The U.S. men's national team announced its 26-man roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on May 26, and there was one shock omission: Diego Luna. The 22-year-old Real Salt Lake midfielder was not only a fan favorite but also one of the most important players under manager Mauricio Pochettino in 2025, with 16 caps and seven goal contributions across 945 minutes played.
Luna was critical in the U.S.'s run to the Concacaf Gold Cup final, scoring three goals including a brace in the 2–1 semifinal win over Guatemala. His most recent outing came in November, when he started a friendly against Uruguay and scored in a dominant victory.
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
The young star had appeared in several World Cup commercial campaigns and was included in the tournament's Panini Sticker Collection. He suffered an early-season knee injury that sidelined him for three MLS matches and caused him to miss the March international window, though he has since returned to form with four goals and two assists in nine league games.
The Roster Decision
"It's an interesting decision," said RSL manager Pablo Mastroeni about Luna's exclusion. "In 2025, the national team really leaned on him, both as an attacking player and as a mentality piece. Pochettino referenced his ability to fight, and I just think that in a World Cup where you need a difference maker—someone who's going to come into a game where the stage will never be too big—Luna made sense."
That sense of fit is now theoretical. Luna will likely watch the tournament from home.
The Technical Path to a Call-Up
As of June 1, all nations' rosters are finalized, but teams can make emergency substitutions from their preliminary 55-player squads in cases of injury up until 24 hours before their first match. While U.S. Soccer never officially published its preliminary list, it's widely believed Luna was included, making him eligible until 24 hours before the U.S. opens against Paraguay on June 12.
Center back Chris Richards is currently injured, diagnosed on May 21 with two torn ligaments in his ankle suffered during a Premier League match for Crystal Palace. He missed his club's Europa Conference League final on May 27 and the U.S. friendly against Senegal. His status remains unclear for the World Cup.
Pochettino included five center backs in his final roster but only four central midfielders—a notable imbalance that could open the door for a midfield reinforcement rather than a direct defensive replacement.
If Richards cannot play, Luna may get the call. It would be an unusual positional swap, but this particular World Cup roster already has its quirks.