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With the 26-player U.S. men’s national team roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup confirmed Tuesday afternoon at Pier 17 in Manhattan, midfielder Diego Luna’s absence from Mauricio Pochettino’s squad is the most glaring.
After all, it was the centerpiece of numerous promotional ads, including Nike’s, leading up to the tournament.
When the roster was leaked by multiple outlets over Memorial Day weekend, Luna’s absence was one of the biggest snubs considering his work with the team and the fact that many believed he was a lock to represent the Stars and Stripes at home this summer.
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Real Salt Lake’s Diego Luna watches during the MLS game against the Houston Dynamo FC at America First Field in Sandy, Utah on May 13, 2026. (Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
But Luna was not among the listed midfielders, which became official on Tuesday when he was not among the 26 men who took the stage at Pier 17.
Meanwhile, Nike had used Luna as the focal point of its uniform launches, showing off the jerseys the US team will wear at the World Cup. The new kit went viral, especially when Luna posted on her Instagram with the caption: “They never plan for the wild card. Expect the unexpected.”
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Luna, who could have also chosen to play for Mexico due to his dual citizenship, is known to fans as the wild card. He became a fan favorite during the team’s run for the 2025 Gold Cup.
However, Pochettino, managing his first World Cup with the USMNT, said in March that players currently in the squad during friendly matches should not expect to be among the final 26 come summer.
“The players who are in the squad today cannot think that they will be in the final squad,” he said. “When we go to Atlanta, maybe we can take some pictures, prepare things for marketing and things like that, because it’s the last chance to do this kind of thing.
Diego Luna drives the ball during the second half of the Gold Cup match against Haiti at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on June 22, 2025. The United States won the match 2-1. (Shaun Clark/Getty Images)
It’s not that Luna wasn’t producing at the time for the USMNT. He appeared in 17 of 18 games in 2025, becoming a standout player by scoring four goals and adding three assists during that time.
Luna, who plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer, suffered a knee injury during the March international window. However, he has played for his club seven times since then and at least 70 minutes in six of those games, so health is not a factor in this case.
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But that international window is crucial for all potential players hoping to make their World Cup squads, and perhaps Luna’s absence contributed to Pochettino’s decision to go in a different direction. Only the manager will have the answers to why Luna is off the roster.
In addition to Nike, Luna also appeared in advertisements for Head & Shoulders, as well as Panini, which included him among the featured players in their official World Cup sticker collection.
Diego Luna of Real Salt Lake runs the ball down the field against the Houston Dynamo FC during the second half at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, on May 13, 2026. (Chris Gardner/NWSL)
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With Luna out of the squad, all eyes are on Gio Reyna, the 23-year-old player for German club Borussia Mönchengladbach, who many believe has been put in his place. Reyna has experience playing in Europe, which always has weight for the World Cup, and has a longer career than Luna with the USMNT.
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