As Mexico gears up for its most important summer tournament before co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, fans and analysts alike were left wondering: Why isn’t Hirving “Chucky” Lozano playing for Mexico at the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup?
Lozano, a veteran of more than 70 international caps, had been tipped to return to the national team spotlight after flashes of excellent form in MLS. Having made the 60-man preliminary list for the Gold Cup, his name was all but expected in the final 23-man squad. But when Mexico’s roster was officially announced, Lozano was nowhere to be found.
The surprise omission raises questions not just about squad strategy, but about whether something more serious might have forced his absence.
Since its rebranding from the CONCACAF Championship in 1991, the Gold Cup has been Mexico’s playground. They have won nine of the 18 editions to date and never failed to make the quarter-finals. With the United States and Canada fielding weakened squads in 2025, expectations were high that El Tri could not only retain their crown, but also stretch their lead to a record 10th Gold Cup title.
Yet, as Mexico aims to reassert its dominance, it will have to do so without one of its most electric attacking options.
Lozano’s return to form and national team hopes
Lozano’s club form had finally started to align with his reputation. Since joining expansion side San Diego FC, the 29-year-old has recorded five goals and seven assists in 14 MLS appearances, helping drive the team to second place in the Western Conference.
After a brief period in the international wilderness—his last cap came in the CONCACAF Nations League final against the USMNT in March 2024—Lozano seemed poised for a comeback. He had expressed disappointment at being left out of Mexico’s 2024 Copa America roster, calling the omission painful. Thus, when his name appeared on the team’s 60-man preliminary Gold Cup list, it appeared the door had reopened.
The real reason behind Lozano’s absence
But just days before the final roster was due, Lozano’s Gold Cup dream came to a sudden halt. During San Diego FC’s 2-0 win over Austin FC, Lozano pulled up midway through the second half with no contact and limped straight off the field. His reaction said it all. A follow-up diagnosis revealed a left hamstring injury, the same issue that had sidelined him earlier in the season.
“He felt something,” San Diego’s coach Mikey Varas said post-match. “He never wants to step out of anything. I feel for the guy because he’s gaining such rhythm right now. Hopefully, it’s not as big a setback as last time.”
The Mexican Football Federation subsequently confirmed the injury, issuing a statement: “San Diego FC reported and sent tests showing that Hirving Lozano has a left hamstring injury that prevents him from traveling to join the rest of the squad.”
