Diego Luna`s path with the U.S. men`s national team took a dramatic turn during an otherwise quiet January camp match against Costa Rica. An elbow to the face in the first half of a 3-0 win resulted in a broken nose, blood pouring from both nostrils. This incident not only elicited a memorable quote from head coach Mauricio Pochettino, who was relatively new to the job, but more significantly, it marked the beginning of the 21-year-old`s swift elevation from relative unknown to a national team regular.
“I was very surprised, because it was broke, you know?” Pochettino recounted in a post-match interview. “But I didn`t want to say anything too dramatic, because [it might] scare him. I asked, `How do you feel?` He replied, `Coach, please let me keep playing, because at least after the half, I go out.` The doctor permitted him. And in the very next play, he delivered an assist, and we scored. I thought, that takes significant courage.”
Luna`s evident courage is a welcome addition to a USMNT often criticized for lacking competitive bite, and he quickly endeared himself to Pochettino. In a short period, he has matched this mentality with on-field contributions that arguably make him the team`s most exciting rising prospect. He now boasts three goals and four assists in 11 national team appearances, including both goals in the USMNT`s 2-1 victory over Guatemala in the Concacaf Gold Cup semifinals on Wednesday. This performance positions him strongly for a spot on the World Cup roster in less than a year.
While Luna`s ascent this year has been rapid, his journey to a meaningful role on the USMNT roster has not followed the most conventional route.
Luna`s Humble Beginnings
This current USMNT group, with its strengths and weaknesses, comprises some of the most talented players in the team`s history. This is largely because their development mirrors that of global elite players, often coming through high-level academies (in Europe like Christian Pulisic, or the U.S. like Tyler Adams) before progressing to European clubs. Luna did not follow this exact trajectory; although he had stints in the San Jose Earthquakes youth system and a Barcelona residency in Arizona, his first professional contract was with USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive in 2021. A year later, he joined MLS team Real Salt Lake and has been there since. The difference in his background compared to his national team colleagues is not lost on him.
“Not having my name widely recognized and not playing in Europe yet, things like that,” Luna stated in March after providing an assist in the USMNT`s 2-1 loss to Canada in the Concacaf Nations League third-place match. “I believe the path I`ve taken is quite distinct from many players, from academy to USL to MLS, then initially not playing and now starting. Honestly, I think it`s been a different route, and I`ve always had a strong determination to prove myself.”
“I think for me, it comes from a challenging background and having to fight for everything I`ve achieved. It`s easy for me to say that I`m seeking more, working for more to provide for my family, for my son, for my mom, dad, all these people. So I think it`s just that drive and the ability to play for the crest. I don`t know what other motivation you need, right? I think it`s the greatest step in soccer to play for your country.”
Luna was rarely involved when Pochettino`s predecessor, Gregg Berhalter, was in charge, nor did he make the U-23 squad for last summer`s Olympic Games, a decision that surprised many, including Utah governor Spencer Cox. The player had previously declined opportunities to stay on the fringes of the USMNT – he rejected a chance to be an alternate in Paris and mentioned being open to representing Mexico. However, his recent favor with Pochettino seems to have made that old news. Luna has always seemed a strong fit for Pochettino`s version of the USMNT based purely on mentality, a point that applies to players eligible for multiple national teams.
“If we genuinely believe that a player can assist us and improve us, of course, we are going to be fully engaged in that situation,” Pochettino explained in a November press conference. “We don`t need to convince [players]. A player must *want* to play for the national team. I am Argentinian. I wanted to play for Argentina… it`s not because of a contract. It`s not because of the possibility to play in Europe. No, I was desperate to defend my badge, my flag. We need to be cautious. There is no need to convince a player. One player cannot be more important than the team or 300 million people. The player, if he`s an American player, needs to be desperate, needs to show that we need him. Because, if not, we are a weak federation.”
Luna`s Banner Year
A native of California, Luna has played for the U.S. at several youth levels and earned his first senior cap in January 2024. However, he didn`t become a widely noted player until he broke his nose and followed that up with an assist earlier this year.
This was a significant showing for any player but not necessarily a guarantee of future success. Nevertheless, opportunities continued to arise. First in March, when the full senior national team – including European-based players – convened in Los Angeles for the Concacaf Nations League finals. While established stars like Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Gio Reyna were present, injuries to other key players created chances for Luna and others, like Patrick Agyemang, to join the regular squad. While the main players struggled to make an impact in a 1-0 loss to Panama and then a 2-1 loss to Canada, Luna assisted Agyemang in scoring the USMNT`s only goal that week. Luna was the sole positive point from a series of lackluster matches, earning praise from both Pochettino and his teammates.
“Diego Luna played well,” Pochettino commented after the Canada match. “The desire and the [hunger] that he demonstrated is what we seek, and that is not to say anything negative about the rest of the people. He`s simply one example. When I told him today, `You are going to play,` he was ready.”
Pulisic agreed, stating, “He`s a fantastic young man. He possesses a really bright future. You could see it today. He brings something slightly different. He has heart, and I love the way he plays and, as I said, he has a big future ahead.”
This summer`s Gold Cup, however, provided an opportunity to assess if Luna`s form was just a temporary surge or the initial signs of star potential. Between two pre-tournament friendlies and the six matches leading up to Sunday`s final, there was more than sufficient time to evaluate Luna`s ceiling, especially on a roster missing most of the USMNT`s key players. Luna`s form, similar to the team`s overall performance, started slowly this summer, but the results eventually became clear. He has scored two goals and provided an assist in two knockout matches, adding the ability to perform in crucial moments to his skillset. Luna was clearly the standout performer on Wednesday against Guatemala, scoring two early goals that helped compensate for a nervous defensive outing from the U.S., while he himself remained remarkably composed and confident on the attacking end.
Even before the ball is kicked in Sunday`s Gold Cup final in Houston and with 11 months remaining until the USMNT`s first game at a World Cup on home soil, it is difficult to imagine that team without Luna. While winning the continental trophy will be the USMNT`s primary goal in a few days, Luna`s emergence alone makes Pochettino`s experiments of the last month a success, at the very least creating the one thing this version of the U.S. team has severely lacked – a sense of genuine competition for spots.
