New head Mexico national team coach Javier Aguirre has left out veteran players such as Guillermo Ochoa, Raúl Jiménez and Hirving “Chucky” Lozano out of his first 26-man call-up for the Mexican national team.
Revealed on Thursday for upcoming friendlies against New Zealand on Sept. 7 (at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California) and Canada on Sept. 10 (at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas), the call up marks a continued absence for the aforementioned high-profile players that were previously left out of the Copa América roster.
Highlighting Aguirre’s first list are key figures like Feyenoord star striker Santiago Giménez, Club América goalkeeper Luis Ángel Malagón, Almería defender César Montes, and up-and-coming Tigres winger Marcelo Flores.
West Ham midfielder Edson Álvarez, another prominent European-based name that is missing from Aguirre’s squad, is currently regaining full fitness after recovering from an injury.
25 of the 26 players have earned previous call ups, leaving Spanish-born Athletic Club goalkeeper Álex Padilla as the sole member of the squad that will be representing Mexico for the first time at the senior level.
Preparation for September friendlies will begin with a camp that kicks off this Sunday.
The September games will be the first for Aguirre in his third run with the national team after previously coaching them in 2001-02 and 2009-10.
Aguirre and his men will then face the United States national team in a Mexico-based friendly on Oct. 15 in Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron.
Mexico sporting director Duilio Davino told ESPN last week that the “door was never closed” to veteran players who were recently left out of the Copa América, and also noted that there’s “progress” in talks with Valencia for a country vs. club friendly in October ahead of the USMNT game.
Mexico’s 26-man call-up for September
Goalkeepers: Luis Ángel Malagón (Club America), Raul Rangel (Chivas), Alex Padilla (Athletic Bilbao)
Defenders: Julián Araujo (Bournemouth), Alan Mozo (Chivas), Israel Reyes (Club America), Cesar Montes (Almeria), Johan Vásquez (Genoa), Víctor Guzmán (Monterrey), Jesús Angulo (Tigres), Jesús Gallardo (Toluca)
Midfielders: Luis Romo (Cruz Azul), Fidel Ambriz (Monterrey), Erik Lira (Cruz Azul), Carlos Rodríguez (Cruz Azul), Luis Chávez (Dynamo Moscow), Sebastián Córdova (Tigres), Orbelín Pineda (AEK Athens)
Forwards: Diego Lainez (Tigres), Julián Quiñones (Al Qadsiah), Roberto Alvarado (Chivas), Marcelo Flores (Tigres), César Huerta (Pumas), Guillermo Martínez (Pumas), Santiago Gimenez (Feyenoord), Henry Martín (Club America)