No place for Lozano as World Cup hosts Mexico announce preliminary squad

World Cup hosts Mexico have released their fifty‑five‑man preliminary squad, with Hirving Lozano emerging as the most striking omission. The announcement follows a tense week marked by frustration over the call‑up of Liga MX players, who were unable to feature in the Liguilla or the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semi‑finals. From this long list, twenty‑six players will ultimately be chosen for the tournament.

Lozano, a national icon since his decisive goal against Germany in 2018, has struggled for form at San Diego FC and was told by coach Javier Aguirre he would only be considered if he had played enough minutes. Rodrigo Huescas also misses out after an injury‑disrupted season at Copenhagen, while in‑form Guadalajara defender Diego Campillo was deemed not yet ready for a World Cup role. Chivas contribute eight players, the highest number of any club, underlining their strong domestic campaign.