Diego Luna is ready for his USMNT close-up. Can RSL help get him to the World Cup?
By nearly every account, the youngster was the breakout star for the United States in the 13th edition of the Gold Cup. The next launching point could be a World Cup on home soil.
HERRIMAN, Utah (July 10, 2025) — Diego Luna was about as happy as he’s ever been on a soccer pitch.
The 21-year-old Real Salt Lake star had just scored two goals in what would go on to be a 2-1 win over Guatemala in the Concacaf Gold Cup semifinals, securing his first international brace in his 11th career cap with the U.S. men’s national team.
“That Guatemala game was pretty exciting,” Luna said Thursday with assembled media on his return to Salt Lake. “I think it was the biggest game that I had played at that time, and there were a lot of feelings and a lot of emotions. I’m very proud.”
By nearly every account, the youngster was the breakout star for the United States in the 13th edition of the Gold Cup and immensely improved his roster outlook for Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-man squad at next summer’s FIFA World Cup hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
RSL manager Pablo Mastroeni calls him “one of the best players in MLS,” and with eight goals and four assists through the first 16 matches of the 2025 season he’s a strong candidate to be named league Young Player of the Year for the second season in a row.
But Young Player awards and Gold Cups rarely amount to ultimate goals for top-flight soccer players, even those from Sunnyvale, California, and the rest of the United States.
Luna is no different. He’s been open that he wants to head to Europe eventually in his career, and pathways are opening up in his fourth season since signing with RSL from El Paso Locomotive on what was then a USL Championship-record transfer fee.
Clubs in Europe have reportedly begun inquiring about Luna, with LaLiga’s Celta Viga and recently relegated EFL Championship side Leeds United being among those interested. No club has submitted an offer, or at least not one that meets Real Salt Lake’s interest in selling the rising star on a U22 Initiative roster designation, according to team sources.
But there’s little doubt around the RSL training center that heavy interest will eventually come.
All of that begs the question: what’s best for Luna’s career, right now? He’s certainly on Pochettino’s radar for the World Cup, but the level to make such a roster will be very different than the Gold Cup side that lacked stars like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest.
And for Luna, the answer may be simple: bloom where you’re planted — both for club and country.
“Every opportunity you get to wear the crest, you have to take it,” Luna said. “I think every chance you get, every time you perform, it’s another step closer.
“At the end of the day, you spend 85% of your time here with your club — all the players do — and I think performing with your club is the biggest thing. Now when you go put on the crest, it’s about performing in those moments and what you’ve done to allow you to have a good week with the national team. So the biggest thing is to continue to perform here with RSL, and make me feel the best and most confident for the next time I’m able to wear the crest.”
All Luna can do is perform, and let his agent do the rest. Real Salt Lake, too, will put him a position to succeed. The club’s coaching staff and front office — even the fans who will pick America First Field at 20,000 strong Saturday in Luna’s first match available since the Gold Cup (7:30 p.m. MT, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) — have already helped him get to the spot he is.
The sky is no longer the limit for Luna. Maybe now, the moon isn’t, either.
“I’d hope my agent is busy, right? That’s soccer,” he said. “The whole thing, regarding that, is that’s his job to take calls from whomever is calling. For me it’s about performing on the field, and let him handle all that stuff.
“There are things flying everywhere on Instagram, on Twitter, positive and negative. I’m really trying to try and get off that stuff. It really is draining to see your face on so many posts, positive or negative.”