Oswaldo Javier Sánchez Ibarra is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Sánchez is highly regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in Mexican football history. He is the most decorated goalkeeper in the Mexican league's history, attaining the Golden Glove seven times and the Golden Ball twice.
At the 2005 Confederations Cup, despite finishing in fourth place, he won the Golden Glove of the tournament, becoming the second Mexican to win a FIFA Confederations Cup Award. He has 99 caps for Mexico.
Following his retirement in 2014, he joined Televisa Deportes as a sports analyst.
Sánchez was called up by Juan de Dios Castillo to participate at the 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship. He made his debut for the senior national team in 1996, against Bolivia. He has been part of three FIFA World Cups, in France 1998, 2002 and 2006. Coach Ricardo La Volpe called up Sánchez once again on April 2, 2006, to be the starting goalkeeper for Mexico in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. During preparation for the 2006 World Cup, Sánchez' father died of a heart attack on June 7, age 56. Sánchez flew home to Guadalajara, but he returned to Germany in time for the team's first game against Iran, which they won by a score of 3-1.
