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Fox Sports
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Diego Luna's unlikely path to USMNT stardom and a possible World Cup spot
Diego Luna wasn't about to let a broken nose ruin his opportunity. In the first 15 minutes of a United States men's national team friendly against Costa Rica in January, Luna took an elbow to the face which broke his nose. This training camp was his first under Mauricio Pochettino, who was hired as the USMNT's head coach last September. Luna, with only one cap to his name at the time, understood this was a huge moment to make an impression on a new coaching staff ahead of two pivotal years: the USMNT would be competing in the Concacaf Nations League Finals and the 2025 Gold Cup before co-hosting the 2026 World Cup. So when the 21-year-old attacking midfielder ran over to the sideline with a bloody nose, he pleaded with Pochettino to let him stay in the game. "I could still run, I could still play soccer, I could still see, so I just told them, 'At least let me play until halftime and then I'll come out,' Luna recently explained to FOX Sports. The U.S. manager checked with team doctors, who stuffed Luna's nose with gauze and sent him back onto the pitch. Moments later, Luna slipped a pass to Brian White who scored the Americans' opening goal in a 3-0 victory. Luna was subbed off at halftime and eventually went to the hospital for surgery. He became a cult hero in the process. "Big balls," Pochettino told the broadcast post-game with a chuckle. "He showed great character." Luna's effort was rewarded when Pochettino called him up for the Nations League Finals in March. His inclusion raised some eyebrows, especially since Pochettino chose him over more familiar faces like Brenden Aaronson and Alex Zendejas. Luna hadn't even made the mostly U-23 roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics last summer, but used that as motivation, and clearly Pochettino has liked what he's seen. Luna was a bright spot for another otherwise disappointing performance by the USMNT at the Nations League, the first time in four editions they had failed to win it. He started and played the full 90 minutes against Canada in the third-match place and set up the Americans' only goal with a nifty assist to Patrick Agyemang. Afterward, Pochettino singled Luna out while discussing upcoming roster decisions he'll have to make. "The desire and the hunger that he showed is what we want," Pochettino said. "And that is not to say anything against the rest of the [team], it's only one example. When I told him he was going to play, he was ready. And after playing well or not playing well, scoring or assisting or not, that is what we want to see and that is the example for me that we need to take." Now, it's the eve of the next U.S. roster drop – this one for the summer's Gold Cup – and Luna is expected to be on it. This is also the last major tournament the squad will play in before the 2026 World Cup. How much he'll play, how he'll fit in the attack, and where he stands amongst the competition in his position is a question. Minutes-wise, Luna may benefit from the fact that Gio Reyna will not be part of the USMNT's Gold Cup roster due to the fact that his club, Borussia Dortmund, will be participating in the FIFA Club World Cup at the same time. Tim Weah and Weston McKennie, who play for Juventus, face the same conflict. Luna is in top form. His star is rising. And he's a confident and creative playmaker who has endeared himself to Pochettino. Now, he has a chance to become the kind of star the USMNT desperately needs to make a deep run this summer – and possibly earn a roster spot for the 2026 World Cup. "He will run through a wall to play soccer," Real Salt Lake coach Pablo Mastroeni, who has coached Luna since 2022, told FOX Sports. "I think that toughness, and that grit, and ability to overcome and persevere, I think it's a void that the national team is looking to fill and I think with Diego Luna, you're always going to get a dog." Coffee and therapy: Luna's path to the USMNT Pochettino values toughness in players. He's from Argentina and spent his managerial career in Europe before joining the USMNT. He expects players to battle, get back on defense and do whatever it takes to win. Those qualities may seem obvious at this level, but not everyone has them. After an underwhelming showing at Nations League in March – which included flat performances in losses to Panama and Canada – U.S. players were heavily criticized for being complacent and lacking pride. Luna was an exception, likely due in part to the unconventional path he's taken to get to this point. Luna left his family and his home in Sunnyvale, Calif. (where he played for the San Jose Earthquakes academy) at age 15 to join the Barcelona Residency Academy in Arizona. Three years later, he signed with El Paso Locomotive in the USL Championship before joining RSL in 2022. Luna had to earn his spot there. Then 18 years old, he moved to a city he'd never been to without any friends