Tala blunder and Malagón benching boosts Ochoa’s chances of Mexico recall ahead of the World Cup

The tenth matchday of the Clausura 2026 delivered some tough moments for several Liga MX teams — and it also reignited a major debate about who should guard the net for Mexico heading into the 2026 World Cup.

Recent mistakes and coaching decisions involving Raúl “Tala” Rangel and Luis Ángel Malagón may have cracked the door open once again for Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa to fight for a spot with El Tri.

Malagón benched against Querétaro

Both Malagón and Tala Rangel had a rough weekend. América’s goalkeeper was sent to the bench for the match against Querétaro, while Chivas’ keeper committed a costly mistake during the Clásico Tapatío against Atlas.

Tala Rangel’s costly error in the Clásico Tapatío

One of the most talked‑about moments came in the rivalry match between Chivas and Atlas, when Tala Rangel misplayed a clearance that led directly to Atlas’ opening goal. Rangel tried to pass the ball to a nearby teammate but hit it far too short, allowing an Atlas attacker to pounce.

With the ball back at his feet, the Atlas player had the simple task of firing into the back of the net, capitalizing on Chivas’ defensive breakdown. The clip went viral almost instantly, sparking heavy criticism of the young Guadalajara goalkeeper.

Javier Aguirre may rethink his goalkeeper options

It’s worth remembering that Tala Rangel had recently climbed the depth chart with the national team — even ahead of Malagón. But mistakes like this could force head coach Javier Aguirre to reassess his options, putting Memo Ochoa right back into the conversation for 2026.

Memo Ochoa back in the spotlight

This situation could benefit Ochoa, who currently plays in Cyprus for AEL Limassol and is still fighting to stay in contention for a World Cup roster spot. His last appearance for the national team was in the CONCACAF Nations League quarter final first leg against Honduruas in November 2024. Mexico lost that game 0-2 and while the team redeemed itself in the return leg, Ochoa, who has 152 caps, has not featured since.

At first, many believed Ochoa would only be considered for the third‑goalkeeper role in 2026. But with the recent struggles from the current frontrunners, the door may be opening wider — perhaps wide enough for Ochoa to compete for the starting job once again.

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