Guillermo Ochoa receives the 2026 Anáhuac Medal for Sports

The soccer player announced a partnership between the WAME Sports platform and Anáhuac Mexico University. He noted that leadership is demonstrated through discipline, responsibility and setting a good example.

On Tuesday, October 27, Anáhuac Mexico University awarded the 2026 Anáhuac Medal for Sports to Guillermo Ochoa Magaña, in recognition of his career spanning more than two decades in professional soccer, his leadership on and off the field and his contribution to Mexican sports.

During the ceremony held at the Anáhuac Cultural Center, the goalkeeper shared with the university community the experiences and lessons that have shaped his career, but he also spoke about the challenges he wants to take on in this new phase of his trajectory, as he seeks to promote sporting talent and help create opportunities for future generations.

“Over time, I came to understand that talent alone isn’t enough. It takes discipline, preparation, sacrifice and resilience. I’ve had victories, but also defeats, criticism and moments of serious doubt. I learned that character isn’t just demonstrated when you win, but also when things go wrong and you decide to try again; that, too, is leadership,” he emphasized.

In front of dozens of students, faculty members, administrative staff, university officials and media representatives, Memo Ochoa recalled that his aspirations began in childhood, when he joined Club América with the dream of becoming a professional soccer player and representing Mexico. Drawing on that experience, he encouraged young people to work hard every day to achieve their goals and to understand that success requires perseverance, preparation and the ability to bounce back in the face of adversity.

“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid to dream it, but understand one thing: a dream alone doesn’t change anything. What we do every day to achieve it, that does,” he said.

Leadership is demonstrated through actions

One of the central messages of his speech was his conception of leadership, understood not as a hierarchical position or public recognition, but as a responsibility exercised on a daily basis through decisions and by setting an example.

“For years, I’ve understood that a leader isn’t the one who talks the most or receives the most applause: it’s the one who takes on responsibilities, leads by example and helps their team become better. In soccer, no one wins alone; the same is true in life,” he said.

With this reflection, Ochoa called on students to recognize that leadership begins during their college years, in the way they prepare themselves, treat others and respond to challenges, even when no one is watching.

WAME Sports and Anáhuac will promote athletic talent

As part of the new challenges he hopes to take on after so many years in soccer, he announced a partnership between WAME Sports, the sports and technology platform he himself promotes, and Anáhuac Mexico University, with the goal of bringing together sports, education, technology and research to create new opportunities.

“Today, after so many years in soccer, that’s my next challenge. I want to give back to the sport and to my country a small piece of so much that they’ve given to me,” he said.

The soccer player, now retired, explained that he has met young people with great potential who have not found opportunities to develop their skills. Given this reality, he stated that access to opportunities must be a priority so that talent can flourish and reach a wider audience.

“I’ve seen young people with extraordinary talent miss out on opportunities because of their background, their resources or a lack of visibility. And I’m convinced of one thing: talent has no zip code,” he said.

Regarding the collaboration with the university, he said that he aims to involve students in the development of projects that integrate these areas and can benefit young people across the entire country. His goal, he said, is to help ensure that future generations have the tools to develop their abilities and find ways to achieve their goals.

A career marked by leadership and service

In his message to the university community, our rector, Dr. Jesús Villagrasa Lasaga, L.C., emphasized that the award recognizes not only Guillermo Ochoa’s sporting achievements, but also the way he has put his talents to work for his teams and for Mexico.

“In Memo, we recognize someone who has turned discipline into a path, talent into a responsibility and his actions into a testament to leadership,” he said.

He also underscored the fact that the soccer player’s career serves as a role model for young people, who see in his story an example of perseverance and commitment. In this respect, he emphasized that leadership does not depend on a title or an award, but rather on the way a person develops their abilities and fulfills their responsibilities.

“Your story is proof that leadership isn’t something you’re given like a title, it’s built every day through hard work, perseverance and responsibility,” he said.

Dr. Villagrasa Lasaga, L.C., also reflected on the responsibility that comes with achieving a position of public recognition. He explained that, in sports as in any profession, individual decisions have repercussions on others and must be taken seriously and with generosity.

By drawing on the image of a goalkeeper who must be prepared throughout an entire game to respond in the decisive moment, he encouraged students to develop their skills and to be ready to seize opportunities.

The presiding committee was composed of Dr. Jesús Villagrasa Lasaga, L.C., rector of this institution; Dr. Lorena Rosalba Martínez Verduzco and Dr. Rodrigo Pozón López, academic vice rectors; as well as Dr. Héctor Igor Rubio Sosa, director of the School of Sports Sciences, who read the statement of reasons supporting the awarding of the 2026 Anáhuac Medal for Sports.

Meanwhile, Gabriel Rubinstein Halkin, president of the Student Association for the bachelor’s degree in Sports Management, read a profile of the soccer player and presented him with the Anáhuac Leones soccer team jersey.

With this award, the university recognizes a career that has gone beyond sporting achievements and that, through discipline, resilience and responsibility, offers future generations an example of how to exercise leadership and put one’s abilities at the service of others.