa is a huge coup. As shown in the World Cup for Mexico, he is a high, high quality goalkeeper. Today’s 2-1 loss to Milan would have been a bloodbath had it not been for him. He will be crucial for them in their quest to stay in Serie A.”
A third wrote: “Wait… So you’re telling me Guillermo Ochoa actually exists outside of the World Cup?”
After appearing in five World Cups, the former Malaga, Standard Liege and Granada goalkeeper revealed he wants to “continue playing at the highest level” in order to reach the 2026 World Cup.
In his first press conference as a Salernitana player, Ochoa said: “I maintain the illusion and the desire to continue at a high level and to be able to play the next World Cup that is played in Mexico and to be able to end my career with that World Cup.”
He added: “The situation as a Latin American goalkeeper in Europe, I am the first goalkeeper in the history of Mexico to play in Europe and it is more difficult to find a team that will give a goalkeeper a place outside the EU.
“Staying for six months is an option for the board, it’s also an option I liked. It is a consideration that if at any time I do not participate as I wish or play what I could play, I have the option not to stay at a club without participating.
“I want to convince the board to stay many more years in Serie A.”
Thoughts on Ochoa’s latest move?
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