HERRIMAN, Utah (Sat., Jan. 20, 2024) – Real Salt Lake MF Diego Luna today was selected to start for today’s U.S. Soccer friendly in San Antonio against Slovenia at 1:00 PM MST.
Watch the match on TNT, Telemundo, Universo, stream on Peacock or listen on FDP Radio.
Luna is one of four players in this group to have played in last year’s FIFA Youth World Cup, one of 13 players in camp age-eligible for this Summer’s Olympic Games in Paris (to be played July 24 – Aug. 10), one of 15 selected players potentially earning his first U.S. cap, and one of 25 Major League Soccer players to receive this call.
“I’m very excited for this opportunity and I’m looking forward to starting my year off with this camp,” said Luna, who recently celebrated his first Christmas as a father. “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.”
Throughout last season, his first full campaign in Utah, RSL playmaker Diego Luna grew in confidence and impact culminating in Audi MLS Cup Playoff series with Houston Dynamo. Luna scored in the series’ first leg for a third consecutive RSL match, as his late equalizer back on Oct. 14 at LA Galaxy starting the run which continued on Decision Day in Colorado with his game-winning goal. In each of RSL’s final two games of the season – both on the road – the 20-year old starlet pulled the strings and provided the difference in the final 15 minutes of each match.
The 54th-minute goal in Houston made Luna the youngest playoff goal-scorer in RSL history, usurping Yura Movsisyan by just under 16 months. Luna’s accomplishment made him the 12th-youngest player in MLS history to find the back of the net in a postseason match. During the series’ second leg, Luna asked for the opportunity to be the decisive fifth shooter against Houston, envisioning and ultimately delivering the series-extending score. In the third and final leg at Dynamo, Luna’s tiebreaking spot kick was one of two denied by Steve Clark.
Luna – now with seven goals in 45 appearances for RSL in the 2022/23 seasons – ended up with five goals in 2023, his first full season with RSL, the USA U-20 playmaker starting 20 of the Club’s last 25 games across all competitions since returning from the 2023 FIFA Youth World Cup in Argentina. The USA U-20 playmaker acquired in June, 2022, from USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive was named the MLS Player of the Matchday for Matchday 26, courtesy of his brace in the 3-1 home RSL win over New York Red Bulls on July 15.
Luna’s 2nd-minute goal in that match marked RSL’s quickest goal since March 2022 (Bobby Wood), while his eventual game-winner off an intricate give-and-go made him the youngest player (19 years, 311 days) in RSL history to register a multi-goal match (Olmes Garcia, June 2013 v LA Galaxy, 20 years, 282 days).
On June 21 in St. Louis, he became the 98th player in RSL’s 19-year history to find the back of the net in MLS reg. season action for the Claret-and-Cobalt, scoring in the 15th minute and assisting on goals in the 48th and 66th minutes. While he is only the 6th-youngest player to ever score for RSL, he did become the absolute youngest in Club annals to score and assist in the same game, No. 599 all-time for the Club. Luna followed up his exquisite St. Louis performance with the game-tying assist at the death on the Glad goal June 24 v MIN, the 98th-minute equalizer the latest in RSL’s 615-game MLS reg. season history.
FROM U.S. SOCCER:
With a massive year of important official competitions on the horizon, USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter has called 25 MLS-based players to Orlando for the annual U.S. Men’s National Team’s January training camp. With the match date falling outside a FIFA international window, the training camp and match against Slovenia provide a huge opportunity for the next generation to make a statement during an important year for U.S. Men’s National Team programs which includes the opportunity to win a third-straight CONCACAF Nations League championship in March as well as compete in the prestigious Copa America and the 2024 Olympic Games.
The upcoming U.S. Soccer MNT training camp will run from Jan. 8-16 in Orlando. The team will then head to San Antonio to open its 2024 schedule with a friendly against Slovenia on Jan. 20 at Toyota Field. Coverage of the USA’s first match of the year begins at 1 p.m. MT on TNT, Telemundo, Universo, MAX and Peacock. Live Spanish-language audio for the match will be available on Fútbol de Primera radio.
