Eight years after Hirving “Chucky” Lozano became a Mexico national team cult hero with his winner against Germany, the dynamic winger has reportedly opted not to be considered by Javier Aguirre for El Tri’s 2026 World Cup roster in favor of continuing to earn his lucrative salary with San Diego FC.
Lozano hasn’t played a single minute since San Diego’s elimination from the MLS Cup playoffs on Nov. 29, 2025. After becoming the club’s first Designated Player signing ahead of their debut season in Major League Soccer, El Chucky’s relationship with manager Mikey Varas and the team’s sporting structure ruptured.
San Diego announced that Lozano wouldn’t be part of the team’s plans for the 2026 season. However, Lozano’s contract is valid until the end of 2028, and as one of the highest earners in all of MLS, El Chucky stood his ground.
Even knowing he’d be separated from the first team and wouldn’t be considered to play in 2026, Lozano didn’t agree to a mutual contract termination, instead opting to train by himself while still collecting his stratospheric paycheck.
Highest Player Salaries in MLS
| Player | Team | Base Salary | Guaranteed Comp. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | $12,000,000 | $20,446,667 |
| Son Heung-min | LAFC | $10,368,750 | $11,152,852 |
| Miguel Almirón | Atlanta United | $6,056,000 | $7,871,000 |
| Hirving Lozano | San Diego FC | $6,000,000 | $7,633,333 |
| Emil Forsberg | Red Bull New York | $5,405,000 | $6,035,625 |
Accurate as of Oct. 1, 2025, via MLS Players Association
Javier Aguirre Encouraged Lozano to Leave San Diego
Lozano’s decision has further ramifications that extend beyond San Diego. His decision also impacted El Tri, where El Chucky seemed to be poised to feature in his third career World Cup.
Aguirre granted El Chucky a return to the national team after over a year of exile during the Sept. 2025 international break. Lozano would go on to feature in the final three camps of the year and with his minutes increasing, he looked certain to continue featuring prominently.
But the San Diego situation changed it all. TUDN reports that Aguirre spoke with Lozano earlier in the year, urging him to leave San Diego in search of playing time. El Vasco was very much considering Lozano for Mexico’s 2026 World Cup roster, but only on the condition that he was playing consistently in the months leading up to the tournament.
The 30-year-old winger didn’t oblige to his manager’s request, though, and failed to secure a move before the end of the MLS transfer window in late March. Though, it wasn’t for a lack of options.
Lozano Turned Down Move to La Liga
San Diego’s decision to separate Lozano from their 2026 plans has been known since the opening days of 2026. With the January transfer window open, La Liga side Real Oviedo offered El Chucky an escape route.
Oviedo is owned by Grupo Pachuca, the same ownership group that commands Liga MX side Pachuca, where Lozano made his debut and spent the opening three years of his career before leaving for PSV Eindhoven in 2017.
The ownership group’s effort to get Lozano to Spain could’ve been beneficial for both parties. Lozano would get to return to Europe and play consistently in the lead-up to the World Cup, and the struggling Spanish outfit would’ve added a solid reinforcement in their mission to avoid relegation.
But Oviedo’s inability to get anywhere close to the salary Lozano earns at San Diego was ultimately what resulted in the player never seriously considering the move, per TUDN.
Hirving Lozano Chose Salary Over 2026 World Cup
Entering the year, it was almost guaranteed that Lozano was going to represent El Tri in the 2026 World Cup. Fast forward three and a half months and that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Disciplinary issues have plagued Lozano throughout his career, and are once again the root cause of the player’s dire situation.
But despite having opportunities to salvage his World Cup hopes and even after getting advice from Aguirre, the allure of a $7,633,333 yearly salary was more enticing for Lozano than the possibility of playing his third World Cup.
Ultimately, Lozano quit on his World Cup dreams in favor of the financial compensation he fought to secure. Although it’s easy to judge from the outside, it’s a decision he put himself in position to make.
Eight years after Lozano cut inside on Mesut Özil and blasted a ball past Manuel Neuer to lead Mexico’s greatest World Cup upset of all time, the once El Tri fan-favorite has decided to seemingly put an end to his career in the most prestigious competition in the sport.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Is a Multi-Million Dollar Salary Worth More Than a World Cup Appearance? It is for Mexico Star.
