Getty Hirving Lozano goes by the name of "Chucky."
Hirving “Chucky” Lozano has been one of the early stories of the 2018 World Cup, but fans are curious as to why Lozano is called “Chucky.” The name comes from Lozano’s propensity for scaring his teammates, a nod to the Chucky doll in the popular horror movie. FIFA detailed the origins of Lozano’s nickname.
Hirving Lozano may not bear any physical resemblance to a small, evil, red-headed doll, but he still goes by the nickname ‘Chucky’.
He earned the moniker for a rather more innocent form of torment than his namesake after joining the youth academy of Mexican club Pachuca as an 11 year old. There, he not only stood out because of his exceptional footballing ability, but also because of his custom of hiding under unsuspecting team-mates’ beds at night and scaring them before they went to sleep.
Andres Guardado spoke with FOX Sports (via goal.com) about Lozano, and why teammates have to watch out for his jokes.
“He really cares about his family,” Guardado explained to FOX Sports (via goal.com). “He’s a person who is calm, joyful, happy. He’s a very good friend to his friends. Anybody who knows him has a special affection for the person he is. To talk about Chucky Lozano is to talk about nobility, to talk about personality and to talk about how when he puts on the soccer uniform he’s true to the Chucky Lozano nickname because he’s an evil monkey.”
Lozano’s success on the field has caused many to wonder if he could be headed to a different club next season. Lozano currently plays for PSV Eindhoven, but has been linked to a number of major teams including Barcelona. Lozano has publicly noted he is only focused on helping Mexico get as far as possible in the World Cup, but his teammates see the player he has become.
“It makes me very proud to say he is a kid that is very centered, despite everything he is going through,” Guardado explained to ESPN. “He is conscious that he has to continue like he’s not achieved anything. He’s the same kid I met the first time he came with us. Hopefully he stays like that and the rumors about a possible transfer to a big team become reality. It would be marvelous, he’s a great teammate.”
PSV beat reporter Marco Timmer covers Lozano on a daily basis, and believes he has the talent to play in a bigger league.
“You know, I’ve seen him play the whole season,” Timmer told ESPN. “Every game. If I was a manager at a big club in England, I would take Lozano with my eyes closed. He’s very good. He has big drive, not something you see often in Holland. I think he’s a player for every team. For him it is good to move to a team that is not at the absolute top. Everton would be a right move. [Lozano will] score 15 goals there and he’ll be ready for bigger clubs. It’s a step he has to take.”
