Soccer-Goalkeeper Ochoa returns to Mexican squad for World Cup warm-ups

MEXICO CITY, March 19 (Reuters) - Long-serving goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa returned to the Mexico roster on Thursday, earning a call-up from coach Javier Aguirre for this month's World Cup warm-up matches against Portugal and Belgium.

The 40-year-old Ochoa, who plays for Limassol in Cyprus, is hoping to appear in his sixth World Cup after featuring in five straight editions from 2006 through the most recent tournament in Qatar.

He had not been called up since May 2025, when he was named to the Gold Cup squad but did not play.

The Mexican team also features the first outing for Spanish-born midfielder Alvaro Fidalgo, who joined LaLiga's Real Betis in February after spending five years at Club America in Mexico.

Mexico will play Portugal on March 28 in the reopening of Mexico City's Azteca Stadium after its World Cup renovations, before facing Belgium three days later at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Mexico, co-host of the World Cup alongside the United States and Canada, will kick off their World Cup campaign in Group A with the tournament's opening match against South Africa on June 11.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (Limassol), Raul Rangel (Guadalajara), Carlos Acevedo (Santos Laguna).

Defenders: Richard Ledezma (Guadalajara), Jorge Sanchez (PAOK), Cesar Montes (Lokomotiv Moscow), Israel Reyes (America), Johan Vasquez (Genoa), Everardo Lopez and Jesus Gallardo (Toluca), Jesus Angulo (Tigres UANL).

Midfielders: Denzell Garcia (Bravos de Ciudad Juarez), Erik Lira and Carlos Rodriguez (Cruz Azul), Obed Vargas (Atletico Madrid), Alvaro Fidalgo (Real Betis), Orbelin Pineda (AEK Athens), Erick Sanchez (America), Brian Gutierrez (Guadalajara).

Forwards: Roberto Alvarado and Armando Gonzalez (Guadalajara), German Berterame (Inter Miami), Julian Quinones (Al-Qadsiah), Alexis Vega (Toluca), Guillermo Martinez (Pumas UNAM), Raul Jimenez (Fulham).