Tag Archives: Jaime “Jimmy” Lozano

Héctor Herrera Named to Mexico’s 24-Man Roster for Upcoming U.S.-Based Friendlies

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Héctor Herrera is back on the roster…

Mexico has announced the 24-man roster that will take part in U.S.-based friendlies against Australia on September 9 in Dallas and Uzbekistan three days later in Atlanta, with the 33-year-old Mexican professional footballer making the list.

Héctor Herrera The first-ever roster selection for new manager Jaime “Jimmy” Lozano is highlighted by the return of the veteran Houston Dynamo midfielder and Fulham forward Raúl Jiménez, both of whom were recently left out of the Mexico squad that won the Gold Cup this summer.

Elsewhere in September’s squad, marquee names and usual call-ups for Mexico such as Salernitana‘s Guillermo Ochoa, Feyenoord‘s Santiago Giménez and West Ham United‘s Edson Álvarez made the cut.

New faces that earned first-ever call-ups for Mexico’s senior team include Chivas‘ Jesus Orozco, Monterrey‘s Jordi Cortizo and Pumas‘ Cesar Huerta.

Colombian-born winger Julian Quiñones was not included in the call-up, but Lozano noted earlier on Monday that the Club America player has already committed to a switch to Mexico, pending paperwork.

“It wasn’t our convincing, this was an own decision and we accept it, we validate it, and we are very proud to have a player like Julian Quiñones,” said El Tri‘s coach earlier this week. “His professional career as a soccer player, nearly all of it was developed in Mexico.

“He’s been here for many years, he’s very grateful to the country for the opportunity it provided.”

Due to ongoing trades and moves, Mexico’s coach also said that a few noteworthy players would be left out of the team.

Names like Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, who is set to undergo a medical with PSV Eindhoven ahead of a move from Napoli, Jorge Sánchez, announced as a Porto addition on Tuesday, Jesus “Tecatito” Corona, César Montes, Gerardo Arteaga and Luis Chávez, who debuted with Dynamo Moscow on Tuesday, were left out of the squad.

Serving as interim coach during Mexico’s Gold Cup-winning run in July, Lozano was given the permanent role earlier in August. September’s roster marks the first selection made by Lozano after previously leading the Gold Cup squad that was chosen by former coach Diego Cocca.

Mexico’s 24-man roster

Goalkeepers: Angel Malagon (Club America), Guillermo Ochoa (Salernitana), Jose Antonio Rodríguez (Club Tijuana)

Defenders: Kevin Álvarez (Club America), Gilberto Sepúlveda (Chivas), Jesus Orozco (Chivas), Jesús Gallardo (Monterrey), Johan Vásquez (Genoa), Julián Araujo (Las Palmas), Jesús Angulo (Tigres)

Midfielders: Carlos Rodríguez (Cruz Azul), Roberto Alvarado (Chivas), Hector Herrera (Houston Dynamo), Luis Romo (Monterrey), Jordi Cortizo (Monterrey), Érick Sánchez (Pachuca), Edson Alvarez (West Ham), Sebastian Cordova (Tigres)

Forwards: Alexis Vega (Chivas), Santiago Gimenez (Feyenoord), Raul Jimenez (Fulham), Uriel Antuna (Cruz Azul), Orbelín Pineda (AEK Athens), Cesar Huerta (Pumas)

Santiago Gimenez Scores Sole Goal to Help Mexico Claim 2023 Gold Cup Title

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Santiago Gimenez is being heralded a hero…

The 22-year-old Mexican professional footballer scored the sole goal in Sunday’s 2023 Gold Cup final to help lead Mexico to a thrilling 1-0 victory over Panama.

Santiago GimenezGimenez scored the late winner at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, to push Mexico past a resilient Panama side and lift a CONCACAF-record ninth Gold Cup title after Mexico interim manager Jaime “Jimmy” Lozano‘s side conceded just two goals in the entire tournament.

“With these results, they open opportunities,” said Lozano, who hopes to make his coaching stint permanent, after the match. “Obviously, I would like to be here. Obviously, it would be a dream to lead my national team in a World Cup, and even more in a World Cup where we’ll be the home side.

“If it’s my turn, it’s a dream, it’s a dream. What I’m experiencing now [as interim] is a dream.”

Lozano, hired just days before the start of the Gold Cup, replaced former coach Diego Cocca, who was fired after an embarrassing 3-0 loss to the United States in June’s Nations League Finals.

Mexico Nation's Cup 2023With Lozano in charge, Mexico stormed through the Gold Cup with a four wins and one loss to Qatar after already clinching passage to the knockout stage.

Panama made things difficult in a tight championship match, but following a late surge in the second half from El Tri, Gimenez tallied the sole score in the 85th minute.

Despite his Gold Cup success, Lozano noted that his agreement with the national team lasted only through the end of the tournament.