Fans will be able to follow the match via Twitter @USMNT [twitter.com], Instagram @USMNT [instagram.com], Facebook [facebook.com] and The Official U.S. Soccer App.
“This is an opportunity to identify and work with the next generation of players who have the potential to make an impact on our program,” Berhalter said. “We appreciate the support from MLS and all their clubs so that we can utilize this platform. Our priority is on getting as many players as possible experience in important competitions, and this camp and the match against Slovenia will be extremely valuable in the evaluation process.”
DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (Club/Country; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Drake Callender (Inter Miami; 0/0), Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati; 0/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 0/0)
DEFENDERS (10): Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union; 0/0), DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution; 7/0), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; 17/1), Ian Murphy (FC Cincinnati; 0/0), Jackson Ragen (Seattle Sounders; 0/0), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 27/3), James Sands (New York City FC; 13/0), Nkosi Tafari (FC Dallas; 0/0), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; 3/0), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United; 1/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Joshua Atencio (Seattle Sounders; 0/0), Aziel Jackson (St. Louis City; 0/0), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; 0/0), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; 4/0), Timmy Tillman (LAFC; 0/0), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus Crew; 0/0)
FORWARDS (6): Esmir Bajraktarevic (New England Revolution; 0/0), Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; 8/1), Bernard Kamungo (FC Dallas; 0/0), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 0/0), Duncan McGuire (Orlando City; 0/0), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 0/0)
TROPHY HOLDERS
MLS Cup winning Columbus Crew have three players on the roster in Orlando, including goalkeeper Patrick Schulte and midfielders Aidan Morris and Sean Zawadzki. Supporters Shield winners FC Cincinnati send a trio, with newly acquired defender Miles Robinson joining goalkeeper Roman Celentano and defender Ian Murphy.
CHANCE TO MAKE THEIR CASE
The USMNT’s January training camp roster is traditionally filled with rising talents getting their first looks with the senior team and this year’s squad is no different. Fifteen players earn their first call-ups to a USMNT camp: Josh Atencio, Esmir Bajraktarevic, Nathan Harriel, Aziel Jackson, Bernard Kamungo, Diego Luna, Jack McGlynn, Duncan McGuire, Ian Murphy, Jackson Ragen, Patrick Schulte, Nkosi Tafari, Timmy Tillman, Brian White, and Sean Zawadzki.
Goalkeepers Roman Celentano and Drake Callender, both of whom were a part of USMNT camps in 2023, join the above as part of the group of 17 uncapped players on the roster.
The young players come with plenty of experience in the U.S. Men’s Youth National Teams program. A total of six players have represented the United States in Youth World Cups, including four at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup. The full group: Cade Cowell (2023 U-20 WC), Diego Luna (2023 U-20 WC), Jack McGlynn (2023 U-20 WC), Shaq Moore (2015 U-20 WC), James Sands (2017 U-17 WC), Caleb Wiley (2023 U-20 WC).
With the United States participating in the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament for the first time since 2008, this window provides another spotlight. U-23 head coach Marko Mitrovic is on the technical staff for this camp and will have the chance to observe 11 players who are age-eligible for the 2024 Summer Olympics: Atencio, Bajraktarevic, Cowell, Harriel, Jackson, Luna, McGlynn, Morris, Schulte, Tolkin and Wiley.
PROVIDING LEADERSHIP
The roster has been infused with a core of experience, with eight of the 25 players having earned senior team caps and three holding double digit appearances: Robinson (27), Moore (17), Sands (13), Cowell (8), Jones (7), Morris (4), Tolkin (3) and Wiley (1).
TURNING JANUARY CAMP TIME INTO WORLD CUP OPPORTUNITIES
The annual January Camp has a long history of providing opportunities for MLS-based players to get an extended look from the coaching staff and make an impact. Dating back to 1999, 30 players who have debuted or earned their second cap during the USMNT’s first camp of a calendar year have gone on to make a FIFA World Cup roster.
From the USA’s squad at Qatar 2022, nine players earned their first or second cap during a January camp match, including captain Tyler Adams, forward Brenden Aaronson, defenders Walker Zimmerman and Tim Ream and starting goalkeeper Matt Turner. The list of alumni also includes five members of the 100-cap club: Jozy Altidore, DaMarcus Beasley, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan.
