Jaime Lozano was dismissed as head coach two weeks after Mexico’s early elimination from the Copa América.
The Mexican Football Federation announced on Tuesday that Lozano declined their offer to stay on as an assistant coach for the next two years, with the possibility of reassuming the head coach role after the 2026 World Cup.
Lozano expressed his decision on his social media, calling it one of the toughest choices he has had to make, citing changes in the original project’s direction.
Javier Aguirre, a close friend of Mexican federation commissioner Juan Carlos Rodríguez, is seen as the leading candidate to replace him.
Aguirre, who led Mexico in the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, had previously turned down an offer to assist Lozano remotely. The federation expects to confirm the new coach by early August.
Lozano had previously led Mexico’s Under-23 team to a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and was appointed interim coach in May last year after Diego Cocca’s departure. His position was made permanent in August 2023 after winning the Gold Cup.
During his tenure, Lozano managed to win only 10 out of 21 matches. Mexico managed a win over Jamaica but lost to Venezuela and drew with Ecuador in Copa América’s Group B matches, resulting in their elimination.
Lozano’s decision to exclude experienced players like Guillermo Ochoa, Hirving Lozano, and Raúl Jiménez from the squad for the Copa América was met with controversy. Despite assurances from Mexican Soccer Federation president Ivar Sisniega about his job security, the team’s tournament outcome did not alter his dismissal.