or family. He felt lost. He wasn't playing. He didn't feel part of the group. In conversations with Mastroeni those early days, the coach told Luna that he was technical and talented, but needed to commit to defending and work both sides of the ball. "He'd say, 'You can't just be an attacking player. You're not Messi," Luna recalled. Luna took all those frustrating matters into his own hands. For one, he worked on his defensive presence. It took some time, but now three years later, Mastroeni said Luna has "more than surpassed my expectations. He's engaged defensively, but he's also scanning defensively and he's playing cat and mouse. He's made that his own craft and he's really, really good at that." Second, Luna sought therapy to address mental health struggles that had been bubbling since he first moved away from home at a young age. The weight of expectations – to score goals every game, to get called up to the national team – created internal pressure. "Imagine being a young kid and you gotta live on your own, make money and make sure you're performing because if not, you don't know where you're going to end up or what's going to happen next," Luna said. "That is tough not having guidance from your family there with you every step." Luna said he wished he'd started therapy sooner, but "as soon as I committed, you could see an automatic [difference]. Within a week, there was a change in mentality with [my] emotions and feelings and how I felt internally, which allowed me to be free and mentally clear when performing on the field. Therapy is a great tool and I think that's something a lot of people shouldn't be afraid to do. Third, Luna found a way to overcome loneliness. Because he wasn't playing much at the beginning, he had more free time on his hands. Rather than go home to an empty house after training, he decided to get a second job at a local Dutch Bros coffee shop where he thought he might be able to make some friends and work on his social skills. Not only did he master whipping up an iced Golden Eagle – Dutch Bros' most popular drink that's similar to a caramel vanilla latte – but for the nine months he worked there, Luna got better at making eye contact with people and communicating. Mastroeni can't recall ever having a player with a part-time job, especially given the salaries current MLS players make, but it wasn't about the money for Luna. "It was just about getting to know people in town and feeling a part of the community," Mastroeni said. Ahead of the 2023 season, Luna had stopped making coffee but continued his therapy (and still goes to this day). He scored five goals that season and worked his way into the starting lineup. In 2024, by then a regular RSL starter, Luna scored eight goals, added 12 assists and was named an All-Star and MLS' Young Player of the Year. He's been on a hot streak in 2025, scoring seven goals so far, including six in the last eight games. On April 5, USMNT assistant coach Miki D'Agostino was in the crowd and saw Luna bag a brace within five minutes in a 2-0 win over the LA Galaxy. "He's not only a great student of football, but he's a great student of life and I think he's mature beyond his years," Mastroeni said. "He's so driven and he's willing to change in order to achieve. His adaptability is through the roof. "And I think this is all really manifesting to be a part of the 2026 [World Cup] team because he is reliable and he is passionate about his football. He defends, but not because the coach asks him to. He defends because now he really enjoys defending and understands that if he does his job higher up the field when we win the ball, he's going to be in positions to do his thing in transition." 'A special type of player' Luna is still largely unknown to the casual U.S. Soccer fan, but his playing style has not gone unnoticed by some of the other more known stars on the squad. "He's an awesome kid, man. He brings a little something different," Christian Pulisic said of Luna after playing with him during the Nations League matches. "He's got heart. I love the way he plays and he's got a big future ahead." Tyler Adams observed something similar. "He's a special type of player," Adams said this spring. "I think in today's game, those creative players, you're finding less and less of them. A No. 10 guy that can play on the wing as well. He just gives something different to the team." Maybe it's his body type – Luna is barrel-chested and listed at 5'8", 187 lbs. Maybe it's his eccentric appearance – he's got a lot of tattoos from the neck down and always has a cool hair-do. Maybe it's his technical ability and how he can beat guys one-v-one and combine out of tight spaces. Or maybe it's his fearlessness and dogged mentality. "Thats just in my DNA and how I grew up," Luna said. "I was always playing up ages, always playing with bigger, stronger, faster kids, always being pushed by my family, always having the ball at my feet. Soccer is in my blood. It's what I live for." Alexi Lalas and David Mosse broke down their international team power rankings for