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America must convince Memo to come home

By Anthony Garcia

Guillermo Ochoa of Mexico celebrates after saving the penalty of Keysher Fuller of Costa Rica to win the penalty shootout during the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinal. (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)
Guillermo Ochoa of Mexico celebrates after saving the penalty of Keysher Fuller of Costa Rica to win the penalty shootout during the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinal. (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images) /
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America needs a goalie right now. Why not Team Mexico star Memo Ochoa who debuted with the Aguilas in 2004.

If Club America wants to keep their current championship window open they must find a new goalkeeper from outside of their organization as star goalie Augustin Marchesin is on his way to FC Porto. The only player that makes sense for all parties involved to replace “Marche” is former Aguila Memo Ochoa.

America’s remaining goalkeepers are substandard for a team with championship aspirations. Over the course of Marchesin’s tenure (since the Clausura 2017), Oscar Francisco Jimenez received 9 starts and conceded 8 goals. Homegrown prospect Luis Zamudio, 21, has yet to see minutes with the Mexican giants. Zamudio would benefit from backing up a certain El Tri superstar.

Liga MX has grown in prestige since Memo Ochoa’s departure from America in 2011. Players from all over the world are choosing to play professionally in Mexico. One of the more recent high profile signings is Monterrey’s recent acquisition of former Spurs forward Vincent Janssen.

Player development is also at an all-time high. Both Mexican players and extranjeros have made major moves overseas in recent years. The league was well-represented in the Copa America and at the Gold Cup. Many Copa America teams – Chile, Ecuador and Peru, for instance – were loaded with Liga MX players and made deep runs. If Memo wants regular minutes and weekly challenges he should be open-minded about returning to Liga MX.

Ochoa’s career in Europe has lacked foundation. Stubborn El Tri fans will point to a number of stellar highlight-reel saves while in Europe. But the truth is he wasn’t breaking any records. Well, maybe just one for most goals conceded in Spain. His time in France’s second division wasn’t much better and his latest stop in Belgium, a weaker league than Liga MX, hasn’t resulted in any trophy lifting celebrations.

His lack of success in Europe is not entirely his fault. One of his main obstacles was that he never caught on with a good club. Ochoa has had dynamic performances for Mexico but that wasn’t enough for a big club in Europe to come calling while he was in his prime. Now 34, it’s even more unlikely that an established European giant will look to him to lead their defense.

Memo needs to come home. He can test himself in a league that is producing young stars that have caught the attention of clubs from around the world along with established players that have “been there, done that” in Europe. He deserves to play with a giant club. Why not one that he’s already comfortable with in Mexico?

Europe will always have the mystique of being the pinnacle of the sport but the level of play in Mexico is at all-time high. Ochoa should consider returning to his home country. The league’s reputation and pedigree has grown since he left it. The time is right to come home and embrace this final chapter of a terrific career.

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