Jaime Lozano resigns as Mexico coach after early Copa America exit
- Planet Sport writer
- 17 July 2024
Jaime Lozano has stepped down from his role as head coach of Mexico following their disappointing group stage exit from the Copa America.
The Mexican Footbal Federation FMF said in a statement that Lozano had been offered a demotion to work under a new head coach but the 45-year-old turned down the decision.
"Jaime Lozano was offered, along with his coaching staff, a contract until 2030, in which during 2024-2026 they will accompany a more experienced head coach towards our World Cup, and later it would be Jaime himself who would retake the reins of head coach in the 2026-2030 process," the FMF said.
"After analyzing the proposal, Jaime Lozano informed us that he doesn't wish to continue. We respect his decision."
Lozano's tenure as Mexico's head coach saw a rollercoaster of results. After being appointed as interim coach in June and later securing a permanent position in August following a Gold Cup victory, the initial success was soon overshadowed by mounting pressure and criticism.
In November, despite qualifying for the Copa América through penalties in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, doubts about his leadership began to surface. This skepticism grew after a 2-0 loss to the United States in the Nations League final in March 2024.
Controversial decisions, such as omitting key veterans like Hirving "Chucky" Lozano, Guillermo Ochoa, and Raúl Jiménez from the squad, further intensified the scrutiny. Mexico's poor performance in Copa América warmup games against Uruguay and Brazil foreshadowed their disappointing tournament run. Finishing third in Group B with only one goal in over 270 minutes of play, Mexico failed to qualify for the knockout stage for the third time in their last four appearances.
