The United States Men’s National Team is preparing for its opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Paraguay. As co-hosts of the tournament alongside Canada and Mexico, expectations are high as the team begins its campaign on home soil.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino finalized his World Cup roster in late May. One of the roster decisions that drew attention following the squad announcement was the absence of Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna.
The 22-year-old had been involved with the national team throughout much of Pochettino’s tenure and was widely viewed as a strong candidate to make the roster. His omission came as a surprise to fans who expected him to be part of the group heading into the tournament.
Former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard has been among the most outspoken voices discussing the team ahead of the World Cup.
In an interview with Athlon Sports published on June 1, the former Everton star addressed Luna’s absence and shared his thoughts on the decision.
Tim Howard on Diego Luna: ‘That Was a Surprise’
Howard was asked about some of the notable omissions from Pochettino’s World Cup squad and pointed to Luna as the player who stood out most to him.
“As far as exclusions, the Diego Luna one is really interesting to me, because I think he has 18 games, which again have come under Pochettino,” Howard told Athlon Sports.
“He’s scored four goals and four assists, so a total of eight goal involvements. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find another guy in the last 18 games that has four goal or eight goal involvements. It’s like, ‘Wow, he gets left off.'”
Luna became a regular part of the national team under Pochettino, earning 18 caps and scoring four goals for the USMNT.
The 22-year-old has also enjoyed a strong rise in MLS. He was selected as an All-Star in both 2024 and 2025 and won the MLS Young Player of the Year award in 2024.
Luna has continued that form in 2026, scoring four goals in his first nine league appearances for Real Salt Lake. Since breaking into the first team, he has played a key role for the club, recording 25 goals and 12 assists across all competitions over the past three seasons.
Given his performances for both club and country, many expected Luna to be included in the final World Cup squad.
Howard said that while Luna’s omission surprised him, he understands that coaches often have to make difficult choices when putting together a 26-man roster.
“That was a surprise, I think it surprised a lot of people, but I also believe that when you get down to the final roster, managers sort of select positions 20 through 26 based on something like minor or special, like a set piece technique, or a really good penalty taker, or just a really good team guy,” Howard added.
“Those spots are sort of reserved for specialists, some coaches call them that, but this is no less surprising, because I think Diego deserves it.”
Even with that in mind, Howard believes Luna had done enough to earn a place on the team in 2026.
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