MEXICO CITY (Kashmir English): Mexico star Guillermo Ochoa will be the first goalkeeper across the nations to appear in six World Cup finals after he has been named in the co-hosts’ squad.
The 40-year-old joins superstars Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Argentina’s Lionel Messi in appearing for the sixth time at the quadrennial football event.
However, while Messi and Ronaldo are automatic first choices, Ochoa is unlikely to have much game time as he has dropped down the pecking order in recent years.
Ochoa played his first World Cup in Germany in 2006, the event when Messi and Ronaldo also debuted.
Co-hosts with Canada and the US, Mexico will open the tournament by playing against South Africa on June 11 in Mexico City.
They go on to play South Korea on June 18 and round off the group stage against Czech Republic on June 24.
Mexico squad
Goalkeepers: Raul Rangel (Guadalajara), Guillermo Ochoa (AEL Limassol, CYP), Carlos Acevedo (Santos Laguna)
Defenders: Israel Reyes (America), Jorge Sanchez (PAOK/GRE), Cesar Montes (Lokomotiv Moscow/RUS), Johan Vasquez (Genoa/ITA), Jesus Gallardo (Toluca), Mateo Chavez (Alkmaar/NED)
Midfielders: Edson Alvarez (West Ham/ENG), Luis Romo(Guadalajara), Obed Vargas (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Brian Gutierrez (Guadalajara), Orbelín Pineda (AEK Athens/GRE), Erik Lira (Cruz Azul), Gilberto Mora (Tijuana), Cesar Huerta (Anderlecht/BEL), Alvaro Fidalgo (Real Betis/ESP), Luis Chavez (Dynamo Moscow/RUS).
Forwards: Roberto Alvarado (Guadalajara), Alexis Vega (Toluca), Julian Quinones (Al-Qadisiyah, KSA), Santiago Gimenez (AC Milan/ITA), Guillermo Martínez (Pumas), Armando Gonzalez (Guadalajara), Raul Jimenez (Fulham/ENG)