the Gold Cup. Check out where the USMNT stands among the other CONCACAF teams after a tumultuous start to the year. For Mastroeni, it's more of this: "When I was watching [the last USMNT match vs. Canada], as the game began to kind of wane and the guys began to fatigue a little bit, there was still one guy out there pressing the goalkeeper and getting after it. For me, 'different' is being labeled an attacking player but having the grit and the desire to want to work defensively for a team." This summer, Luna will have another prove-it opportunity to showcase his talent and further cement himself into Pochettino's 2026 World Cup plans. He's not overthinking anything, but instead reminding himself to work "my butt off." "I'm just having fun," Luna said. "I'm working hard, making sure I'm doing what I need to do on both sides of the ball, and then let my creativity [flow] and express myself and that's it. From there, things can happen and that's out of my control." Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman . recommended Get more from United States Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox News
30-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
USMNT caps miserable Concacaf Nations League Finals with a 2-1 loss to Canada
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The United States men's national team capped its miserable week at the Concacaf Nations League Finals with a 2-1 loss to Canada in Sunday's third-place playoff. The Canadians opened the scoring through Tani Oluwaseyi, and while Patrick Agyemang equalized for the USMNT before the first half was finished, Reds star forward Jonathan David scored the winner with just over a half hour left to play. The loss comes on the heels of last week's late 1-0 loss to Panama in the semifinals. "It's not just a given that we can step onto the pitch and perform at a certain level," U.S. keeper Matt Turner said after Sunday's contest. "End of the day, we're conceding too many goals and not scoring enough. What we had to do was clear and and we weren't able to execute it consistently over 90 minutes in both games," he added. "Critical errors, critical mistakes, guys not taking ownership in big moments." Here are three quick thoughts on the match, which represented the final test for Mauricio Pochettino's full-strength team in tournament play before next year's U.S. co-hosted FIFA World Cup. The U.S. turned in an improved performance from Thursday, bu it wasn't nearly enough. Still, at least they scored in this game. It was a beautiful team goal, too. Tim Weah started the sequence when he slipped Diego Luna in behind the Canadian back line. Rather than rush a shot or pass, the Real Salt Lake playmaker cut the ball back and squared it to Agyemang, who was able to beat visiting keeper Dayne St. Clair to temporarily pull the Americans level: "I knew that the center back was going to come and I had a little flick and just dropped it off for Patrick," said Luna, who has surely put himself in position to be summoned for this summer's Gold Cup squad. "He performed well," Pochettino said. Pretty as the U.S. goal was, the Americans' defensive performance left a lot to be desired. It cost them. Canada out-shot the hosts 4-1 in the first half, including Oluwaseyi's successful strike that put Canada ahead. In the end, the USMNT was left chasing the game for 39 of the 90 minutes. The U.S. has now lost back-to-back home games to Canada for the first time since the two countries began playing each other in 1925. The Americans will return to their clubs in Europe and MLS immediately, and while Pochettino won't have access to all of them for the Concacaf Gold Cup in June and (if they make at least the semifinals) July, most of the players who were in Los Angeles over the last week figure to also be on that roster. The absence of Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, who are slated to participate with Juventus in the FIFA Club World Cup instead, and possibly Borussia Dortmund's Gio Reyna, will open the door for a few new faces. So will the disappointing results and performances this month. "Of course we are open to [changing] the roster," Pochettino said. The USMNT will learn its group stage schedule and opponents at the Gold Cup draw on April 10. They'll then play a pair of tuneups, against Turkey on June 7 in East Hartford, Connecticut and Switzerland three days later in Nashville, Tennessee. The Reds, one of the favorites to win the Gold Cup along with the U.S. and Mexico, will prepare for this summer's tournament with friendlies on those same dates versus Ukraine and Ivory Coast. Both of those exhibitions will be played in Toronto. "It's a big part of the process with us not being in [World Cup] qualifying," St. Clair said. "For us, it's just taking every moment that we're together to make sure that come 2026, that we're ready." Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports who has covered the United States men's and women's national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him at @ByDougMcIntyre.
