Luis Malagón assures that he can compete for Ochoa's position in the Tricolor

Luis Angel MalagonAmerica's goalkeeper, assured this Friday that in the local league there are many goalkeepers with enough quality to compete with Guillermo Ochoa for that position in the Tricolor.

“There are many goalkeepers who can compete for that place, but in the end Jaime is the one who has to decide. I respect Memo a lot, he is a guy that I love and admire, but in the end all this is like that, I am going to work as hard as I can to make it to the national team,” Malagón said at a press conference.

The native of Zamora de Hidalgo, Michoacán, acknowledged his desire to be Ochoa's successor, but said that to achieve this he must first be a fundamental piece in the goal of the Águilas, a team that is the leader in the Apertura 2023 tournament table.

Today I owe it to America, the team that gave me this great opportunity to transcend; I am very hungry to win titles, which is what is needed here, and consequently I know that that opportunity will come in the national team.

Ochoa, Salernitana's goalkeeper, acknowledged last June that at 38 years old he feels capable of attending his sixth World Cup with Mexico, which would occur in the 2026 World Cup, when he will be 41 years old.

Of course I'm going to take care of myself and I want to reach my sixth World Cup. I feel good physically, which is the most important thing, and mentally strengthened, with a great desire to continue in the national team.

Malagón respects the determination of Guillermo Ochoa, whom he considers close, but that does not discourage him in his fight to take ownership of coach Jaime Lozano's team.

Ochoa is a great goalkeeper, a great friend, it will always be a great dream to be with him, but one tries to do the best and the coaching staff is the one that will make that decision, one only has to work as hard as possible and perform at your club so that when that opportunity arrives you don't fail.

Malagón arrived at América in the Clausura 2023, a tournament in which he took ownership from Óscar Jiménez.

In the Mexican National Team he was part of the under-23 team that won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games under the direction of Jaime Lozano, who today is the coach of the senior team.

(With information from EFE)