San Diego FC Gets Festive to Welcome Soccer Star ‘Chucky’ Lozano to City

San Diego FC officially introduced the club’s first designated player, Hirving “Chucky” Lozano Thursday, followed by a welcome party at the Rady Shell.

The news conference, emceed by Rodolfo Landeros, from MLS Season Pass, was held at the future home of San Diego FC, Snapdragon Stadium, with Lozano, team CEO Tom Penn and club Vice-Chairman and Sycuan Tribal Chairman Cody Martinez in attendance.

Lozano, 28, will join SDFC as the first designated player – meaning he is not subject to MLS salary cap rules – from Netherland’s Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven.

He has recorded 119 goals and 74 assists across 416 club matches played in Mexico and Europe with Liga MX’s Pachuca, Eindhoven and Italy’s Serie A side Napoli.

“It’s exciting to be part of history as we build a club that will compete for championships in MLS,” Lozano said. “In every country I have played, I always strive to leave a mark, and making an impact in San Diego and MLS is very important to me.”

Lozano has won titles at every club he’s been a part of, including the 2016 Liga MX Clausura and 2016-17 Concacaf Champions League titles with Pachuca, the 2017-18 and 2023-24 Eredivisie titles with PSV Eindhoven, and the 2019-20 Coppa Italia and the 2022-23 Seria A titles with Napoli.

Additionally he has earned 70 caps for the Mexican National Team, netting 18 goals and 12 assists for El Tri.

The Rady Shell event, called “ChuckyMania,” was the first opportunity for San Diego to greet Lozano in a festive atmosphere that included live music and more. Reggaeton star LUNAY performed.

A dynamic winger with 267 appearances, 76 goals and 43 assists in all competitions during his time in Europe, Lozano was signed by SDFC through the end of 2028 with two option years.

He will remain at the Dutch club for the rest of 2024, and officially transfer to SDFC on Jan. 1.

“`Chucky’ is one of the most decorated Mexican internationals in the world, and we look forward to seeing him shine in San Diego and MLS in 2025,” SDFC CEO Tom Penn said.

Major League Soccer’s newest team is set to begin play in 2025. Its ownership group is led by British-Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Mansour and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. The group also includes San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado.

The team is building a training facility and youth academy on 28 acres of Sycuan tribal land in El Cajon, land that houses part of the Pine Glen Golf Course and the Singing Hills Hotel. It will include a Right To Dream residential youth development academy, the first of its kind in the U.S.

“The club’s project and plans for San Diego’s Right to Dream Academy resonated deeply with the career path I’ve had in this sport,” Lozano said. “I identified with the project immediately and I am confident we will be able to help a lot of youth players from both sides of the border.”

– City News Service

Note: Photo credit, inset – ‘Chucky’ Lozano dons gear for his future club, San Diego FC, Thursday during a full day in which he was introduced to the media at Snapdragon Stadium and to the community at the Rady Shell; courtesy, San Diego FC.