The U.S. men’s national team announced its official 26-man roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on May 26, and there was one shock omission: Diego Luna.
The 22-year-old star midfielder of MLS’s Real Salt Lake was not only a USMNT fan favorite, but also one of the most important players under manager Mauricio Pochettino in 2025, with 16 caps and seven goal contributions alone that year across 945 minutes played. Luna was critically important in the U.S.’s run to the Concacaf Gold Cup final, scoring three total goals, including a brace in the 2–1 semifinal win over Guatemala. In his most recent outing with the U.S. back in November, he started the friendly against Uruguay and scored one goal, helping the squad to a dominant 5–1 win.
