MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - JUNE 11: Guillermo Ochoa #13 of Mexico acknowledges the crowd during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match between Mexico and South Africa at Mexico City Stadium on June 11, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) Getty
The 2026 World Cup Final is here, as Spain and Argentina will square off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon to determine who will be the newest winner of the biggest tournament the game of soccer has to offer. Everyone is going to be tuning in for this matchup, and that includes Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa , who just finished participating in his sixth-straight World Cup.
With Mexico getting eliminated in the Round of 16 by England , Ochoa's legendary international career has come to a close, as he revealed that this would be his final appearance for the national team. Now that his last run with Mexico is in the books, Ochoa sat down with Heavy on Soccer for an exclusive interview in which he reflected on his time in the World Cup, while also discussing his partnership with Panini America.
Ochoa was selected for Mexico's World Cup team all the way back in 2006, and he has remained a key piece of the team for two decades now. The 2026 World Cup was a bit different for Ochoa, as he only briefly appeared in Mexico's group-stage win over the Czech Republic as a substitute, rather than being featured as a full-time starter. Still, the experience was one that stuck with Ochoa, which is saying something given all that he has accomplished throughout his career.
"It was an amazing moment, and also for the Mexican national team to play the World Cup in Mexico. It doesn't happen every day," Ochoa told Heavy on Soccer. "I think the Mexican team gave everything that we had at the moment. Unfortunately, with England, I think they didn't deserve to have won the game … It was a shame, but the team and the fans and all of the country enjoyed a lot of this World Cup … To finish my career in this stage is incredible."
During his peak, it was tough to find a more dominant goalkeeper in the world than Ochoa. His most memorable stretch came during the 2014 World Cup, when he starred for Mexico in net. Perhaps the game he is most well-known for came in the group stage that year against Brazil , with the Mexicans fighting for a 0-0 draw thanks in large part to Ochoa's play in net. When looking back at his career, Ochoa admitted this game was the one that stood out the most to him.
Now, the attention in the 2026 World Cup has shifted to Spain and Argentina, as one of these nations will be crowned the champion of the tournament on Sunday afternoon. Even though Mexico is eliminated, Ochoa has been keeping close tabs on the action, and he shared that he is riding with Spain in this game. And yet, he refuses to rule out Argentina, largely because they have Lionel Messi at their disposal.
"It's a difficult question," Ochoa admitted. "I live in Spain. I have three children, two of them were born there, so I'm rooting for Spain. I think they deserve it, and also because of their goalkeeper, Unai Simon, who has been great in the World Cup … The balance of the Spanish team , I think, is better than the Argentine team. But they have a Messi, so you never know with Messi. He can change the game in two seconds."
GettyMEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JUNE 11: Guillermo Ochoa #13 of Mexico acknowledges the crowd during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match between Mexico and South Africa at Mexico City Stadium on June 11, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Off the field, Ochoa has been getting involved with Panini America, which is one of the top sponsors of the World Cup. Ahead of the final on Sunday, Ochoa was among a handful of soccer legends hosted by Panini at the Panini Prizm VIP lounge in New York City. While that is understandably a cool experience for Ochoa, he shared that what really stands out to him from his work with Panini is his ability to connect with his fans.
"Panini is great," Ochoa said. "It's important for the fans, also for us, for the players because even us, we are fans, and we collect the cards and the stickers. I'm happy to be a part of this. I grew up buying a lot of collectible stuff from Panini … It's a way to support the kids and the sport everywhere."
Panini is well-known for their trading cards and sticker albums, with their collectibles providing fans with a unique way to stay connected with their favorite sports teams and players. Ochoa knows just how important this is, because when he was young, he was a kid who also collected as many of these cards and stickers as he could. Even now that he's a well-established soccer star, Ochoa still collects cards when he can, especially ones of himself.
"It's strange. The first time that you see your face, your photo, on that sticker or on that card, it's something that you can say, 'I did it.' I succeeded as a football player. It is amazing," Ochoa revealed. "I have all my cards at home. I keep all my cards, so sometimes when I see one guy selling something that's mine, I try to buy it."
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