'Chucky' Lozano: 'Happy to return to Mexico' as Rafa Márquez unveils 30-man squad for the 2030 World Cup cycle

On the first day of the new era under head coach Rafa Márquez, Hirving "Chucky" Lozano arrived at the gathering point with a short message: "I am happy to return to the Mexico national team." The answer came after he had appeared reluctant to stop at the airport, and according to a shared video, the LA Galaxy winger suggested that interviews should not be held there. Once again, Lozano is in the national team squad. But this is not the old list. It is the first list under Rafa Márquez as head coach, and it carries the mark of a long-term campaign aimed at the 2030 World Cup. Márquez selected 30 players for the extended FIFA window from late September to early October. The list combines players with international experience and newcomers looking for a place. The group includes Santiago Giménez, Johan Vásquez, César Montes, Germán Berterame, Álvaro Fidalgo, young talent Gilberto Mora and Jorge Sánchez, a defender currently playing for Atlas. But the name generating the most debate is Hirving Lozano. Not because his ability is in question, but because of the question about his place in a squad going through renewal. Lozano was a key figure for Mexico for many years and was Márquez's teammate at the 2026 World Cup. Time, however, does not stand still. Some fans believe Chucky no longer has a guaranteed place in the starting lineup and want a younger side. Others argue that a player of his experience remains important during a transition, especially when the friendlies are auditions rather than competitive matches. Lozano chose a reply that did not add fuel to the debate. He did not talk about the future, demand a role, or make a bold statement. He only said: "I am happy to return." For a player who used to be an automatic selection, that wording reveals someone who knows he must prove himself again. Márquez, for now, still enjoys the tolerance of a new coach who has not lost a match. But the September friendlies will not be meaningless. Mexico will face Colombia on September 26 and Peru on September 29, with the United States and Chile also confirmed as opponents in the same window. Four matches in about a week mean rotation is almost mandatory, and the coach will have to share minutes across nearly the entire squad. Another factor makes this window more complicated than usual: the fitness schedules of the players. Most players from Liga MX have just ended an intense Apertura period; those playing in MLS, like Lozano, are still in the regular season; European players are entering the rhythm of continental competitions. When three different groups come together for a long window with at least four potential matches, injury risk cannot be ignored. Márquez may have to limit the minutes of several key players, and that is exactly why a 30-man list is not excessive. Reading the results of this window as a verdict on Márquez would be wrong. It is his first camp, there is no previous competitive data under him, and there is not enough time to build a clear tactical identity. The only things that can be assessed are how each player adapts to the intensity, to new tactical demands, and to competition inside a large group. The 30-man list can also be read as a political signal from Márquez. When a federation allows a new coach to call up 30 players instead of the usual 23, it means he has been given the right to audition rather than being forced to win immediately. Márquez is following the plan: keep an experienced core for stability while opening the door for younger players. That is a way to reduce the risk of a revolution. The second notable point is the source of players. Chivas, the club famous for only using Mexican players, contributes the most with six call-ups. This is both recognition of their domestic development model and a question about diversity. If one club takes too many places, the national team may become dependent on that club's form and style. The coach needs time to blend Chivas players with those from Europe, MLS and other Liga MX clubs. The inclusion of Berterame and Fidalgo is also interesting. Both are products of the naturalisation policy, showing that Mexico does not rely only on domestic youth academies. Having multiple recruitment channels is an advantage, but it also requires the federation to be careful with paperwork and eligibility. Back to Lozano. He and Jorge Sánchez were among those reporting for duty, according to the compiled report. At 31, Lozano still has enough speed and skill to make a difference if used correctly. The issue is not whether he can still play, but whether the coach is willing to define his role in a team that is getting younger. If Lozano is used only as an emergency option, his value will decline with each camp. Football had a natural laboratory in 2026, when stadiums were empty. The final product of that experiment is a clear lesson: home advantage is not about the pitch, it is about the pressure from the stands. When that pressure returns, Lozano will have to face either boos or applause directly from home fans. It can be motivation or it can be a burden. History shows that successful generational shifts are rarely achieved by removing older players completely. Veterans are needed to guide the young, but they can become obstacles if they occupy places through reputation rather than form. Football has seen supposedly eternal philosophies collapse not because they were solved by opponents, but because the people who believed in them held on for too long. Tiki-taka did not die because it was beaten; it died because it was trusted for too long. Mexico will die the same way if it keeps the old formula just because change is risky. Márquez shared a dressing room with Lozano at the 2026 World Cup. That gives him insight, but it also creates a special relationship that must be managed carefully. No one can predict whether that relationship will be an asset or a burden. Look closely, Lozano's story is not only about him. It is a test of Márquez's entire approach. A coach who knows how to handle an older, marketable but debated player will show his ability to manage the dressing room. If the story is left to public emotion, the team could be divided before the qualifiers even begin. One thing is certain: none of the fans debating Lozano can use clear data to support their conclusion. The original article contains no statistics about goals, assists or pressing. For now, every argument for or against Lozano is based largely on feeling. Márquez's staff will have four matches to turn that feeling into a solid judgment. Friendlies should not be used to confirm that a new era has succeeded or failed. But they are the only place to answer the most important question: how is this team transitioning? By keeping Lozano, Márquez shows he does not want to erase the past. By calling up Gilberto Mora, he shows he is not afraid of the future. The rest depends on how those individuals share minutes in the games against Colombia, Peru, the United States and Chile. As the team moves forward, small details will reveal the real intention. Will Lozano start both matches or be saved for a specific role? Will Mora get the last 30 minutes or only sit on the bench? Will Chivas have six call-ups again in the next camp, or will the list be spread across more clubs? Those are the signals worth following. For someone who has watched football for decades, I am less interested in whether Mexico wins or loses a friendly. I care about whether the team chooses a clear direction. At 61, I no longer have time for polite football on paper. I want to see a coach who allows young players to learn in a competitive environment, and a veteran who understands that a starting place must be earned through hard work. Lozano said he is happy to return. It sounds simple, but in this context it is a conditional commitment. He will be happy if he is welcomed, if he plays, if he is respected. Whether Márquez can give him that will be decided in the matches at the end of September and beginning of October. When the stadium lights come on, there is nowhere to hide.