“I have a lot of goals that I want to accomplish in my career. But also, a lot of goals in my life.” If you spend even a little time in the presence of USMNT World Cup hopeful Diego Luna, one thing becomes clear pretty quickly: his ambition. He is incredibly driven and endlessly optimistic, but his journey to the top has not been a smooth one.

Starting his professional career with USL Championship club El Paso Locomotive at the age of 17, Luna has risen to become the face of Real Salt Lake and a two-time MLS All-Star. Last year he came from relative obscurity to become a mainstay in the US national team, playing 17 games and drawing special praise from head coach Mauricio Pochettino. But his incredible rise has been beset by setbacks and struggles along the way, and he now finds himself with work to do to make the World Cup roster.

Luna suffered a knee injury on the eve of the 2026 MLS season and was dropped from the March USMNT squad as a result. For other players, such a setback in the build-up to a World Cup might feel like a major blow. But for Luna, who recently released his own podcast series Shoot For The Moon, dealing with the mental, physical and emotional toll of elite sport is nothing new.

Blood, bravery and “big balls”

In many ways, Diego Luna is a classic No. 10. A creative, expressive midfielder who grew up idolizing the “silky, smooth” German playmaker Marco Reus. But unusually for a player of his nature, Luna’s breakthrough moment was an instance of incredible physical bravery.

In January 2025, just 15 minutes into his first game for the senior national team, Luna had his nose broken by an elbow from a Costa Rica defender. Blood streaked down his jersey but, unwilling to give up his first taste of USMNT action, Luna ordered the medical staff to clog his nostrils and allow him to return to the field. Luna set up the opening goal in a 3-0 win and was later praised by Pochettino for his “big balls” in the face of physical pain.

One year on, Luna is working his way back from another fitness issue. The knee injury picked up last month was not as grisly as the broken nose but the consequences may have been more severe. Having only just returned to team practice, Luna was left off the USMNT squad for the crucial March international break, the final set of games before the World Cup squad is named.

Speaking to AS USA, Luna admitted: “It wasn’t the ideal way to start. I was feeling extremely well, but that’s life. I picked up the injury the day before traveling [to the opening game]. That being said, it’s just another opportunity for me to build the mental strength. Understanding ‘This is what it is’ and that now I have to do everything in my power to make sure that I come back stronger.”

Opening up

In many ways, Luna is a poster child for North American soccer. California-born, of Mexican descent, Luna spent time in the youth team of the San Jose Earthquakes and joined the Arizona-based Barcelona Residency Academy as a teenager. He spent time in the second-tier USL before being sold for a league-record fee to MLS side Real Salt Lake in 2022. It’s been an incredible journey, but not one without obstacles.

“Being a professional athlete, in general, is amazing,” he explained. “But just like everything there are pros and cons. They are just an athlete and I think the biggest problem we have is that people stereotype these athletes based on how they look, how they play. This Shoot For The Moon project with Men in Blazers is super exciting for me because I get to showcase the ‘person’ side of me too. We can connect on a deeper level.”

It will not be the first time that Luna has opened up on the mental toll of the beautiful game. Last year he penned an open letter in The Players’ Tribune entitled ‘To Every Kid Alone in the Dark’. It begins with a first-person account of a 17-year-old Luna suffering one of many panic attacks, alone in a dark room with tears in his eyes. It is a period of his life that he now feels able to understand, no longer left asking himself: “Why am I so unhappy?”

“I was suffering for a while as a teenager, but I never spoke up. I was embarrassed, I was nervous, I was shy,” Luna said. “But with the help I’ve been getting I understand that there’s no reason to hide behind it. It has helped me become happier and to become a better person all around. There is no shame in that.”

“The biggest thing for me was to get help so I could feel better on the field. That was my number one. That’s my career, that’s what I’m doing for a living. But as I got further into it I realized that it’s all connected, with personal life and your work. It’s very difficult to separate it, which is what people try to do. But getting the help to figure things out off the field is going to give you the freedom and creativity to do what you want to do on the field.”

Looking ahead, World Cup goals

Watching him on the field, it’s clear to see bravery and resilience in the way that he plays. Speaking to him, it does not take long to see that those same qualities are just as present in his off-the-field outlook, willing to confront issues and bounce back from failures. In his youth, he struggled to deal with his feelings and to express himself without a ball at his feet. Now, he has a new outlet.

“For me it’s journaling. That’s been a big thing for me. Journaling out my thoughts, journaling out what needs to be done. Basically it’s a routine, seeing yourself write something down onto paper gives you a kind of relief. But you also know that you need to get something done, because the feeling of scratching that thing off when it’s completed is amazing. That has allowed me to hold myself accountable. It’s about building good habits and routines that go into your everyday life.”

Those everyday habits are front and center for Luna now, less than three months out from the start of a World Cup on home soil. Even for seasoned stars like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, this summer could turn out to be the defining summer of their professional lives. For Luna, a 22-year-old who has never played outside of the US, the prospects are even greater. He has already proved that he can force his way into Pochettino’s plans. Now he just needs to do it again.

“It’s head down and it’s go time. There’s one thing on my mind and it’s the World Cup. Every day I’m thinking about that and I’m focused on what steps I need to take each day to get me there. Making sure that I’m taking these small steps, hitting these small goals, to get me to the World Cup.”

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