San Diego FC hosts Austin on Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium.
The next day, the club will bid a temporary farewell to Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, Anders Dreyer and five other starters. They’ll scatter to the four winds — to Finland, Denmark, Egypt, Panama, Northern Ireland, Utah and Connecticut.
An official FIFA international window begins Monday and lasts through June 10. National teams can summon players, and their pro clubs, in most cases, must release them whether they have games scheduled.
SDFC does, a friendly against Club America at Snapdragon Stadium that was originally set for later in the month but was moved to June 7. The hosts will field a largely second-choice lineup against the Mexico City giant that, if it beats LAFC in a play-in game on Saturday, will be prepping for the FIFA Club World Cup.
In a way, though, it’s a compliment. If your players are being called for national team duty, that is a pretty good indication they, and you, have been playing well.
Major League Soccer is taking a two-week break over the international window. But three key SDFC players — Lozano, U.S. midfielder Luca de la Torre and Panamanian midfielder Anibal Godoy — could have their national-team stays extended to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which goes through July 6.
That would potentially take them out for four MLS games, including key road dates at Minnesota (June 14) and Vancouver (June 25). Gold Cup rosters must be submitted by June 4.
Here’s a list of the call-ups for next week:
Lozano (Mexico): Part of a 35-player roster for friendlies against Switzerland on June 7 in Salt Lake City and Türkiye on June 10 in North Carolina. Nine players will be cut before the Gold Cup.
De la Torre (USA): Part of a 27-player roster for friendlies against Turkiye in East Hartford, Conn. (June 7) and Switzerland in Nashville three days later. The bulk of this roster is expected to play in the Gold Cup.
Godoy (Panama): There are 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Belize (June 7) and at Nicaragua (June 10), followed by the Gold Cup. The 35-year-old defensive midfielder is Panama’s captain.
Luca Bombino (USA): The 18-year-old left back was originally headed to an under-19 national team camp in Spain, but the U20s summoned him instead for a pair of friendlies in Egypt against Colombia (June 7) and Egypt (June 10) ahead of the U20 World Cup in Chile in October.
Dreyer (Denmark): There are home friendlies against Northern Ireland and Lithuania. Denmark resumes World Cup qualifying in September.
Paddy McNair (Northern Ireland): He’ll play against his club teammate on June 7 and home against Iceland three days later.
Onni Valakari (Finland): There are World Cup qualifiers against the Netherlands (June 7) and Poland (June 10).
The most anticipated call-up was Lozano, who has made 70 appearances (and scored 18 goals) for El Tri but none in the last 14 months through a mixture of injuries and coaching decisions. Moving to MLS historically has been a risky move for Mexican players aspiring to the national team, partly due to the league’s perception internationally, partly through federation politics.
After a hamstring injury sidelined the mercurial winger for a few weeks in March, Lozano has steadily made a case to Mexico coach Javier Aguirre with five goals and six assists in 12 games. The last two included 70-yard sprints late in the second half that exhibited the requisite level of fitness to last 90 minutes at the international level.
“He’s obviously had really, really good performances of late after he got his rhythm back from the injury,” SDFC coach Mikey Varas said. “I think it’s a huge credit to him working hard, he has that goal in mind. It’s also credit to the collective, because the way that we play and the way the boys are interpreting the game and putting it to life on the field, it’s opening the eyes of the national teams.”
Lozano is the only MLS player on Aguirre’s 35-man roster.
“I think it depends how you play on the field with your club,” said Lozano. “Based on that, the national team will have a look. The important thing is to be at the best level to be called up. That’s how I look at it.”
Notable
Varas said outside back Willy Kumado is “out for a little bit (and) won’t be a quick return” but did not provide more details … Danish striker Marcus Ingvartsen, out since mid-March, has returned to training and is expected to be on the bench Saturday. … Austin features striker Brandon Vazquez, who grew up in Chula Vista. He has four goals in 15 appearances this season.
