Hirving Lozano was left out of Mexico’s squad for its second Group A match against Korea South on Thursday, June 18, after Javier Aguirre decided he did not have enough activity with San Diego FC. The omission kept one of Mexico’s most familiar attackers out of the World Cup 2026 list just as the team needed him in Guadalajara.
Lozano had been in the preliminary process, but he did not make the final cut. He played for San Diego FC in Major League Soccer, yet he did not log a single minute for San Diego in 2026, which gave Aguirre the clearest standard to apply: players had to be active with their clubs to stay in contention.
That choice lands hard because Lozano is not just another name on a roster. He debuted in 2016, has played 75 matches for Mexico and scored 18 goals, including one against Germany in Rusia 2018. He also took part in Qatar 2022, which made his absence for a key match in Group A of the Mundial 2026 feel like a break from the recent pattern.
The club situation behind it was messy. Lozano was separated from the San Diego squad because of a conflict with Mikey Varas, and in the previous season he was part of a case of indiscipline. He remained a player for the American club, and San Diego continued paying his salary because he is one of the franchise players, but he did not accept a move to another team. That left him under contract, out of action and, by Aguirre’s standard, out of the national team.
For Mexico, the decision shows how quickly status can matter less than minutes. For Lozano, the immediate path back runs through club activity first, then another call-up. Until that changes, his place with the Selección de México is not secure, no matter what he has meant in the past.