USMNT vs. SLOVENIA
San Antonio is hosting the first friendly encounter between the teams on U.S. soil. The USMNT holds a 1-0-1 record overall in the series, with the most famous meeting coming in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Following the USA’s 1-1 draw with England to open the tournament, Slovenia jumped to a 2-0 lead before halftime, setting the stage for a dramatic U.S. comeback. Landon Donovan cut the deficit in half in the 48th minute and then Michael Bradley buried the equalizer in the 82nd. Three minutes later, Maurice Edu appeared to have scored the go-ahead goal which was controversially nullified by referee Koman Coulibaly.
The following year, a goal and assist by Clint Dempsey and a game-winning penalty conversion by Jozy Altidore paced the USA to a 3-2 victory on Nov. 15, 2011, in Ljubljana.
UPCOMING COMPETITIONS
The first match of the year is a prelude to three significant competitions in 2024 for both the senior team and the U-23 USMNT.
The USMNT kicks it off with the CONCACAF Nations League final four in March. Having won the first two editions of the tournament, the U.S. will face Jamaica in the first semifinal on March 21 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
In June, the U.S. will compete in the prestigious 2024 Copa America featuring 10 CONMEBOL nations including defending World Cup and Copa America champion Argentina led by captain and Inter Miami attacker Lionel Messi. The U.S. will compete in Group C and face Uruguay, Panama and Bolivia.
For the first time since 2008, the U.S. qualified to compete in the Olympic Games. The tournament will be held from July 24-Aug. 10 in France, and features players under the age of 23, with the ability to include three overage players on the roster.
IN SAN ANTONIO
Playing at the home of 2022 USL Championship winners San Antonio FC, this marks the second time U.S. Soccer will host a match in the venue of a club currently playing in the United Soccer League during the modern era. As part of its strategic initiatives, U.S. Soccer wants to grow participation, increase retention and ensure lifelong connections to the game.
Toyota Field has hosted several notable matches throughout the years which have included European teams like Cardiff City, Sunderland, as well as several Liga MX teams.
With more than 9,000 tickets already sold, the USA-Slovenia match will set an attendance record at Toyota Field.
This will be the USA’s third visit to San Antonio, and the first since 2015. In that match, Stanford University sophomore Jordan Morris scored early in the second half in his first start for the U.S. and Juan Agudelo added his first international goal in four years and the Americans dispatched Mexico by their traditional 2-0 score in front of a sold-out crowd of 64,639 at the Alamodome.
USMNT ROSTER NOTES:
- The 25-player roster will have an average age of 23 years, 323 days as of the first day of training on Jan. 8 in Orlando.
- With three players each, Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati lead the way for the 17 clubs with representation on the January camp roster. The Ohio contingent is followed by FC Dallas, New England Revolution, Philadelphia Union and Seattle Sounders (2 each), and Atlanta United, Inter Miami, LAFC, Nashville SC, New York City FC, New York Red Bulls, Orlando City, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, St. Louis City, and Vancouver Whitecaps (1 each).
- As the lone member of the 2022 FIFA World Cup squad on the January roster, defender Shaq Moore will be looking for his first USMNT appearance since the 1-0 win against IR Iran on Nov. 29, 2022.
- The leading cap-winner on the January roster, veteran defender Miles Robinson earns the call-up two days after signing a free agent deal with FC Cincinnati. Robinson recorded his first international goal during January camp, scoring in the 7-0 win against Trinidad and Tobago on Jan. 31, 2021, in Orlando.
- Fullbacks DeJuan Jones and John Tolkin earned his USMNT debuts during last January camp. Jones came off the bench versus Serbia on Jan. 25, 2023, in Los Angeles while Tolkin started in the 0-0 draw with Colombia on Jan. 28, 2023, in Carson, Calif.
- The older brother of USMNT midfielder Malik Tillman, Timmy Tillman will look to earn his USMNT debut on Jan. 20 against Slovenia. Should he appear, the Tillmans would become the 10th set of brothers to earn caps for the USMNT.
