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SALT LAKE CITY — Diego Luna isn't the young, rising hope for just Real Salt Lake anymore; he's at the forefront of the latest youth movement for the U.S. men's national team, as well.
The 20-year-old RSL star got his first call-up to the senior national team Friday ahead of a friendly on Jan. 20 against Slovenia in San Antonio, Texas. He is one of 15 players earning their first call-up and marks the first RSL player called up to the senior squad since Aaron Herrera in 2021.
"I'm very excited for this opportunity, and I'm looking forward to starting my year off with this camp," Luna said in a statement. "I expect to start 2024 by continuing the momentum I found at both RSL and with the U-23s last year, and taking things to a whole another level for both club and country this year."
USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter mentioned Luna's name first when asked which of the young players stands out most to him, saying Luna "came on at a crucial time in the season and performed at a really high level." He went as far to say Luna's play toward the end of the season made it "difficult for the coaching staff to leave (him) off the roster."
More Berhalter thoughts on Luna, talking about his unique path through USL and how he "performed at the highest level and made it difficult for the coaching staff to leave him off the roster." pic.twitter.com/kX80OzrqY9
— Caleb Turner (@calebturner23) January 5, 2024
Luna scored five goals for RSL in 2023, including two in the first-round playoff series against the Houston Dynamo. His header in Game 3 in Houston sent the game to penalty kicks to give the team a chance to advance, though it did not.
"He's a great example of taking different pathways than other players," Berhalter said of Luna. "He performed for the U-20 team at the World Cup. It was great to see his performance there. And then I think most importantly, he really kicked on for Salt Lake toward the end of the year."
Luna came to Salt Lake from USL side El Paso Locomotive in June 2022 after starting at the youth academy of his hometown San Jose Earthquakes. He has split his time between the youth national teams and RSL since arriving and will continue to do so this year as a likely candidate to star for the U-23 national team at the Paris Olympics, where the U.S. is competing for the first time since 2008.