Fox News
30-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
The USMNT needs more from its biggest star Christian Pulisic: 'I'm not happy with my output'
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Christian Pulisic understands his role in these moments. As the face of the United States men's national team, he knows the spotlight is on him at all times. So when Pulisic fails to deliver in a game – or in this case, consecutive games — he feels the weight of expectations. The USMNT put on two lousy performances at the Concacaf Nations League Finals. First, the squad was stunned by Panama in Thursday's semifinal when it gave up a stoppage time goal and lost 1-0. Then on Sunday, the team responded with further disappointment when Canada out-classed the Americans and pulled off a 2-1 victory. After winning the first three editions of this competition (in 2021, 2023 and 2024), the U.S. stumbled to a fourth-place finish. "Of course we're disappointed," Pulisic told reporters following Sunday's loss. "It's not the end of the world for us. Now we have our clubs to focus on and lot of big things ahead, so I'm not overly negative about the situation. It's difficult. We're not at our best. And that's it." The overall sentiment from a sullen USMNT on Sunday evening was that, yes, this was a setback, but there's still time to salvage things before the 2026 World Cup. The problem is, however, there really isn't much time left at all. There are 15 months before the World Cup. Between now and then, the U.S. will play in only one more knockout tournament at this summer's Gold Cup. Nations League was supposed to show progress. Instead, the team appeared to regress. One of the glaring issues, among the many, was the team's top star, Pulisic was essentially invisible on the field. Even coach Mauricio Pochettino said ahead of the match vs. Canada that he expected more from him on this kind of stage. "That is not the Christian that we wanted to see because I think he can do much better," Pochettino said Saturday. "Our main objective is the World Cup. [I have] no doubt Christian will be ready and be his best and one of the best [players] for sure for us." Back in October ahead of his first games coaching the team, Pochettino spoke highly of Pulisic and called him "one of the best offensive players in the world." Pulisic has become an integral part of AC Milan and earlier this month, tied a career-high when he scored his 15th goal of the season. He also has nine assists for the Serie A club. Pulisic mostly plays on the right wing for Milan, but Pochettino likes him in the No. 10 role on the national team. In theory, putting your most important player in the most pivotal position on the pitch sounds ideal. But Pulisic didn't impact either match against Panama or Canada. On Sunday specifically, Pulisic hardly made his presence felt in the attacking half of the field and wasn't a threat inside the 18-yard box. "Obviously, I want to make more of a difference in the game," Pulisic said. "I'm not happy with my output. But it's partly me and partly finding different ways to get the ball in that position. It was tough for whatever reason in the last two games." Moving forward, is it realistic for Pulisic to play this role for the USMNT? Does he even like it? "I mean, I feel comfortable in that position, but I'd love to, I don't know, find different ways that I can get the ball and make a difference in the game," Pulisic said. "Because the games have gone by and I felt like I wasn't able to really put much of a mark on the game, which is always tough for an attacking player." The clock is ticking, and the World Cup is getting closer. Pochettino needs to figure out how to get the best out of Pulisic and the rest of the team both on and off the field before it's too late. Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.
