ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – JULY 02: Diego Luna #10 of United States celebrates after scoring the second goal of the game against Guatemala during the first half of the Gold Cup 2025 Semifinals at Energizer Park on July 02, 2025 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
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During the USA’s 3-0 friendly victory over Costa Rica on Jan. 22, 2025, Diego Luna caught the eye of U.S. men’s head coach Mauricio Pochettino because his nose caught the elbow of Creichel Perez.
Luna was taken to the sideline with blood flowing from his broken nose as he needed some treatment from the team’s medical stuff.
Cotton was inserted in both nostrils, and Luna was ready to go.
USA’s midfielder #10 Diego Luna with a broken nose after taking an elbow to the face, celebrates a goal with USA’s midfielder #17 Brian Gutierrez during the international friendly football match between USA and Costa Rica at Inter & Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida, January 22, 2025. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP) (Photo by MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/AFP via Getty Images)
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Luna shows he has a ‘nose’ for the goal
Pochettino helped his player put on a new shirt. Only seconds after Luna returned to the fray, he received a pass at midfield. He dribbled 20 yards before setting up Brian White, who scored from the top of the penalty to lift for the USA’s first goal, in the 21st minute.
That sequence endeared Luna to Pochettino, at least for a while.
“I was very surprised, because he broke the nose,” he said. “But I didn’t want to say [anything]. Too much drama. I didn’t want scare him. I said, ‘How do you feel?’ He said, ‘Please, coach, let me keep playing.’ Doctor [gave] me the okay. The first action assist, and we score. Big balls.
“He showed great character.”.
During the opening 15 minutes of the USMNT’s 2-1 triumph over Guatemala in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, in St. Louis, the 22-year-old midfielder struck for a brace.
“He’s Diego Luna. He does stuff like that,” midfielder Sebastian Berhalter said then. “To score two goals like that in the semifinal, it’s why he’s him. It’s why he he’s one of the best players in MLS, why he is one of the best players here. It’s why we count on him.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 26: Mauricio Pochettino, Head Coach of United States, speaks to FOX pundits during the United States World Cup roster reveal on May 26, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Ira L. Black/USSF/Getty Images)
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Apparently, the Americans won’t be counting on Luna in the World Cup. He was left off the U.S.’s 26-man roster that became official on Tuesday afternoon.
In his place is the extremely talented Gio Reyna, who struggled to find decent playing time with Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga.
“It’s an interesting decision for me,” Real Salt Lake head coach Pablo Mastroeni told The Guardian. “In 2025 the national team really leaned on him, both as an attacking player, but also [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 – some guy who’s gonna come into a game where the stage will never be too big – I just thought that [Luna made sense.]”
Reyna and Luna are contrasts in style.
Luna immediately lets the opposition know that he’s there, trying to cause havoc and open up the midfield with unpredictable runs.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JULY 01: Gio Reyna #7 of the United States reacts during the first half against Uruguay at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on July 01, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
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Reyna tries to rediscover his form
Reyna plays much more reserved, waiting for the most opportune time to make a pass or go for goal.
One is in form.
Luna has produced four goals and three assists in 608 minutes over nine MLS matches for Real Salt Lake this spring. Luna is one of the most dynamic and exciting players in Major League Soccer.
The other is trying to rediscover his form.
Reyna scored one goal in 510 minutes over 19 Bundesliga contests during the 2025-26 campaign.
Why Luna did not make the team will remain a mystery – at least for now.
Pochettino wouldn’t talk about any of the omitted players, including Luna.
“I think we cannot talk about the players that are not in the roster, because I think it’s very disrespectful to the player that made the roster,” he said during the U.S. roster reveal in New York City on Tuesday. “Because … we are going to talk about the players that are not in the roster …and that for me is very disrespectful.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 26: Mauricio Pochettino, Head Coach of United States, speaks to the media during the United States World Cup roster reveal on May 26, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
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Pochettino likes what he sees in Reyna
Pochettino praised the 23-year-old Reyna.
“I think we all know Gio have an amazing talent and experience, too,” he said. “And to play a non-official game or to play in different competition is not the same as to play in the World Cup. [But] I think we need to trust the players that have experience and I think that is really important.”
The head coach added that Reyna “can add different things to the team. He has the quality,” Pochettino said. “I think he has characteristics [that are] different and I think I really trust [him], OK? I like trusting everyone. But I really trust in him and to give him confidence.”
We’ll see how correct Pochettino’s decisions are during the group stage in June.
The U.S. starts its World Cup journey against Paraguay in Inglewood, Calif. on June 12, continues it against Australia in Seattle on June 19 and finishes it vs. Türkiye in Inglewood on June 25.
Michael Lewis, the sixth recipient of the Clay Berling Media Career of Excellence Award in 2025, can be followed on X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky at @Soccerwriter. His 10th soccer book, Around the World Cup in 40 Years: An American sportswriter’s perspective, has been published.