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Aaron Ochoa

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Aaron Ochoa
Personal information
Full name Aaron Ochoa Moloney
Date of birth (2007-04-18) 18 April 2007 (age 19)
Place of birth Marbella, Spain
Height 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Málaga
Number 35
Youth career
2014–2016 CD Peña Los Compadres
2016–2021 Málaga
2021–2022 San Félix
2022–2023 Málaga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023–2024 Atlético Malagueño 14 (1)
2023– Málaga 56 (2)
International career‡
2023 Republic of Ireland U16 5 (1)
2023–2024 Republic of Ireland U17 8 (0)
2024–2025 Republic of Ireland U19 12 (1)
2026– Republic of Ireland U21 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20 June 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 18:04, 31 March 2026 (UTC)

Aaron Ochoa Moloney (born 18 April 2007) is a Spanish-Irish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Spanish club Málaga CF. Born in Spain, he represents the Republic of Ireland at under-21 international level.[1]

Club career

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Born in Marbella, Málaga, Andalusia, Ochoa began playing football with CD Peña Los Compadres, a club from his hometown. In 2016, at the age of nine, he joined Málaga CF's youth setup, where he became part of La Academia MCF.[2][1] He progressed through the club's youth teams, and in the 2022–23 season was part of the Málaga Cadete A side which won the División de Honor Cadete.[3]

During the 2023–24 season, Ochoa alternated between Atlético Malagueño and the first team. He made his senior debut with the reserves on 22 October 2023, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 2–1 Tercera Federación home loss to Juventud de Torremolinos CF.

On 6 December 2023, Ochoa made his first-team debut for Málaga in a Copa del Rey match against CD Eldense at La Rosaleda. He replaced the injured Juan Hernández during the first half of the match, which ended in a 1–0 win for Málaga. Aged 16 years, seven months and 18 days, he became the second-youngest player to debut for the club, behind only Fabrice Olinga.[4]

He scored his first goal for Atlético Malagueño on 25 February 2024, netting the opener in a 5–0 home win over CD Torreperogil in Tercera Federación.[5] On 17 April 2024, he renewed his contract with Málaga until 2027.[6]

In the same campaign, Ochoa made appearances for the first team during the season in which Málaga achieved promotion to Segunda División. The club secured promotion on 22 June 2024, after a 2–2 draw against Gimnàstic de Tarragona in the second leg of the promotion play-off final.[7]

In the 2024–25 season, Ochoa made his professional debut in Segunda División, starting in Málaga's 2–2 away draw against Racing de Ferrol on 17 August 2024.[8]

During the 2025–26 campaign, he continued to gain presence in the first team. On 30 October 2025, he scored his first official goal for Málaga, in a Copa del Rey match against CD Estepona,[9] and on 2 February 2026 he scored his first league goal for the club, against CD Mirandés.[10] One week later, he extended his contract with Málaga until 30 June 2029.[11]

That season, he was part of the squad which achieved promotion to La Liga. On 20 June 2026, Málaga defeated UD Almería 2–1 in the second leg of the promotion play-off final and returned to the top tier of Spanish football.[12]

International career

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Of Irish descent, Ochoa has represented the Republic of Ireland at several youth levels. In 2023, he was called up to the under-16 team and later represented the under-17 and under-19 sides.[13][14][15] In May 2023, he scored his first international goal with the under-16 team, in a match against Ukraine.[16]

In March 2026, Ochoa received his first call-up to the Republic of Ireland under-21 team.[17] He made his debut at that level on 31 March 2026, starting in a 1–0 win against Kazakhstan in UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification.[18]

Style of play

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Ochoa mainly operates as a midfielder and is known for his dribbling ability.[19]

Career Statistics

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As of match played on 20 June 2026[20]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[a] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Atlético Malagueño 2023–24 Tercera Federación 141—2[b]0161
Málaga 2023–24 Primera Federación 60201[c]090
2024–25 Segunda División 26010—270
2025–26 242214[d]0303
2026–27 La Liga 0000—00
Total 5625150663
Career total 7035170824

References

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  1. 1 2 "Aaron Ochoa". Málaga CF. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  2. ↑ "Así es Aarón Ochoa, un diamante por pulir de la cantera del Málaga" [This is Aarón Ochoa, a rough diamond of Málaga's youth setup] (in Spanish). Diario Sur. 7 December 2023.
  3. ↑ "El cadete Aarón repite con Irlanda Sub-16" [Cadete Aarón repeats with Ireland U16] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  4. ↑ "Ochoa, segundo debutante más joven de la historia en el Málaga" [Ochoa, second-youngest debutant of history at Málaga] (in Spanish). Diario Sur. 6 December 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  5. ↑ "Festín del Atlético Malagueño ante el Torreperogil" [Party of Atlético Malagueño over Torreperogil] (in Spanish). Málaga Hoy. 25 February 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  6. ↑ "El Málaga blinda a Aarón Ochoa hasta 2027" [Málaga tie up Aarón Ochoa until 2027] (in Spanish). Diario Sur. 17 April 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  7. ↑ "Los goles de Dioni y Antoñito suben al Málaga al furgón del ascenso" [Goals from Dioni and Antoñito take Málaga to promotion] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 22 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  8. ↑ "El Málaga sobrevive al 'huracán' Jauregi" [Málaga survive the 'hurricane' Jauregi] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 17 August 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  9. ↑ "CD Estepona vs Málaga CF - Copa del Rey J3" (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 30 October 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  10. ↑ "CD Mirandés vs Málaga CF - LALIGA HYPERMOTION J24" (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 2 February 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  11. ↑ "Aaron Ochoa renews his commitment to Málaga until 2029". Málaga CF. 9 February 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "¡Somos de Primera!" [We are Primera!] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 20 June 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  13. ↑ "Aarón Ochoa Moloney, called-up to Ireland's U-16s". Málaga CF. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  14. ↑ "MU17 | O'Brien names squad of 20 for qualifiers in Cork". Football Association of Ireland. 9 October 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  15. ↑ "Aaron Ochoa, convocado con Irlanda Sub-19" [Aaron Ochoa called up by Ireland U19] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  16. ↑ "REPORT – MU16 – Comeback sees Ireland beat Ukraine". Football Association of Ireland. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  17. ↑ "Under-21s squad names for March EURO qualifiers". www.fai.ie. Football Association of Ireland. 19 March 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  18. ↑ "REPORT – U21 – Late Gallagher goal wins it for Ireland". Football Association of Ireland. 31 March 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  19. ↑ "Aarón Ochoa, el salvador del Málaga CF para volver a Segunda" [Aarón Ochoa, the savior of Málaga CF to return to Segunda] (in Spanish). El Gol Digital. 9 December 2023.
  20. ↑ "Aarón Ochoa's career path". BeSoccer. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
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