RSL's Diego Luna, Emeka Eneli called up by US coach Mauricio Pochettino
RSL teammates Diego Luna and Emeka Eneli have been called into the national team’s annual January camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
What’s better than one Real Salt Lake player called up to the U.S. men’s national team?
What about two?
RSL teammates Diego Luna and Emeka Eneli have been called into the national team’s annual January camp, as announced by U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino on Monday ahead of the camp to be convened in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
It’s the first USMNT camp under Pochettino, the 52-year-old Argentine who was named manager of the Stars and Stripes in September.
“I’m very grateful to be able to start the season off again with the US national team and hopefully kickoff a great 2025 season I’m honored to represent the USA and have the RSL community supporting me," said Luna, the 2024 MLS Young Player of the Year who will make his second January camp appearance his breakout 2024 season.
Eneli joins Luna in camp as one of seven players capable of earning their first U.S. cap — and one of just four midfielders on the roster. Voted the club’s MVP by his teammates in 2024, Eneli started 35 of 38 games last season during an iron-man campaign, including scoring Salt Lake’s lone postseason goal in the MLS Cup Playoff series against Minnesota.
“It’s an honor to be able to represent my country and RSL on the national stage,” Eneli said. “This is something I’ve dreamed of since I first started playing and watching soccer as a little kid, and I am now just super grateful to have the opportunity to do so.”
U.S. training camp begins Tuesday, ahead of an opening scrimmage against Copa American quarterfinalists Venezuela on Jan. 18 at Chase Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. MT on TNT, MAX and Universo.
Following camp, both players will be available to return to their club for preseason ahead of the Feb. 19 CONCACAF Champions Cup series against CS Herediano.
Here’s the complete roster for the January camp:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Drake Callender (Inter Miami; 0/0), Matt Freese (New York City FC; 0/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 2/0), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; 29/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; 0/0), George Campbell (CF Montreal; 0/0), DeJuan Jones (Columbus Crew; 8/0), Shaq Moore (FC Dallas; 19/1), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; 6/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 66/1), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 30/3), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; 4/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 41/3)
MIDFIELDERS (4): Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami; 1/0), Emeka Eneli (Real Salt Lake; 0/0), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 1/0), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; 1/0)
FORWARDS (7): Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC; 0/0), Caden Clark (CF Montreal; 0/0), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; 23/15), Brian Gutiérrez (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Matko Miljevic (Unattached; 0/0), Indiana Vassilev (St. Louis CITY; 0/0), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps; 1/0)