- Twenty players are products of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, with 15 having been developed by MLS clubs: Josh Atencio (Crossfire Premier, Seattle Sounders), Esmir Bajraktarevic (Chicago Fire), Drake Callender (San Jose Earthquakes), Roman Celentano (Sockers FC), Cade Cowell (Ballistic United, San Jose Earthquakes), Nathan Harriel (Chargers SC), Aziel Jackson (New York Red Bulls, Crossfire Premier), Diego Luna (San Jose Earthquakes, Barca Residency Academy), Jack McGlynn (BW Gottschee, Philadelphia Union), Shaq Moore (FC Dallas), Aidan Morris (Weston FC, Columbus Crew), Ian Muphy (FC Golden State), Jackson Ragen (Seattle Sounders), Miles Robinson (FC Boston Bolts), James Sands (New York City FC), Patrick Schulte (St. Louis Scott Gallagher, Saint Louis FC), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Brian White (Players Development Academy), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus Crew).
added six players via the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, including a pair of first-round picks chosen at 16th and 18th overall – M/F Matthew Bell and DF Kevin Bonilla. Both RSL picks were MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalists this year, receiving distinction in college soccer’s Heisman Trophy equivalents.
In the second round, RSL utilized both picks to select a pair of Louisville teammates, taking FW Damien Barker John, a sophomore Cardinal, with the 37th overall selection, while choosing junior DF Josh Jones later in the round with the 47thoverall pick.
The third and final round saw RSL pick 76th and 84th overall, taking Georgetown DF Max Jennings and Duke D/M Ruben Mesalles.
WATCH: 2024 MLS SuperDraft observations\]([https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/ObOq1gKQZO7WvfnJ86yMAi\Gkp-btiloq2LWQOQINXMmuOy9-mor4LSHk9kDff6.n7YHH68ZpvcarfqX) (Passcode: Pw3bg&b8) from RSL Sporting Director / Interim Chief Soccer Officer *\Kurt Schmid\\*
Bell, a native of Kingston, Jamaica, recently completed his sophomore season at Marshall University, earning SunBelt Conference Player of the Year and SBC Offensive Player of the Year honors, with Hermann Trophy watch list accolades while powering the Thundering Herd to with a single-season program record of 10 goals / 12 assists, just the second player in program history to register multiple 10-goal campaigns.
“I think the style of play that RSL plays is how I would love to play – I'm so excited,” said Bell, the latest in a long line of Jamaican internationals to call Utah home, including active rostered centerback Kevon Lambert. “I can't wait to get started and hopefully we'll build an everlasting relationship. And I hope to be at the Club for many, many years and hopefully I can win some championships.”
“I was speaking with the coaches during the showcase and they really explained to me how I would fit their style of play and how they would use me. I think that’s what I want for my career as well. I'm excited to see what it brings and I'm just really excited. I don't even know what to say because it's such a big moment for me in my life. It's just really exciting at the moment and I'm just so so eager to play.
“I think I'm the type of player who can come in and impact right away, but I also know that if the coaching staff feels I need to be in the second team, I'm open to that too. I'm open to learning and growing as a player because this is just the start of my career. I'm also very ambitious, and I'm very goal oriented, and I think I could potentially impact the first team, and hopefully get a lot of minutes this year, and just grow as a player and help the Club to win trophies.”
Bonilla, a dual U.S. / Honduras international from the Univ. of Portland, is a highly-regarded Dallas native, distinguishing himself as one of the top outside backs in the country. The reigning WCC Defender of the Year, Bonilla is the first Portland Pilot to be drafted in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft since 2010, when RSL took MF Collen Warner. The 22-year-old senior was also named to TopDrawerSoccer’s Best XI, the All-West Region First Team and the All-WCC First Team as well.
“I’m excited to just have the opportunity, to be honest with you,” said Bonilla, well-versed in both the MLS Academy and college soccer landscapes. “It's been a tough road the past couple four years in terms for my family stuff and other things going on. But just the team believing in me and giving me the opportunity is all I could ask for. Now it's just on me to put the work in.
“I think first goal for anybody is to play, I understand that it's going to take me impressing and me doing what I do. And you know, the whole reason you guys brought me here is for a certain reason in terms of how I play this year and past couple years. So I understand the challenge at hand and I'm ready for it.
