Is Ochoa not in FIFA 23? A Legendary Shot-stopper Overlooked

As a hardcore FIFA player for over a decade and football stats geek, I was shocked not to see legendary Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa on the FIFA 23 cover. Memo has been a fixture between the posts for club and country since 2005, dazzling fans with his acrobatic saves for 18 years and counting. While he‘s still included in the game with a respectable 80 OVR rating, his absence from the cover overlooks one of the greatest CONCACAF keepers of all time.

Ochoa‘s Sensational Career Deserves Recognition

Ochoa‘s career accomplishments and highlights reel stack up with the best keepers of his generation:

• 470 club appearances with Ajaccio, Malaga, Granada, Club America and Salernitana since 2004

• 130 senior caps for the Mexican national team, winning 5 Gold Cups and starting every game in 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 World Cups. Named Best Goalkeeper of the 2014 World Cup.

• Won Liga MX title (2018), Copa MX (2019), Campeón de Campeones (2019) and Leagues Cup (2021) during seven year stint with Club America, named in Liga MX Team of the Decade.

• Won Ligue 1 Save of the Season with Ajaccio (2007/2008) and named Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year (2009) during his time in France

Despite never playing for an elite European club like Real Madrid or Manchester United, his consistency and longevity at the highest levels deserves recognition alongside world class keepers like Neuer, Navas and Alisson.

Let‘s Compare Ochoa‘s Attributes to Other FIFA 23 GKs

While an 80 OVR seems like a fair rating, a deeper look at his attributes compared to other top keepers reveals he‘s still criminally underrated in some areas:

Despite ratings in the mid 80s for core goalkeeping stats like Reflexes and Diving, his Handling (72) seems disproportionately low compared to top keepers with similar styles. I would have expected at least a rating in the high 70s based on his proven shot-stopping abilities. An upgrade to Reflexes would also be justified given some of the incredible saves I‘ve seen him pull off over the years.

My Experiences Using Ochoa in FUT Squads

As a serial squad builder in FUT, I‘ve used Ochoa cards dating back to his 82 rated base gold in FIFA 12. Even with less than ideal links, he often outperformed similarly rated keepers.

His 80 rating this year makes him a great La Liga starter option, especially if you pack an untradeable dupe. I loved his FUT Birthday card in FIFA 21, sporting flashy pink colors with well-rounded stats. I‘m hoping for a special item this season, whether a Team of the Week for a top notch performance or a Flashback item honoring his 2014 World Cup heroics.

What to Watch from Ochoa this Season

Ochoa moved to newly promoted Serie A club Salernitana this summer, where he‘ll face shooters like Lukaku, Immobile and Vlahovic. If he can recapture his top form, there are plenty of chances for Team of the Week worthy performances.

I‘m particularly excited to see him face Juventus with Serbian hitman Dusan Vlahovic leading the line. That matchup against a lethal finisher will showcase whether Ochoa still has his lightning quick reflexes. A few crucial penalty saves could also boost his chances for a first in-form item.

El Tri‘s Next Generation Led by Lainez

While no one can replace Ochoa‘s leadership for the Mexican national team, exciting young talents could succeed him in future FIFA editions. 21-year-old winger Diego Lainez has world class potential, already shining in Europe with Real Betis. If he can translate club form to the international stage, I could see Lainez as Mexico‘s next FIFA cover star.

Other youngsters like Erick Aguirre, Eugenio Pizzuto and Marcelo Flores could also emerge as the next Mexican superstars. But Lainez‘s combination of flair, speed and technique makes him my pick to headline Mexico in FIFA 24 or FIFA 25.

Will Ochoa‘s Meta Impact Match his Real Life Abilities?

Despite Ochoa‘s shot stopping skills, his low handling rating means he likely won‘t be a top meta option this year. Sweaty players will probably favor keepers like Pope, Ramsdale or Alisson with overpowered kicking stats.

However, he should perform admirably for starter squads or Mexican themed teams. I actually prefer using keepers with more realistic attributes like Ochoa instead of someone jacked up to mimic unrealistic relegation level keepers pinging 70 yard driven passes.

The Ultimate Ending: Lifting the World Cup Trophy

While FIFA regularly overlooks North American legends, I dream of the day 35 year old Ochoa leads Mexico to a thrilling World Cup run in Qatar. Imagine him standing on his head to stonewall Lewandowski and Poland in the Round of 16 before shocking Brazil in penalty kicks.

The stunning quarterfinal victory cements him as Mexico‘s greatest keeper, as EA releases a special End of an Era Item with maxed out stats to honor his contributions. Millions eagerly add the iconic card to their Ultimate Teams for that final World Cup push.

Final Thoughts

Ochoa absolutely deserves icon status in Mexico, yet his absence from the FIFA 23 cover fails to recognize his impact. He didn‘t just participate in four World Cups, he starred in them. Let me know what your favorite Ochoa memories are, and if you‘ll be using any of his cards in FIFA 23!