Diego Luna is an interesting name, depending on how you recognize the name. MLS Fans know that Luna is a force to be reckoned with and one of the most talented midfielders in the league.
USMNT fans know him for the impact that he has made in the little time that he played with the national team.
No matter how you know Luna, you know he is a top-end talent at a young age. He could be making an impact at a club in Europe and making himself a bigger name in the world’s game.
Lucky for MLS fans, we get to watch him for however long he stays in the MLS, making key plays for a struggling club like Real Salt Lake. I am going to highlight Luna and the impact he has made in the MLS, as well as the impact he can make at the international level.
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First Years
Luna began his career in the USL Championship with El Paso at just 17 years of age. Despite his age and talent, which we all know very well, he was limited to a USL club with no known ceiling.
In his first season, he showed glimpses of his talent he putting up nine goals on the stat sheet with 31 matches played.
In 2022, Luna fought his way to Real Salt Lake after 10 games with El Paso that season. Luna wasn’t able to affect the game the way he would have liked, only playing in 13 MLS games and contributing to no goals.
Luna had flashes of brilliance in his first two years in professional soccer in America. He showed just enough in the top two levels of soccer that he was able to get the call-up to the MLS with a small sample size of film and a small stat sheet to back up his talent.
Showing his Talent
At 19 years old, it was more of the same for Luna, with 23 matches played, it was the largest sample size we got from him at the MLS level. Five goals and just one assist weren’t enough to display what the young midfielder can do.
Being in the MLS at a young age was already impressive for Luna, although the young American wasn’t able to shock the world with his impact on the pitch.
One thing that showed up when watching him play was his effort and determination. That may seem like a cheap way to explain his talent, but it shows on tape. Luna has become a top talent thanks to bull in a bull-in-a-China-shop play stop on top of his skill.
In his 20-year-old season, he played in 31 games and contributed to 16 goals, This was his best stat line in the MLS and his most minutes played.
This was enough to get him called up the the Nations League during the offseason. He became the most beloved MLS call up being one of the few players who seemed to care about wearing the Red, White, and Blue.
What’s the Ceiling
Luna’s Ceiling could be a starting midfielder for a top league in Europe, by the way he is playing this year. He is set to break his stats from the previous season at a record pace, on top of being called up to the USMNT for the Gold Cup.
I don’t believe that Luna will be a starter on a top Champions League club. I do think he can be on a middle-of-the-pack team and help lead the way to a positive season.
That may not seem like a huge jump from the MLS, but if he were to go to Spain, it may help him to become better on the ball and create mass improvements to his game.
Each league has a different style and traits; learning this early in his career could help him become the complete player he is capable of becoming. It can also help him become a mainstay on the USMNT and be the solid midfielder that the national team needs.
Main Photo
Credit IMAGO / Sipa USA
Recording Date 16.05.2025