Mexico and MLS star facing self-inflicted seven-month lay-off ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup

On June 6, 2024, San Diego FC announced the arrival of Hirving "Chucky" Lozano as the first Designated Player in club's history.

The winger arrived for a fee of $12 million, signing a four-year deal with two option years.

“Signing a player of the international stature of ‘Chucky’ Lozano is the biggest possible endorsement of our project in San Diego,” said San Diego FC Owner and Chairman, Sir Mohamed Mansour.

Hirving Lozano in MLS: What's going on?

“His journey from Pachuca, Mexico to the world stage resonates with how Right to Dream provides opportunities for talent everywhere, and we hope that story can inspire and motivate the next generation of talent in San Diego and around the world,” Mansour added.

At the time, it seemed to be a statement signing for San Diego FC. After all, this was a player who had won the biggest prize in Mexico, Italy, and the Netherlands, having scored 76 goals and 43 assists in 267 appearances during his time at PSV Eindhoven and Napoli, as well as writing himself into El Tri folklore with his iconic winner vs. Germany at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Hirving Lozano's time in MLS hasn't gone according to plan

Lozano got off to a red-hot start in southern California, leading San Diego to a win at reigning champions LA Galaxy in their first-ever MLS match and assisting Anders Dreyer's opening goal.

Zig-zagging through opponents, unleashing a cross or launching a rocket into the top bins, it seemed San Diego had struck gold.

However, on October 4, Lozano was the protagonist of a heated locker room altercation with manager Mikey Varas, who had decided to sub him off at half-time.

San Diego turned a 1-0 deficit around, prevailing 4-2 in Houston, but Varas didn't forget - or forgive - the petulance of his DP winger.

Lozano was left out of their next two matchday rosters, including their maiden playoff game, before coming off the bench and scoring in their 2-2 draw and subsequent penalty shootout defeat at Portland. The next match, meanwhile, saw Lozano come off the bench in the 70th minute and assist the final goal in a 4-0 win.

Despite his impressive contributions in the best-of-three series against Portland, Lozano would play just 16 minutes in their 1-0 win against Minnesota. And with San Diego falling to a 3-0 deficit at home in the Western Conference Finals, Lozano was introduced at half-time and scored a consolation against Vancouver.

This would end up being his final appearance for San Diego, who, after finishing atop the Western Conference in their first-ever season, have continued to build on their momentum and currently rank fifth in the MLS Supporters' Shield standings. They've done so thanks to an all-Nordic front four of Dreyer, Amahl Pellegrino, Marcus Ingvartsen, and Onni Valakari.

Reading between the lines, it appears Lozano's ego has clashed with San Diego's team-oriented setup.

Sporting Director Tyler Heaps has said as much, stating in January: “Hirving is a fantastic player, but I think this is about a lot more than that, when you talk about the collective here and making sure we have every player bought into what we’re trying to do, whether that’s before training or during training."

"We think it’s best for both parties to find a new solution. We’re here to win. But what’s really important is how we win and who we win with, making sure we’ve got the right pieces, making sure this is about the collective, making sure we come out and play as one."

Varas, meanwhile, lamented, “Holistically, all together, it’s not a fit.”

Heaps and Varas weren't the only ones to voice their displeasure at Lozano's demeanor. His younger brother Brayan stated to ESPN: “At Napoli, he had problems with Gattuso and the coaching staff. At PSV he had them too. He’s rude and arrogant, and that leads nowhere."

"That has influenced the fact that many people don’t really want him. Even if he earns a lot in San Diego, it’s not worth having someone like that in the locker room. Very few teams would take the risk of signing him, knowing what has happened before.”

At 30 years-old, Lozano should still be in the prime of his career. Instead, he's training apart from his team and enjoying every bit of his reported $6m annual salary and the sunny California climate.

Unless he finds a new club before Thursday's deadline, he will enter the 2026 FIFA World Cup without having played a single club match since November 29.