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Pressure mounting for Mexico’s Jaime Lozano ahead of Concacaf Nations League Final vs. USA

Recent history indicates Lozano’s job could be on the line Sunday against the United States.

Mexico coach Jaime Lozano’s nickname is “The Actor” because his parents are soap opera actors in Mexico. Lozano is in the middle of a real-life soap opera.

If Mexico loses the Concacaf Nations League (CNL) final against the United States on Sunday at AT&T Stadium, it could be the end of Lozano as coach of El Tri. At least, that is what recent history indicates.

In last year’s CNL semifinal, the USMNT humiliated Mexico by rolling over them in a 3-0 victory.

The defeat against his archrival cost the then-Mexico coach Diego Cocca his job. Cocca only managed seven games for the Mexican team.

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Mexican fans and media outlets don’t tolerate defeat against the United States. Every time Mexico falls to its archrival, fans explode on social media calling for the coach’s head, and the press echoes the sentiment.

“I don’t know,” Lozano said with a wry smile when asked at a Saturday press conference at AT&T Stadium if he thinks it’s fair that he’s under so much pressure.

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“This is how I am judged because I am the coach of the Mexican national team. I understand it, but I don’t share it,” Lozano said.

Lozano took Cocca’s job last summer. Since then, he has a record of three wins, three draws, and two losses and has already won the 2023 Gold Cup title.

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Despite this, in Mexico there is a conviction among several soccer analysts that Lozano will not reach the 2026 World Cup as coach of Mexico.

“I would like Jaime to be Mexico’s coach in the next World Cup, but the way things are handled in Mexico, I see it as very difficult for Jaime to reach the World Cup,” said André Marín, a popular Univision commentator on his nightly show.

Marin was referring to the fact that within the Mexican Soccer Federation there is a power struggle between a group that supports Lozano and another that is waiting for any setback to overcome it.

A loss on Sunday against the USMNT would be the perfect excuse for those who want to get rid of Lozano.

“I have always thought that processes take you to a better place than seeking immediate results,” Lozano said.

“Just because you win one or two tournaments does not mean you are the best coach in history. I know that it is important to give results, but for me, the forms are also important,” said Lozano.

In addition to carrying the pressure of delivering immediate results, Lozano must carry the ghosts of the past.

The rivalry between the national teams of Mexico and the United States is considered one of the greatest in international soccer.

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The antagonism between the two major powers of Concacaf began with the first match played in 1934.

On that occasion, the Stars and Stripes defeated El Tri 4-2 in Rome to secure a spot in the World Cup in Italy.

The teams have met 76 times since then, with Mexico leading the overall series 36–17–23 (W–D–L). The U.S. has held the edge since 2000, though, with an 18–8–9 advantage in the 21st century.

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The rivalry intensified in the summer of 2021 when the United States beat Mexico in the Nations League and Gold Cup finals. In November of that year, the United States also defeated El Tri in its first qualifying match for the World Cup in Qatar.

The last time El Tri beat the USMNT was in a friendly match in September 2019 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The United States has won the previous two editions of the Concacaf Nations League.

In 2021, the United States won the tournament by beating Mexico in the final played in Denver.

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In 2023, USMNT defeated El Tri in the tournament’s semifinal in Las Vegas and won the final against Canada.

Mexico has a streak of six games without being able to beat the United States.

“The game against the United States is the game we were waiting for, it is a Classic, and it is revenge for us,” said Lozano, who knows he has to win to relieve the pressure that weighs on him.

“The only thing I want is to bring joy to the people of my country, that is what motivates me to be the coach of our national team; everything else does not matter.”

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