🎥 Memo Ochoa made his professional debut for América 15 years ago | OneFootball

Icon: OneFootball

OneFootball

Blaise Bourgeois·16 February 2019

🎥 Memo Ochoa made his professional debut for América 15 years ago

Article image:🎥 Memo Ochoa made his professional debut for América 15 years ago

When you ask who the best goalkeeper in CONCACAF history is, Memo Ochoa’s name is often thrown into the conversation.

Despite not featuring for a prolific European club, taking his career to Ajaccio, Málaga, Granada, and currently Standard Liège, not many goalkeepers go on to be named to four World Cup squads.


OneFootball Videos


15 years ago on 14 February, a then 18-year-old Ochoa was told by manager Leo Beenhakker that he would be making his debut against Rayados at the Estadio Azteca – chosen over 22-year-old Edgar Hernández.

The rest is history.

“It seems that it was yesterday when Leo Beenhakker gave me that news in a hotel in Pedregal, in the dining room,” Ochoa told Record.

“He told me that he was going to fulfill my dream, that because I had worked so hard, that I was going to play.

“I enjoyed it. I was afraid of nothing because he was going to support me.

“It was a special day for me and a difficult night too.”

Little did Ochoa know that his career would bring him four titles with América over 204 appearances, a Belgian Cup, a trio of Gold Cups, and 100 caps for El Tri.