2024 Copa America: Meet Mexico's 31-man preliminary team competing for a final roster spot

Under head coach Jaime Lozano, Mexico's national football team is not only undergoing a generational change but also intensively preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States, while gearing up to compete in this summer's Copa America tournament.

Lozano has made a bold move by excluding some key players from the 31-man preliminary roster ahead of Copa America. Those left out include veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, Hirving "Chucky" Lozano, Raúl Jiménez and Henry Martin. Lozano has said the strategic decision is part of the team's evolution and preparation for the upcoming competitions but has made it clear that he has not excluded the veteran players from the 2026 World Cup.

Lozano has also said that this preparation presents a golden opportunity for a group of younger players to step up and showcase their skills, potentially shaping the future of Mexican football.

Here are the potential new faces that you will see at the 2024 Copa America.

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2024 Copa America: Mexico's 31-man preliminary roster

Head coach Jamie Lozano has released a preliminary 31-man roster, which will be narrowed down to a 23-man roster before the first Copa America game against Jamaica.

Goalkeepers:

• Angel Malagon: 27-year-old goalkeeper for Liga MX team Club América, Malagon received his first call-up to the Mexico national football team in 2021 and made his debut in a friendly match against Guatemala in June 2023.

• Raúl Rangel: 24-year-old goalkeeper for Liga MX team Deportivo Guadalajara, has made six appearances in the 2023/24 season.

• Julio Gonzalez: 33-year-old goalkeeper for Liga MX team UNAM. Gonzalez was first called up to the Mexico national football team in October 2023 and played in friendly matches against Ghana and Germany.

Defenders:

• Israel Reyes: 23-year-old centre-back for Liga MX team Club América, and was called up to the Mexico national football team in December 2021 in a friendly match against Chile.

• Jorge Sánchez: 26-year-old right-back for Primeria Liga club Porto and currently on loan from Dutch professional football club Ajax. Sánchez was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2019 against Paraguay. Sánchez made the 26-man roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

• Brian Garcia: 26-year-old right-back for Liga MX team Toluca and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2023 in a friendly against Colombia.

• César Montes: 27-year-old centre-back for Spanish La Liga was first called up to the Mexico national football team for the 2017 Gold Cup against Jamaica. Montes was also included in the 26-man roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

• Victor Guzman: 22-year-old centre-back for Liga MX team Monterrey and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2021.

• Alexis Peña: 28-year-old centre-back for Liga MX team Necaxa and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2023 for a friendly against Colombia.

• Johan Vásquez: 25-year-old centre-back for Serie A club Genoa and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2019. Vásquez was named to the 2022 FIFA world Cup but did not play any minutes.

• Jesús Orozco: 22-year-old centre-back for Liga MX team Deportivo Guadalajara and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2023 against Colombia.

• Gerardo Arteaga: 25-year-old left-back for Liga MX team Monterrey and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2018 and was apart 26-man roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup but did not play any minutes in the tournament.

• Bryan González: 21-year-old left-back for Liga MX team Pachuca and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2023 against Colombia.

Midfielders:

• Edson Álvarez: 26-year-old defensive midfielder for the English Premier League club West Ham United. Álvarez has been a very active player in the Mexico national football team since 2017 and was apart of the 2022 FIFA World Cup team.

• Luis Romo: 28-year-old defensive midfielder for Liga MX team Monterrey and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2019. Romo was apart of the team that won bronze at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and apart of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

• Jordan Carrillo: 22-year-old attacking midfielder for Liga MX team Santos Laguna and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2022 for a friendly against Guatemala.

• Érick Sánchez: 24-year-old midfielder for Liga MX team Pachuca and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2021 for a game against Guatemala.

• Orbelín Pineda: 28-year-old midfielder for Greek Super League team AEK Athens and has been an active player for the Mexico national football team since being called up in 2015.

• Roberto Alvarado: 25-year-old winger for Liga MX team Deportivo Guadalajara and has been an active player for the Mexico national football team since being called up in 2018.

• Luis Chávez: 28-year-old midfielder for Russian Premier League team Dynamo Moscow and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2022 for a friendly match against Guatemala. Chávez was a part of the 23-man roster for the FIFA World Cup.

• Andrés Montaño: 22-year-old midfielder for Liga MX team Mazatlán F.C. This will be Montaño's first call up for international play with the Mexico National football team.

• Fernando Beltrán: 26-year-old midfielder for Liga MX team Deportivo Guadalajara. This will be Beltrán's first call up for international play with the Mexico National football team.

• Carlos Rodríguez: 27-year-old midfielder for Liga MX team Cruz Azul and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2019.

Forwards:

• Marcelo Flores: 20-year-old attacking midfielder for Liga MX team Tigres UANL and was eligible to play for Canada, England or Mexico and in 2022, committed to play with Mexico internationally.

• Cesar Huerta: 23-year-old winger for Liga MX team UNAM and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2023 for friendly matches against Australia and Uzbekistan.

• Julián Quiñones: 27-year-old forward for Liga MX Club América and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2023 after becoming a Mexico citizen.

• Santiago Giménez: 23-year-old forward for Eredivisie team Feyenoord and despite being born in Argentina, decided to represent Mexico internationally. Giménez was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2020 and made his debut for Mexico in 2021 in a friendly match against Ecuador.

• Alexis Vega: 26-year-old forward for Liga MX team Toluca and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2019.

• Uriel Antuna: 26-year-old forward for Liga MX team Cruz Azul and has been a active player of the Mexico national football team since being called up in 2017 for friendly matches against Belgium and Poland.

• Guillermo Martínez Ayala: 29-year-old forward for Liga MX team UNAM and was first called up to the Mexico national football team in 2023 for a friendly match against Colombia.

• Diego Lainez: 23-year-old forward for Liga MX team Tigres UANL and has been an active player of the Mexico national football team since being called up in 2018 for friendly matches against the United States and Uruguay.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2024 Copa America: Mexico's preliminary roster players