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After thematch between Brazil and Mexico, there is one name that has become viral among the football followers. It is the name of the Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.He was simply astonishing as he punched and blockedall the shots hurled at him throughout the match. Even Brazilian coach Luis Felipe Scolari admitted that his attackers could do nothing to have a shot past the Mexican hero.As fans start wondering who this guy is, here we provide5 facts that you need to know about Guillermo Ochoa.
#1 He was awarded the Best Mexican goalkeeper of the decade (2000-10)
Awards and accolades
Individual: CONCACAF All tournament team (2009), Best Mexican goalkeeper of the decade (2000-10), Ajaccio club player of the year (2011-12), (2012-13).
Club: Primera division (2005), Campeon de campeons (2005), CONCACAF champions (2006), Interliga (2008)
International: CONCACAF Gold tournament (2009 & 2011)
Club career
| Years | Club | Appearances |
|---|---|---|
| 2004-2011 | America | 211 |
| 2011-2014 | Ajaccio | 112 |
#2 From third to second to first choice goalkeeper in World Cups
At 28, Ochoa has earned 60 national caps for Mexico andis playing in his third World Cup finals.
A 20-year-old Ochoa was called up the then Mexican manager Ricardo Lavolpe for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. But, he was just a third-choice goalkeeper and returned without playing a singlematch.
Later in 2010, Ochoa made the cut for the World Cup squad in South Africaas a back-up for the veteran goalkeeper Oscar Perez.
At last, for the 2014 edition he was the number one choice for the Mexican side as he made his World Cup debut in a 1-0 win against Cameroon. In his second World Cup match against Barzil, he made a string of heroic saves helping his team get a point which put him in the spotlight.
#3 Ochoa is currently a free agent
Yes, the Mexican shot stopper is out-of-contract.
After his three year spell at Ajaccio, the French club decided not to renew his contract at the end of 2013-14 season.
Without any surprise, top European clubs are swarming around Ochoa after his heroics in Brazil. Though he had previously stated that he would prefer to stay in France, the released goalkeeper has become the prime target of various top clubs.
According to various reports, Arsenal are already in talks with Ochoa’s representatives to strike a deal.
Besides, there was a lot of speculation in 2011 that Ochoa was going to be signed by the then English giants Manchester United. But, the talks broke down and Ochoa eventually moved to Ajaccio.
#4 He was once involved in a Mexican doping scandal
Ochoa was also involved in a doping scandal along with four other Mexican players.
Before the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, five Mexican players including Ochoa were tested positive for a banned substance called clenbuterol. After withdrawing them from the squad, the Mexican Football Federation launched an investigation into the matter which revealed that the reason for the presence of banned substance was food poisoning.
The results showed that the meat that was given to the players contained clenbuterol. Since this was not intentional from the players, WADA released all the players giving them a clean chit.
#5 Overnight online stardom
Ochoa himself would not have dreamed of this sudden fame. Before the breakthrough match, he was just a novice goalkeeper in terms of popularity. Worldwide, he was known as just another footballer from America. Perhaps, not many would have had any idea of who he was.
But, a single performance brought him huge fame and popularity over a span of just 12 hours. Internet is being flooded with Ochoa memes, twitter reactions, facebook wall updates and millions of #Ochoa hashtags.
Guillermo Ochoa’s Twitter account has garnered more than 1 million followers till now which is expected to have doubled since his last night show.
Also, a Twitter photo went viral which showed him having 6 fingers but this is a morphed picture and untrue.
