Diego Luna’s Rise: In Gold Cup, Real Salt Lake star eyes U.S. world Cup roster spot

The best thing that’s ever happened to Real Salt Lake’s Diego Luna career?

It might just have been a broken nose.

Busted up and bleeding with gauze stuffed up both nostrils earlier this spring, Luna pleaded with his U.S. Men’s National Team coaches to let him keep playing.

Forty-five minutes, an assist and one viral moment later, Luna had made a name for himself with United States coach Mauricio Pochettino.

“That experience for me was, I could say, life-changing,” Luna said. “It gave me an opportunity to come back into more camps and show the type of grit and hunger I have to play and represent for my country.”

Now Luna is looking to take advantage of his next big opportunity.

Real Salt Lake’s rising 21-year-old star will be part of the United States’ Gold Cup team this summer. It’s a chance for Luna to play for a trophy during what has been a disappointing season for his club in Utah. More importantly, though, it will be a chance to try to earn a spot on the U.S. World Cup team next year.

At RSL, Luna has scored a team-high eight goals and four assists. He has been the brightest spot on the pitch at America First Field in nearly every game he’s played this season.

“Utah, the state in general, has given me the platform and the freedom to just be comfortable and has shown me support on and off the field,” Luna said. “I’ve been extremely blessed to have the people of Utah to have my back through everything.”

Now, Luna will have to show he has the quality to keep playing at the international level.

His country desperately needs scoring right now.

“It’s very clear what they want and what their expectations are for me,” Luna said of the USMNT coaches. “For me, it’s continuing to do what I do and create and score goals and get assists and continue to work on both sides of the ball. Pretty simple for me.”

Pochettino, meanwhile, seems open to fielding Major League Soccer players on his squad, rather than focusing solely on Americans playing overseas.

“Obviously there are some top top talents in Europe that are involved in the national team and sometimes you might think some MLS guys could get overlooked,” veteran U.S. defender Walker Zimmerman said last week. “The tone since Poch has stepped in is, ‘I don’t care where you play; I just want to follow you with your club team, watch your form with your club and when you’re in camp, making sure you’re contributing at a high level.’”

Zimmerman believes there are plenty of spots up for grabs on next summer’s World Cup roster.

“It’s always such a great opportunity to have a month in front of a staff … where you can put everything on the line to try to make a World Cup team,” Zimmerman said. “It’s a massive opportunity, one I think every player should take seriously with both hands.”

Luna has already shown he’s willing to fight for his chance — with both nostrils bleeding, too.

“Mauricio really liked that about me and the fight that I had,” he said. “I think that showed other players that’s what’s needed in this team, to fight through everything.”