🌙 Luna rising: The Real Salt Lake prodigy making waves in MLS and beyond | OneFootball

© 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 he’s 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 he’s also turning heads on the international stage with the United States Men’s 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 eight 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 league’s 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 Andrés Gómez. His impact is being felt across every phase of the game—and his coaches are taking notice.

“He’s the guy,” RSL head coach Pablo Mastroeni said after the San Diego match.

“He plays with a chip on his shoulder. He’s one of our best defenders, and he plays on the front line. He’s putting the ball in the back of the net. He’s doing it all for our group. It’s 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.”

What’s perhaps even more impressive is Luna’s mindset. After his two-goal showing, he was focused not on praise, but on growth:

“I don’t think it’s the best I’ve played and I don’t think it’s the best I will play,” Luna said. “I think there’s another level to me. With more time, I’m starting to get there and there’s a lot that I need to improve on, but we’ll get there.”

That drive for improvement defines Luna’s 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, Luna’s 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.

“I was very surprised, because it was broke, you know?” Pochettino said.

“I asked, ‘How do you feel?’ He said, ‘Please coach, let me keep playing.’ … 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.”

© 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 it’s battling through injury, scoring in bunches, carrying the weight of a team on his back or even making coffee, Luna is proving that he’s not just a good moon rising - he’s already shining.

Listen to his recent appearance on the “It’s Called Soccer” podcast, where he discussed his decision on pursuing the USMNT opportunities vs. with the Mexican National Team.