“I know RSL has had a great academy over the years. One of my teammates from last year, Delentz Pierre, just moved there. He's only told me good things. And I mean, if they’ve brought in players like Diego Luna and Delentz and all their academy players out of there, it's only means good things for me. I mean, definitely a good impression from the beginning. At a place like RSL who had an amazing year last year, I think, it'll work out.
“The only thing I'd say to the fans is that I appreciate them and I'm excited for the stadium and for the energy. Know you're bringing in a kid who’s brought it out the mud and has come from nothing and that he's got a family and a couple of brothers behind him who, who support him through anything and he's seen it all. So whatever is thrown at me, whether it's a good or bad thing, I know I'll be able to handle it.”
\OTHER 2024 MLS SuperDraft Picks for Real Salt Lake: \
- FW Damien Barker John
* Louisville Sophomore
* Queens, NY
* 5-foot-8 / 150-lb
* 2023 All-ACC Second Team
* 2023 All-South Region Third Team
* Nine (9) goals / three (3) assists
* Third Louisville player since 2001 to register three (3) multi-goal games
* DF Josh Jones
* Louisville Junior
* Hatfield, PA
* 6-foot-5 / 210-lb
* All-ACC Third Team
* Three (3) goals / two (2) assists in 1,514 minutes
* DF Maximus Jennings
* Georgetown Sophomore
* Montclair, NJ
* 6-foot / 170-lb
* 35 appearances / 33 starts in two NCAA seasons
* Five (5) goals / one (1) assist
* Named Hoyas’ 2022 Most Improved Player
* D/M Ruben Mesalles
* Duke University Junior
* Sarasota, FL
* 6-foot / 165-lb
* Seven (7) goals / 15 assists
* 56-game career across three Blue Devil seasons
Real Salt Lake will resume preparations for the Club’s 20th MLS season on January 10, 2024, when Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni welcomes several players to Herriman’s Zions Bank Training Center.
The 2023 RSL side amassed the Club’s seventh 50-point season all-time, and just the second since the 2014 campaign. Finishing 11th overall out of 29 teams, RSL crashed out of the postseason by the thinnest of margins for a second consecutive year (Austin 2022, Houston 2023), dropping a road shootout tiebreaker in Texas. Other 2023 RSL milestones:
- Accumulated an all-time Club-best road record with 12 results in 17 away MLS matches, posting an 8W-5L-4T mark with 28 of its 50 reg. season points amassed on the road; RSL’s previous road bests were recorded in 2012 and 2013, with identical 6W-7L-4T marks;
- RSL’s home mark of 6W-7L-4T was its worst since 2007, when a 4W-7L-4T record on the Rice-Eccles turf marked the 19-year nadir;
- During a nearly four-month span from mid-April to early August, RSL dropped just three of 24 games across all competitions, including MLS reg. season action, its Open Cup run to the Semifinals and its initial Leagues Cup foray;
- Thirty-two (32) different players saw action for RSL in 2023, including 15-year-old FW Axel Kei and 16-year-old Zavier Gozo making their Homegrown debuts, along with Academy products GK Gavin Beavers and DF Delentz Pierre also making their first-ever first-team appearances; a trio of rookies – D/M Emeka Eneli, FW Bertin Jacquesson and FW Ilijah Paul – made their professional debuts, while FW Andrés Gómez, MF Nelson Palacio, DF Kevon Lambert and DF* Brayan Vera* notched their first-ever MLS appearances last season;
- Since April 16, 2005, RSL has enjoyed a prominent home-field advantage on Utah soil – posting a dominant 194-83-95 (Win-Loss-Draw) record across all competitions at home (1.82 points per game for a 0.649 win pct.) – since arriving on the Wasatch Front nearly 20 years ago;
- Since opening its permanent home in Sandy just over 15 years ago, in October, 2008, RSL’s 164-58-75 (W-L-T) mark at America First Field – home of the “RioT” Supporters Group umbrella – equates to a 1.91 points per game average and a 0.679 win pct, one of the truly amazing value proposition in North American sporting landscape today!
