Mexico clinch group lead as Ochoa eyes historic sixth World Cup

Mexico secured the lead in its group after beating the Czech Republic at Estadio Ciudad de México, closing out its final match in a section that also included South Africa and South Korea. The result did more than settle the standings. It offered another snapshot of how Javier Aguirre is trying to shape a World Cup squad around a blend of established names and younger legs as Mexico moves toward 2026 on home soil.

Aguirre has worked with a 26-player group that includes Edson Álvarez, Raúl Jiménez, Santiago Giménez, Alexis Vega, Julián Quiñones, Guillermo Ochoa and Gilberto Mora. Since returning to the national team in July 2024, he has used the cycle to broaden the pool, and ESPN has counted 19 debuts in his third spell in charge. That turnover has given Mexico options, but it has also left open a few of the most sensitive decisions, especially with Aguirre continuing to make clear that no one has a locked-in place and no one is excluded from contention.

The goalkeeper picture remains the clearest example. Aguirre has kept the door open for Ochoa and the other keepers in the mix, including Raúl Rangel and Carlos Acevedo, even as the veteran pushes for one more World Cup call. FIFA said Ochoa is on track to play in a sixth World Cup, a feat that would put him in rare company. At 40, he has returned to the national side after earlier stretches when he was left out while without a club, and FIFA has framed him as a player at the final stage of his international career.

Mora stands at the opposite end of that arc. Mediotiempo identified him as the youngest player in the current Mexico setup, while Ochoa is the oldest, a contrast that captures the balance Aguirre has been building into the side. FIFA and ESPN have both highlighted Mora as one of the team’s brightest promises, and his inclusion in the 26-man squad underlines how seriously Mexico is treating the transition from veterans to the next core.

The Czech Republic win suggested that the framework is there, but it also showed how much of Mexico’s World Cup identity still depends on unsettled roles. Aguirre has a roster with experience, youth and depth, yet the path to 2026 still runs through competition, especially in goal and in the final places on the list.