OneFootball
Ā·5 May 2025
š Luna rising: The Real Salt Lake prodigy making waves in MLS and beyond

In partnership with
Yahoo sportsOneFootball
Ā·5 May 2025
Ā© Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images
At just 21-years-old, Diego Luna is quickly becoming one of the most electrifying young stars in Major League Soccer - and heās doing it with flair, maturity, and a relentless work ethic.
The Real Salt Lake attacker is not only putting together an impressive domestic season, but heās also turning heads on the international stage with the United States Menās National Team, and his rapid rise is drawing attention on both sides of the US-Mexico border, thanks to his Mexican-American heritage and the choice he faced on which national team to represent.
Luna's performance on Matchday 10 made headlines once again. He netted two goals in a 3-1 win over San Diego FC, marking his second multi-goal outing in the last four MLS matches. With eightĀ goal contributions so far this season, Luna has reached an elite mark shared with just one other player aged 21 or younger: Quinn Sullivan of the Philadelphia Union.
As the reigning MLS Young Player of the Year, Luna continues to carve out a place in the leagueās record books. His 19 career goals are the most by any player under 22 in Real Salt Lake history, four ahead of the next closest, Carlos AndrĆ©s Gómez. His impact is being felt across every phase of the gameāand his coaches are taking notice.
āHeās the guy,ā RSL head coach Pablo Mastroeni said after the San Diego match.
āHe plays with a chip on his shoulder. Heās one of our best defenders, and he plays on the front line. Heās putting the ball in the back of the net. Heās doing it all for our group. Itās really unusual for a player his age to carry that kind of burden. But his shoulders are broad and his heart is big. He was beyond excellent. He was a man tonight.ā
Whatās perhaps even more impressive is Lunaās mindset. After his two-goal showing, he was focused not on praise, but on growth:
āI donāt think itās the best Iāve played and I donāt think itās the best I will play,ā Luna said. āI think thereās another level to me. With more time, Iām starting to get there and thereās a lot that I need to improve on, but weāll get there.ā
That drive for improvement defines Lunaās journey, which includes humble beginnings and unique personal development. At one point, he worked part-time at Dutch Bros coffee to improve his social skills - an experience that speaks volumes about his character and willingness to evolve on and off the field.
Internationally, Lunaās grit was on full display during a USMNT friendly vs. Costa Rica on January 22. After breaking his nose mid-match, he insisted on staying in- and promptly delivered the game-winning assist.
USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino praised the moment as one of both toughness and leadership.
āI was very surprised, because it was broke, you know?ā Pochettino said.
āI asked, āHow do you feel?ā He said, āPlease coach, let me keep playing.ā ⦠And the first action, assist, and we score. I said, big balls. He showed great character, and he is a player that for sure we are going to have consideration for the future.ā
Ā© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
That future looks increasingly bright for Diego Luna, who now finds himself at the heart of club and country ambitions. Whether itās battling through injury, scoring in bunches, carrying the weight of a team on his back or even making coffee, Luna is proving that heās not just a good moon rising - heās already shining.