Diego Luna: A Breed of Player the US Soccer Program Desperately Needs | OneFootball

Diego Luna isn’t the polished, image-friendly USMNT player we are accustomed to. He has a rugged, tattooed look, stocky build, and lacks many of the qualities that the U.S. Soccer program typically promotes. But don’t get it twisted — he knows how to play.

Diego Luna is beginning to emerge as a poster boy for the anti-establishment sentiment that United States Soccer has cultivated over the last 20 years. Just as Gio Reyna is the face of the anti-MLS and anti-Gregg Berhalter crowd, Luna is slowly becoming a new figure that despite playing for Real Salt Lake, even the MLS detractors can get behind.

Luna represents the type of player U.S. Soccer has often overlooked, yet can’t deny. For the last 20 to 25 years, the nation has put the spotlight on various players who fit its mold — John Harkes, Tony Meola, Brian McBride, Landon Donovan, and today, Christian Pulisic. These players have been polished, all-American faces for a sport that is world-renowned for elevating and making stars out of impoverished and underprivileged kids — kids who, in many cases, soccer would save from the streets.

Consider the case of Lionel Messi: had his soccer skills not flourished, who knows what might have become of a boy born in Rosario, Argentina with a growth hormone deficiency?

The U.S. men’s national team’s Golden Generation has slowly grown into that polished, silky, and possession-oriented play that U.S. Soccer has been trying to preach, albeit to mixed results. Sure, most of the Americans on the national team play in Europe, but only a handful play to any real success.

In recent years, many fans and pundits, once sold on this strange obsession with “playing pretty,” are now clamoring for the return of the gritty, hard-working USMNT that was once known more for its determination than its smooth play.

This is where Luna comes in — a player more cut from the cloth of Clint Dempsey, Clint Mathis, and Tab Ramos than Pulisic, Donovan, or McBride.

What Makes Diego Luna So Unique?

Luna’s style of play is one we haven’t seen on the USMNT for a long time. Dempsey was the last player to bring a certain chip on his shoulder and an unpolished yet dynamic approach to the game.

Luna isn’t built like the soccer stars of today. He’s short and stocky, and not the most athletic, but when it comes to the ball at his feet, he possesses traits that many soccer players lack. He can dribble, take hits, hold the ball, and pass.

In the end, soccer isn’t about who can run the fastest; it’s about who can score more goals than the other team. In the USMNT’s Nations League match against Canada, Luna demonstrated these qualities, complementing the talents of Tim Weah and Pulisic.

Before that, Luna’s first game with the USMNT under Mauricio Pochettino was a baptism by fire. In a 3-0 victory over Costa Rica in January, Luna was elbowed in the face by an opponent, resulting in a broken nose.

Undeterred, he returned to the field after receiving treatment — cotton stuffed into his nostrils and a new jersey replacing the bloodied one. Despite the injury, Luna played through the first half, even providing an assist for Brian White’s opening goal.

After halftime, he went to the hospital for further treatment. In a post-match interview following the United States’ 3-0 victory, Pochettino praised Luna’s resilience, remarking that he had “big balls.”

For Luna, it was a huge statement to his Argentine manager, who is clearly searching for a player that can bring something different to his talented but complacent squad.

Luna made the most of his time in January camp, fully aware that on a national team where spots often seem like a foregone conclusion, he had the chance to be a game-changer. He has become a wrench in the gears for some, but a breath of fresh air for Pochettino, who has finally found some new blood to inject into a tired and lackluster team.

The result? In each of the four games Luna has played for the USMNT, he has been among the top performers. On a team of underachievers, that’s a huge pat on the back.

Ignored by the Elitists

Anyone who watches Luna play will immediately recognize that the 21-year-old has talent. However, in a program where players need to “look” the part, Luna has been largely ignored by U.S. Soccer.

When he was with the San Jose Earthquakes academy, ESPN reported that U.S. Soccer scouts overlooked Luna’s talent, citing that the young player was unfit and overweight.

After getting stuck in the Earthquakes’ youth system and not having a place on the U.S. youth teams, Luna polished his skills at the Barcelona Residency Academy. By 2021, Luna finally broke through.

Not only was he flourishing with the El Paso Locomotive in the USL Championship, but he also earned a call-up to the U.S. U20s. International media quickly pegged him as a prospect to watch.

Luna scored five goals in 21 games for the U20s and represented the U.S in the U20 World Cup in 2023 in Argentina. He played in all five of the team’s matches, scoring one goal and tallying three assists, and emerged as one of the tournament’s standout players. The U.S. fell to the eventual champions, Uruguay, in the quarterfinals.

Even after a solid tournament with the U20s, Luna’s path remained unclear. He was not elevated to the senior team under Berhalter and was inexplicably left off the 2024 U.S. Olympic roster, despite two strong seasons with MLS side Real Salt Lake.

Marko Mitrović, the Olympic coach, offered Luna an alternate role in case a rostered player was injured or unavailable. Luna declined the offer, facing backlash from some sections of the soccer community and support from others.

Luna’s omission from the Olympics sparked a debate about why certain types of players are ignored by the program in favor of others who often seem one-dimensional.

Mitrović believed the team didn’t need Luna’s creativity or flair — but he was wrong. The U.S. was dominated by France, managed only two wins against New Zealand and Guinea, and were soundly defeated 4-0 by Morocco in the quarterfinals.

Luna went on to win MLS Young Player of the Year in 2024 and, heading into his fourth year in the league, has scored 14 goals to go along with 17 assists in 72 games.

By far, Luna is MLS’ most exciting and consistent American player.

What’s Next?

For now, Luna must continue defying the odds that the American soccer blueprint has set for national team players. His technique and drive must continue to grow, and under the watchful eye of Pochettino, hopefully he will flourish on the national team.

Luna has shown well alongside the “European boys.” He didn’t miss a beat when paired with Weah or Pulisic, or when linking up with Tyler Adams or Weston McKennie. In a national team that has been plagued by poor performances, Luna offers something new — something the team sorely needs.

A move to Europe is also not out of the question. Luna has the drive and is looking for a chance to take the next step in his career. His style of play may not suit every league, but he could certainly make an impact in a country like Portugal, France, Italy, or Spain under the right circumstances.

Luna is one of those players who simply doesn’t fit the mold. He offers something unique — creativity, vision, and unexpected dribbling. He’s a wildcard in a sport that has buried creativity in favor of endless repetition.

As he said in a post-game comment after the USMNT’s defeat to Canada, “That’s just my style of play, right? I like to be creative. That’s what’s gotten me here. I’m not the tallest, not the fastest, not the strongest, but it’s creativity and risk-taking that got me here.”

For the sake of the national team and the sport, we can only hope Diego Luna keeps that mentality. U.S. Soccer desperately needs more creativity, grit, and fight — we’re all tired of the polished, silky, and smooth.