“I signed a contract for the Gold Cup; I believe that starting now I’m free [to sign with anyone],” Lozano said. “I don’t know if it’s in a few weeks or months, but a decision will need to be made, and from my part, whenever I can help the national team, I’m available.”

His status as an interim also led to a slightly awkward interaction with FIFA president Gianni Infantino in Sunday’s medal ceremony. After giving Lozano his medal, Infantino apparently wished the manager good luck in the next World Cup.

“I think Infantino didn’t know that my contract ended here,” Lozano said with a laugh in the postgame news conference.

At the very least for Lozano, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has stated recently that he remains in the running for a permanent position. Earlier in the week, after Mexico had qualified for the Gold Cup final with a triumph over Jamaica, FMF executive president Ivar Sisniega said, “Whatever happens Sunday won’t determine the future of Jimmy Lozano,” as he discussed possible options for the team’s permanent manager.

“Of course, Jimmy should be one of the candidates,” Sisniega added.

Before coaching Mexico’s senior team as an interim, Lozano made a name for himself with a bronze-medal finish with El Tri at the Tokyo Olympics. A strong core of members on the current Gold Cup roster played for Lozano at those Summer Games in 2021, likely leading to his hiring before this tournament.

Mexico’s Gold Cup victory helps it maintain its status as the all-time leader in the tournament. The United States has the second-most titles with seven.

The U.S., Mexico and Canada are joint hosts of the 2026 World Cup.

Jaime “Jimmy” Lozano Named Interim Coach of Mexico’s Senior Men’s National Soccer Team

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Jaime “Jimmy” Lozano is filling in…

The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has named the 44-year-old Mexican professional football manager and former player as the interim coach of the senior men’s national team.

Jaime "Jimmy" Lozano The announcement came after the FMF on Monday officially dropped Diego Cocca as the national team’s manager after their third-place finish in the Concacaf Nations League.

Cocca, hired in February and fired from his post with a 3-3-1 record, fell below expectations last week after Mexico lost 3-0 to the United States in the Nations League and beat Panama 1-0 in the ensuing third-place game.

“In the last week, I have found many deficiencies,” FMF commissioner president Juan Carlos Rodriguez said in a video on Monday.

“A game against the United States can be lost, there’s always that risk because this is football and the win can go one way or the other. What cannot be accepted was the way in which it happened,” he said.

“This phase has been flawed by the disorder in decision-making, by the lack of processes, rigor, and transparency in appointments, and by a perfect storm in the bad habits that we’ve been dragging for so many years.

“The natural thing to do would be to wait for the end of the Gold Cup, but today we don’t have time to waste. So I inform you that I’ve made the decision to terminate the contract of Diego Martin Cocca and the members of his coaching staff,” Rodriguez said.

He later added that Rodrigo Ares de Parga would also be dropped as executive director of national teams.

The firing of Cocca and Ares de Parga add to the list of ongoing changes at the FMF since last year.

In the past 11 months, and related to just the men’s side, Mexico has made the following changes: the firing of general sporting director Gerardo Torrado and sporting director of national teams Ignacio Hierro; the hiring and eventual exit of Jaime Ordiales as sporting director for men’s national teams; the exit of men’s coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino; the hiring and firing of Ares de Parga as the executive director of national teams; the hiring of Duilio Davino as sporting director of men’s national teams; the hiring and firing of Cocca as the new men’s coach; the exit of former FMF president Yon de Luisa; and the election of Rodriguez as the new FMF president.

Through a recent FMF restructuring last week, Rodriguez transitioned to commission president, while Ivar Sisniega was given the role of executive president.

Following Sunday’s third-place finish in the Nations League, Cocca seemed to hint at his future after stating in a postgame news conference that “there’s a lot of people who want me to leave.”

When asked to be specific, the coach didn’t give any details.

Before leading Mexico in his first international job, the 51-year-old from Argentina made a name for himself through back-to-back Liga MX championships with Atlas in the 2021 Apertura and 2022 Clausura.

Within Liga MX, he also coached Club Tijuana and Tigres, where he left after just a few months in charge to take the role with Mexico in February.

The former defender previously managed teams in Argentina and Colombia as well.

After being hired by Mexico, Cocca replaced fellow countryman Martino, who walked away from the Mexico role last year after his contract ran out.

He coached El Tri to a disappointing exit in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup.

At the upcoming Gold Cup, Lozano will lead Mexico as interim coach in group stage matches against Honduras (June 25), Haiti (June 29) and Qatar (July 2).

On Sunday, Mexico revealed that Chivas forward Alexis Vega will be unavailable for the tournament because of a knee injury.

Lozano led El Tri‘s Olympic squad to a bronze medal at Tokyo 2020.

In Liga MX, he’s had experience as manager of Queretaro and Necaxa.