Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Chase for World Cup Record Rivaled by Mexico Legend

The 2026 World Cup could potentially see three players reach an unprecedented feat.

Lionel Messi (left) and Cristiano Ronaldo have their sights on yet another major record. | Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty Images, Miguel Lemos/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are poised to make history this summer by becoming the first players in history to appear in six different World Cups, but the two all-time greats could be joined in the exclusive club by Mexico national team legend and tournament cult-hero, Guillermo Ochoa.

The iconic, curly haired Mexican goalkeeper is still making acrobatic saves at 40 years old, playing for AEL Limassol in Cyprus’s top-flight. Although he’d made his wishes of making a sixth career World Cup roster abundantly clear, he hasn’t played a minute for El Tri since 2024 and he had slim odds of making the summer roster ... until this week.

Mexico’s potential 2026 World Cup starting goalkeeper Luis Ángel Malagón tore his Achilles tendon and will miss the tournament after undergoing surgery earlier this week. El Tri will take three goalkeepers on the roster this summer, and reports already indicate Javier Aguirre will call-up Ochoa for the March international friendlies against Portugal and Belgium.

Raúl Rangel is now the overwhelming favorite to start between the sticks for Mexico in the summer, but Ochoa has a very realistic shot of taking one of the two backup spots.

If he does so, he’ll join Messi and Ronaldo as the only three players in history to represent their countries in six separate World Cups, leaving behind three other players with five World Cup appearances, including two other Mexican legends.

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Players With The Most World Cup Appearances

Rafael Márquez is widely regarded as one of the greatest players Mexico has ever produced. | Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images

In Qatar 2022, Messi, Ronaldo and Ochoa joined three other players with five different World Cup appearances—the most ever. The club was previously made up only of Germany’s Lothar Matthäus, and Mexican greats Antonio Carbajal and Rafael Márquez.

Matthäus was part of Germany’s team that made three consecutive finals from 1982 to 1990, lifting the trophy in the latter as captain of Die Mannschaft. He’d feature in two more World Cups after that, and his 25 games played in the tournament where the all-time record until Messi edged him by one game in Qatar.

Before there was Ochoa, there was “La Tota” Carbajal. The legendary Mexican goalkeeper was between the sticks for El Tri in five World Cups, starting in Brazil 1950. Although Mexico never made it past the group stage with La Tota in goal—and lost 10 of the 14 games he played—he was key on the pitch for Mexico’s first ever tournament win against the Czechoslovakia in 1962 and a historic draw against France four years later. Carbajal was the first player ever to play in five World Cups.

Finally, Mexican center back “Rafa” Márquez not only played but captained El Tri in five World Cups, staring from 2002. The center back is the face of Mexican soccer in the 21st century and one of two El Tri players ever to score in three different World Cups.

The trio of Messi, Ronaldo and Ochoa began their World Cup careers in Germany 2006. The two legends, though, registered minutes in every single tournament since. Ochoa, on the other hand, was part of Mexico’s roster, but had to wait until 2014 to make his World Cup debut.

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Players With Five World Cup Appearances

Player	Country	World Cup Appearances
Lionel Messi	Argentina	2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
Guillermo Ochoa	Mexico	2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
Rafael Márquez	Mexico	2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018
Lothar Matthäus	Germany	1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998
Antonio Carbajal	Mexico	1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966

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Guillermo Ochoa’s Iconic World Cup Legacy

Guillermo Ochoa’s legend began with a clean sheet against hosts Brazil in 2014. | Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images

Although he’s only played in three of the five World Cups he’s been too, Ochoa’s performances have made him a player that is synonymous with the tournament worldwide.

Ochoa was the third goalkeeper in 2006 and was then demoted to backup—by Aguirre himself—after starting consistently in the process towards South Africa 2010. Then came 2014, and the rest is history.

In his second ever World Cup appearance, Ochoa made six saves—many of them jaw-dropping—earning man of the match honors as he rescued a draw for Mexico against historic powerhouse and host nation Brazil. He was arguably be the player of the tournament and was the biggest reason why Mexico were minutes away from advancing to the quarterfinals before a late collapse against the Netherlands.

In Russia 2018, he was equally sensational and kept a clean sheet in Mexico’s biggest World Cup win of all time, shocking reigning champions Germany 1–0. Although Mexico were eliminated by Brazil in the round of 16, Ochoa had another monumental display to try and avoid the defeat.

Does anyone activate 'World Cup mode' quite like Memo Ochoa? 💪🇲🇽 #WeAre26 | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/haKmazBlPJ

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) May 17, 2023

Mexico might’ve had a dreadful performance in 2018, but Ochoa held up his end of the bargain. In El Tri’s opening game, he denied legendary striker Robert Lewandowski from the penalty spot, helping Mexico to a 0–0 draw.

Ochoa’s career at the club level has been far from spectacular; he’s a journeyman that’s endured a handful of relations across European soccer. But under the lights of the biggest tournament in the world, he feels at home and delivers his best. This summer, at home, there’s a pathway for him to bid a fairytale farewell to the tournament he’s synonymous with.

Guillermo Ochoa World Cup Stats Snapshot

• Games Played: 11
• Goals Conceded: 12
• Clean Sheets: 4
• Record: 5W, 2D, 4L

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