The USMNT’s decision to exclude Diego Luna from the latest roster isn’t just a curious omission—it’s a deliberate signal that the federation still doesn’t trust the very league producing its most dangerous creators. Luna, Real Salt Lake’s engine, has been ripping MLS apart with a blend of vision and aggression that should be tailor-made for international competition. Through the 2024 campaign, he leads his team in chances created from open play, ranks among the league’s top dribblers per 90 minutes, and has already matched his assist total from last year. Meanwhile, RSL head coach Pablo Mastroeni has built a system that amplifies Luna’s strengths—quick combination play, vertical passing, and relentless off-ball movement. Yet when the national team called, they left him at home while selecting midfielders who log fewer progressive carries and lower xA per 90. That sends a deafening message: you can dominate MLS structurally and still be invisible to the men in suits.
The real damage here is not Luna’s bruised ego; it’s the chilling effect on every young American who watches RSL’s games and wonders if consistent, high-level MLS performance is a dead end. Zavier Gozo, another RSL standout snubbed alongside Luna, has been a defensive anchor in transition for a team that currently sits near the top of the Western Conference. Their teammates publicly expressed frustration, and that frustration is rational. When the USMNT opts for players from second-tier European leagues who see fewer minutes than Luna does in Utah, they implicitly devalue the MLS product. This isn’t about deserving a spot on sentiment—it’s about data. Luna has the progressive passes and key passes per 90 to match or exceed any domestic midfielder currently in the pool. Ignoring that reality tells academy kids that the MLS pathway has a ceiling, one that forces them to chase any European move, no matter how unstable, just to get an honest look.
If U.S. Soccer continues to treat MLS as a productive farm system that doesn’t deserve its own harvest, they will alienate the very cohort that should anchor the 2026 World Cup cycle. Luna is 21, he will be livid, and he will likely accelerate a move abroad to force their hand. But the federation cannot afford to wait until players leave to prove their worth. They need to recognize that the league is generating creative talent that thrives under pressure—not just athletes who run hard. My verdict is blunt: this snub will be remembered as the moment the USMNT lost the trust of MLS