Jamie Lozano has named his 31-man squad ahead of this summer's Copa América, with reigning champions Argentina getting us underway on Thursday, 20th June, at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
El Trio has been drawn into a group which includes Jamaica, Venezuela and Ecuador. The opening game for Lozano's men starts on Saturday, 22nd June, against the Reggae Boyz in Houston at the NRG Stadium.
The first major surprise in Lozano's selection is that soon-to-be 39-year-old Ochoa will not travel with the team. The legendary Mexican goalkeeper debuted for the Selección in 2005 and has represented the country on 125 occasions, making him the third-highest appearance-maker.
The former Club América shot-stopper was the national team's first choice for 19 years, even starting in their most recent Nations League final defeat to the United States in March. His performance in that final raised doubts regarding how much time he had left between the sticks, and now it seems that we have our answer.
“We spoke with 'Memo,' and I told him that the decision was made by me, but that does not mean that he is outside the process (for the 2026 World Cup),” - said Lozano during the following Press Conference, documented by the Los Angeles Times.
The decision to drop Memo now raises questions about who will replace him. Many will expect Club América's first choice, Luis Malagón, to replace him, as he did during the Nations League quarter-final against Honduras when Memo was forced off through injury. However, he will face stiff competition for the position as Pumas' Julio González has made a good account of himself this season, keeping seven clean sheets in 17 games. Also in contention is Chivas' Raúl Rangel, who has played a vital role as the club reached the Liga MX Clausura semi-final.
The Full Squad
Goalkeepers | Defenders | Midfielders | Attackers |
|---|---|---|---|
Luis Malagón | Jorge Sánchez | Edson Álvarez | Marcelo Flores |
Raúl Rangel | Israel Reyes | Luis Romo | Cesar Huerta |
Julio González | Brian García | Jordan Carrillo | Julián Quiñones |
Cesar Montes | Erick Sánchez | Guillermo Martínez | |
Victor Guzmán | Orbelín Pineda | Santiago Giménez | |
Alexis Peña | Roberto Alvarado | Alexis Vega | |
Johan Vásquez | Luis Chávez | Uriel Antuna | |
Jorge Orozco | Andrés Montaño | Diego Lainez | |
Gerardo Arteaga | Fernando Beltrán | ||
Bryan González | Charly Rodríguez |
The selection for the upcoming Copa América sends a message that this is a new generation for Mexico. Memo is gone, and so are other familiar faces that we have come to know.
Former Napoli and current Eredivisie champion Hirving "Chucky" Lozano also faced the axe following this new-look Mexico team. The winger scored nine times in his 35 appearances for El Trio, whilst domestically becoming a Dutch and Italian league winner in the last few years.
This season, as his PSV went on to lift the Dutch league title, Lozano contributed with six goals and three assists, which was not considered good enough for the Mexican national team, as they aim to build a squad for the future. TUDN explains that the decision was made to provide experience, whilst also building a core group within the squad for those likely to be chosen for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held across Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Joining Memo and Lozano on the sidelines this summer will be Fulham striker Raul Jimenez. The 32-year-old played 193 minutes for the West London side this season and has been missing a goal since December 2023. He made his debut for the national team in 2013 and was a part of the 2014 and 18 World Cup squads.
In his absence, Santiago Giménez, Guillermo Martínez and Julián Quiñones stand in line waiting for their chances in the starting XI. The obvious choice will be Gimenez, who netted 23 times for Feyenoord this season, as they went on to win the KNVB Cup. His form in Rotterdam this season has sparked major interest from Serie A and Premier League clubs. If he continues his form throughout the season with the national team, it will be more than likely that a summer move is on the horizon for the 23-year-old.
Other Noticeable Points
One major absentee from this list is Las Palmas loanee Julian Araujo. The right-back has had a stand-out season, with multiple reports suggesting that he is likely to be a first-team player at Barcelona next season. At the age of 22, Araujo fits the 'young' profile that Lozano wants, whilst also playing regularly this season. He has represented the national team 13 times, playing in the Nations League semi-final against Panamá, before being dropped for Jorge Sanchez, who is in Lozano's 31-man list for the summer competition.
Eyebrows were also raised as Las Aguilas forward Henry Martin failed to make the list. Scoring six goals in 14 games during the Clausura, the 31-year-old has been in the national team set-up since 2015, but it seems that Martin has also fallen victim to Lozano's plans to freshen up the squad.
Similar to Memo, Martin started the Nations League final against the USA but failed to make an impression. His replacement for the tournament is Pumas' Martínez, who, like Martin, scored six goals during the Clausura. Unlikely to start during the competition, Martínez provides an aerial threat that Martin is unable to offer. The Pumas forward stands at 180cm and won 95% of his aerial duals this season, compared to Martin, standing at 165cm and winning only 64%, according to statistics provided by FotMob.
The new look Mexico side brings into question who will wear the captain's armband. The long-lasting captain was Ochoa, but with his absence, along with Jimenez, Javier Hernández, and Andrés Guardado, it is time for a new name. With that in mind, many will expect West Ham midfielder Edson Álvarez to wear the band.
The 26-year-old is coming into his prime age, settling nicely into the Premier League during his first season. Playing in 30 of the 38 games this season, Álvarez has played against some of the best in the business this season. After four campaigns in the Netherlands with Ajax, he has become a calm and composed player in position, as well as one who reads the defensive side of the game exceptionally well. Two key factors when choosing a captain, his quality and experience, lead him in great stead to lead Mexico to the Copa America this summer.
Lozano will have to make one more big announcement before the tournament commences. All teams will only be able to take 26 players to the United States, meaning that an extra five players from the current squad will miss out.
Who will/ will not be with the Mexican national team this summer at the Copa América?