Introduction to Pachuca’s Performance
Pachuca, a Mexican football club, concluded their participation in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup with a disappointing record, placing them among the worst five teams out of 32 participants.
Match Details and Results
Under the guidance of former Mexico national team coach Jaime Lozano, Pachuca suffered a 0-2 defeat against Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia in their final group stage match. The goals were scored by Al Hilal’s captain, Salem Al-Dawsari, in the 22nd minute and by Marcos Leonardo in the 90+5th minute.
With this loss, Pachuca secured the last position in Group H with a record of three losses, zero points, and a negative goal difference of -5 (two goals for and seven against).
Previous Matches and Overall Performance
- In the opening match, Pachuca lost 1-2 to Red Bull Salzburg.
- They suffered another defeat, 1-3, against Real Madrid despite having a player advantage for 83 minutes.
- Finally, Urawa Red Diamonds from Japan left Pachuca with a 0-2 loss.
These results placed Pachuca among the five teams with the worst records in the group stage. Other teams in this category were Seattle Sounders (USA) in Group B, Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan) in Group E, Ulsan Hyundai Tigers (South Korea) in Group F, and Wydad Casablanca (Morocco) in Group G.
Urawa Red Diamonds had the worst performance, with zero points and a negative goal difference of -7. Wydad Casablanca followed with -6, while Pachuca and Seattle Sounders shared the third-worst record with -5.
Pachuca managed only 19 shots on target across the three matches but could only score twice, thanks to Bryan González against Red Bull Salzburg and Elías Montiel against Real Madrid.
Being the only Latin American representative among the eight teams that participated, Pachuca failed to secure even a single point. This contrasts with Monterrey’s performance, another Liga MX representative that advanced to the round of 16.
Team Composition and Coaching Changes
Despite having seven new players, including goalkeeper Sebastián Jurado, defenders Federico Pereira and Brian García, midfielders Víctor Guzmán and Agustín Palavecino, and forwards Avilés Hurtado and Kenedy, Pachuca struggled to perform well.
The team also retained key players from their Concacaf Champions title in 2024, such as Salomón Rondón, Oussama Idrissi, and youngsters Elías Montiel and Bryan González. However, a significant change was the coaching staff, as Jaime Lozano took charge just 29 days before the tournament following Guillermo Almada’s three-year tenure, which included a Concacaf Champions title and a Liga MX league title in 2022.
This marked Pachuca’s fifth appearance in the FIFA Club World Cup, with previous participations under a seven-team format rather than the current 32-team structure.
Their best result was third place in 2017 in the United Arab Emirates, trailing only Real Madrid and Gremio de Porto Alegre. In 2024, Pachuca reached the Copa Intercontinental final after defeating South American champions Botafogo and African champions Al Ahly but lost 3-0 to Real Madrid.
Looking Ahead
Following this participation, Jaime Lozano and his squad will return to Mexico to prepare for the upcoming Apertura 2025 Liga MX season. Pachuca’s first match is scheduled against Monterrey on Sunday, July 13 at the Hidalgo Stadium.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is Jaime Lozano? Jaime Lozano is a former Mexico national team coach who took charge of Pachuca just 29 days before the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
- What were Pachuca’s results in the group stage? Pachuca lost all three matches, accumulating zero points and a negative goal difference of -5.
- Which other teams had similarly poor performances? Seattle Sounders (USA), Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan), Ulsan Hyundai Tigers (South Korea), and Wydad Casablanca (Morocco) also ended the group stage without a win.
- Why did Pachuca struggle despite new signings? Despite having seven new players, Pachuca failed to gel as a team, partly due to the short preparation time under new coach Jaime Lozano.
