Inside the Lusail Stadium mixed zone, eager reporters crowded Mexico goalkeeper and captain Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa. The CONCACAF side had just defeated Saudi Arabia in its final group stage match at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The 2-1 win, however, wasn’t enough for Mexico to avoid an early exit from the tournament.
As Ochoa’s teammates walked through the mixed zone with their heads down, avoiding eye contact with reporters, the veteran of five World Cups stood tall and defended Mexico’s performances in Qatar, and the future of the national team.
“Of course there are things that can be improved, but we shouldn’t end one cycle and start over from scratch because of a mistake,” Ochoa said.
Ochoa explained that several of Mexico’s players had participated in their first-ever World Cup, and that valuable experience was gained ahead of the 2026 tournament that Mexico will co-host with Canada and the United States. None of those countries will have to qualify for the competition, which presents a challenge in preparation for each nation.
“Hopefully we can take part in the Asian Cup or the Copa América and not simply play friendlies in the U.S.,” said Ochoa. “There are many things behind the scenes that can improve. There’s no need to throw it all away.”
As Ochoa walked off, one reporter hastily asked if Ochoa was planning to play in a sixth World Cup in 2026. “Yes, of course,” Ochoa said before leaving the stadium.
But late last week, Ochoa’s quest to become the first player to ever make six World Cup squads was dealt a formidable blow. Ochoa, 38, along with Mexico stalwarts Hirving Lozano, 28, and Raúl Jiménez, 33, were all left off of Mexico’s 31-man preliminary squad for the upcoming Copa América. Club América center forward Henry Martín, 31, who started for Mexico at the 2022 World Cup, was also denied a call up.
After announcing the squad, Mexico manager Jaime Lozano told reporters that he had spoken with Ochoa and the others, stressing that their futures with the national team remained intact.
“I told Memo that I had made the decision and that it doesn’t mean that he won’t be part of our 2026 cycle,” Lozano said. “We just want to evaluate players that can give us more. The goal is to build the best possible national team ahead of 2026.”
For many pundits and fans in Mexico, moving on from Ochoa and others took far too long. To no surprise, Mexico was among the oldest teams at the last World Cup. Traditionally, the CONCACAF giants have relied on the legs and the mentality of their most experienced players.
Young stars are a rarity in Mexico, a product of the country’s stubborn football culture that leaves little room for error from players and coaches. A young professional footballer is seen as too high risk.
Mexico has struggled to export players to Europe and has watched enviously as the U.S. prioritized the transfers of young Americans to leagues around the world. Under head coach Gregg Berhalter, U.S. Soccer committed to building its senior men’s national team around a younger generation of players, led by AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic.
Berhalter’s side was the youngest squad in the world during the 2022 World Cup qualifying cycle. However, the team gained valuable experience during the 2021 editions of the CONCACAF Nations League and CONCACAF Gold Cup. The U.S. used two different squads to defeat Mexico in both finals.
On Friday, Lozano said that the Copa América was the ideal tournament to showcase Mexico’s up-and-coming talent, specifically players who are performing well at their clubs. Immediate results for the national team are no longer the priority, he said. Mexico was drawn in Group B along with Venezuela, Ecuador and Jamaica.
“What’s most important is what we are building towards 2026 and 2030,” said Lozano during a press conference in Mexico City. “If we focus on results we’ll end up exactly where we almost always do.”
In hindsight, Mexico’s decades-long failure to plan ahead has contributed to their current standing in world football. Mexico is no longer the dominant team in its region.
Change becomes a necessity when one hits rock bottom.
Lozano earned the Mexico job in 2023 when predecessor Diego Cocca was fired after only seven games in charge. Cocca’s abrupt dismissal was seen as a continuation of Mexico’s volatile football culture that leaves little room for mistakes and development.
In March, Lozano told The Athletic that becoming Mexico’s change agent was a welcome challenge.
“I want to do things differently than what’s typical in Mexico,” said Lozano.
Of the 31 players selected ahead of the Copa América, only seven currently play in Europe. Third-choice goalkeeper Julio González from Pumas is the oldest player at 33. There are nine players 23 or younger. If Mexicans wanted a generational change to occur, they’re getting it ahead of a major continental tournament.
“Those behind the scenes have to have strong values in order to support these types of decisions,” Lozano said.
Seated alongside Lozano on Friday was Mexico sporting director Dulio Davino, who added that young players who excel at the Copa América could earn a move to Europe. It’s all part of the plan.
These decisions, though, have been over-analyzed in Mexico. Pundits have suggested that Lozano is merely a Mexico Football Federation (FMF) puppet who does as he is told. Ochoa, Lozano and Jiménez, media members suggested, have been borrados or erased by the federation. Meddling from the federation level has always been a point of contention in Mexican football.
At present, the FMF is under new leadership, as former Grupo Televisa and Univision executive Juan Carlos Rodríguez was elected president last May. Rodríguez, and Ivar Sisniega, a FMF consultant, have been singled out by some pundits as the architects of Mexico’s squad transformation.
Lozano credited both Rodríguez and Sisniega with supporting his decision to bet on the future and leave the status quo behind.
Despite his inexperience as an international manager, Lozano is accustomed to working with and motivating younger players. In 2020, he led Mexico’s U-23 squad to an Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo. His appointment as the senior national team coach was widely applauded in Mexico, namely due to his ability to forge positive relationships with his players.
But now, Mexico will step into unfamiliar territory. Both Davino and Lozano have admitted publicly that Mexico will not be judged by how they fare at the Copa América. It’s a calculated gamble to lower the national team’s expectations. For years, Mexicans have urged the FMF to schedule tougher opponents and to do everything possible to participate in tournaments outside of CONCACAF.
The FMF is now asking Mexico fans to support a long-term project and accept the growing pains. On Friday, Davino said adamantly that Lozano’s tenure would run through 2026, regardless of what happens this summer.
The reward, it seems, is a younger and more athletic squad led by Feyenoord striker Santiago Giménez. The 23-year-old No. 9 is considered Mexico’s next star who has had limited opportunities with Mexico. With Martín and Ochoa off the team, Giménez will become the face of Mexico’s national team.
In goal, the acrobatic Luis Ángel Malagón will have the opportunity to become Mexico’s new No. 1. Malagón, 27, has now succeeded Ochoa at both the club and international level. In Mexico, the Club América goalkeeper has proven to be the best in his position. Ochoa, meanwhile, is set to depart Italian club Salernitana this summer. Salernitana was recently relegated to Serie B and Ochoa himself was recently relegated to the bench.
It was time for a change. Ochoa’s exclusion this summer was the domino that needed to fall. Since 2006, international tournaments have been highlighted by Ochoa’s heroic performances for Mexico. He is among the most celebrated Mexican footballers of all time. But with Ochoa watching from home, the 2024 Copa América will officially mark the beginning of a new era.
(Photo of Santiago Giménez and Jaime Lozano: Lyndsay Radnedge/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
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