With Mauricio Pochettino digging deep down the depth chart during his time as manager of the United States men’s national team, plenty of players have experienced breakouts, but few have had the rise and staying power that Real Salt Lake attacking midfielder Diego “Big Balls” Luna has had.
During a January camp friendly, Luna broke his nose but wanted to stay on, and he delivered with an assist, earning the admiration from Pochettino and starting a climb that could put Luna into the squad for the 2026 World Cup.
“I was very surprised, because it was broke, you know?” Pochettino said last year. “But I didn’t want to say [anything with] too much drama, because [it might] scare him. I said, ‘How do you feel?’ He said, ‘Please, coach, let me keep playing, because at least after the half, I go out.’ The doctor said, ‘Yeah, yeah, okay, you go in.’ And the first action, assist, and we score. I said, ‘Big balls.'”
And while sometimes players can get tired of those cult hero-esque stories, that’s not how Luna looks at this moment as he reflected, talking to CBS Sports.
“I’m not really tired of it, but I think now that’s something that’s always gonna be a part of who I am,” Luna said. “And hopefully it is, man, because if it is, that means that I get to have continuous success with the national team, right? So, I think that would be a very cool story and something that started my national team days.”
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He’s right. Americans should want to be talking about this moment for years to come because it would mean that Luna had an impactful World Cup and USMNT career to be proud of. When it comes to USMNT legends, there are plenty of defining moments in both their club and international careers when they defied the odds, so Luna already having notched one before even potentially getting to the World Cup has him ahead of the curve.
It’s also good that he already has a moment like this under his belt, as Luna’s start to the season for Real Salt Lake hasn’t been what one would hope. While he’s feeling good and getting back to his best now, which has resulted in three goals and an assist in only seven appearances for the club due to regaining fitness, Luna wasn’t present for a critical March international break that was the last chance to impress Pochettino under his direction in person ahead of the World Cup squad being named on May 26. Missing out was a moment that frustrated Luna, who scored this weekend for RSL, but it’s also not one that he has dwelled on because it’s important to keep focus on what is in front of him instead of dreaming about the World Cup.
“I think I keep it very focused daily and what’s important at the time, which is performing with RSL, and making sure that the team is getting wins and getting good results, and finishing as high as we can in the table until it’s time for that World Cup announcement and roster announcements,” Luna said. “I think doing all the right things on a daily basis and on the weekends is going to give me the best opportunity to have a good summer.”
So far, Luna has been a driving force behind Real Salt Lake’s ascent up the MLS Western Conference, but he has also had help from other young players coming into their own, such as Zavier Gozo, 19, and Aiden Herzarkhani, 18. The young duo has thrown Luna into an odd position despite only being 22 himself, where he’s one of the veterans of the squad and is expected to take on leadership roles, but like every challenge that he has faced so far, this is yet another that Luna has taken in stride while moving forward in his career, and it’s also a role that he’s enjoying.
“I’m definitely more of a letting my work on the field, letting my work ethic [speak], and contributing to the team that way, show my role and the leadership that I can bring to this team. Pressing a ball that doesn’t seem pressable, making plays that are needed in certain times for the team,” he said. “I think that’s how I show 80% of my leadership, but then it comes to the 20% where it’s communicating to the younger guys on the field, helping out if they’re unaware, if they’re stuck, stuff like that. I think that’s something that I need to build on more, but that’s something that has definitely been added to my game.”
While Luna isn’t far removed from being in their shoes, it’s something that has been able to help him show up for and connect with younger players on the roster. RSL coach Pablo Mastroeni has been able to instill a strong system as manager, but it’s something that’s made easier when he has players like Luna on the roster.
Leadership isn’t the only new thing that Luna is grappling with this season, as it’s hard to see a USMNT promo without seeing Luna somewhere near it. Recognized by TMZ, all over USMNT content, and also becoming one of the faces of Major League Soccer, including being the face of a new partnership with Head & Shoulders, Luna is becoming a household name in America, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I always knew that I wanted to become a professional soccer player,” Luna said. “I always knew that I wanted big things for myself, and I expected big things for myself. And the work ethic behind it, and the sacrifices I took behind it to make these things a reality, were all in the mindset. We’re all in the journey, the idea of doing it. But it was about making those sacrifices, taking those steps, and actually putting my foot down to make them come alive.
“So it’s very surreal, I’m very grateful, very blessed. And yeah, I think now being able to have a partnership and see my face, you know, on billboards and stuff like that, now partnering up with Head & Shoulders, which is an amazing product that I use daily, I think that’s super exciting. So I think now, to be partnered up and collabing with these types of brands and stuff that I used to wear and used to grow up knowing about, it’s a dream come true.”
If Luna is able to accomplish his goals of making the World Cup squad and eventually making the jump to Europe, everything that he has learned while at Salt Lake will all come together, and he’ll be hearing much more about that broken nose as it truly becomes part of USMNT lore. Luna is doing what he can to keep his head down and make Pochettino’s job of picking a roster as hard as possible, and at this point, all he can do is wait, while feeling confident that he’s done what he’s needed.