New York Times
30-03-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Canada coach Jesse Marsch says 50 people warned him after response to Trump
Canada men's national team manager Jesse Marsch has explained what his life has been like since he publicly stood up to U.S. President Donald Trump over his comments about Canada becoming the 51st American state. During an exclusive discussion with The Athletic — which features in a special podcast episode — Marsch reveals he has received support and warnings from friends and colleagues. In February, the 51-year-old American said Trump's remarks about turning Canada into the 51st U.S. state were 'unsettling and frankly insulting,' that he should 'lay off the ridiculous rhetoric' and stop the 'arrogance and disregard' shown to a close ally. 'Shortly after that, I had one person say to me that was really brave,' he told The Athletic. 'I was like, 'It's free speech,' and then this person said, 'Yeah, but don't you worry about somebody coming after you?' I kind of chuckled a little bit. Advertisement 'But the 50th person that said that to me made me think, 'What kind of world are we living in? And what does that mean about the interpretation of what the U.S. government is right now?' 'If that's the response that 50 different people give me within one week, that's a concerning theme among people that are Americans.' Marsch was speaking at the four-team Concacaf Nations League Finals tournament — where Canada finished third, beating the United States 2-1 in the bronze-medal match — in Los Angeles last week. He reaffirmed his commitment to his previous stance during two pre-match news conferences and says he will not shy away from speaking up again. 'What you don't want is people to get numb to things that they believe strongly about,' he said. 'I don't want to feel that way, but you can't help — with all the different information that comes out every day — to wonder what is the course of action for the future?' Marsch is unclear whether Trump is aware of his criticism and accepts he may not care because he is only 'a soccer coach.' But his adopted nation has noticed the way he has gone to bat for it. 'I think they appreciate that I see the indecency and that I'm willing to speak up about it,' he added. The former Leeds United manager — who became Canada head coach in May 2024, having previously managed Montreal Impact in MLS — says he is not on a crusade for his own benefit but is speaking up for the broader Canadian community and his own players. 'I feel like they deserve to be really appreciated and celebrated for who they are and what they are,' he said. Marsch does not plan to share his personal beliefs about the political situation in the U.S. on a regular basis, saying it is not his position to do so, 'but when it pertains to what it means for my job and the people I represent, I felt it was important, especially as an American, to stand up for a country that — even though it's not mine — deserves better treatment.' Trump's combative rhetoric about a U.S. annexation of northern neighbor Canada and a push for high tariffs on Canadian imports has caused American sportspeople in soccer and ice hockey to be 'thrust into a situation they didn't ask for,' according to Marsch. 'The reality is that the international games in North America take on more meaning. Maybe it's added motivation for each team to play the U.S.' Advertisement He feels the climate has 'calmed' since the time of his initial response to Trump in February. It followed Canadian fans booing the U.S. national anthem before a match between the two countries in the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey tournament in Montreal. Canada lost that meeting 3-1 but defeated the U.S. 3-2 in the competition's final in Boston a few days later. On the morning of their respective soccer teams meeting in LA last Sunday, new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and homegrown film star Mike Myers featured in a campaign video together. Filmed by the side of an ice rink — and referencing the term 'Elbows up' — it continued to tap into a sporting link in the build-up to Canada's national election at the end of next month. Elbows up, Canada. — Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) March 22, 2025 Marsch says the mood could impact the build-up to the 2026 World Cup, which Canada co-hosts with the U.S. and Mexico — who won the Nations League final with a 2-1 win over Panama later last Sunday — and accepts things can change from one day to the next, especially in the current climate. He hopes to be able to concentrate on his main priority, though. 'In the end,' he said, 'it's really important for me that with everything (and) all my opinions, that I'm still entirely focused when I'm in this position to do what I think is best for the team and for what we represent.' The full interview with Marsch features in a special episode of The Athletic FC podcast called 'A Divided World Cup: Trump and 2026', which focuses on the political backdrop to the recent Concacaf Nations League tournament and the political challenges faced by the next World Cup's co-hosts. It also includes contributions from Canada's goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair and the nation's World Cup 2026 organizer Peter Montopoli. Former MLS star and ex-Montreal Impact head coach Thierry Henry, USMNT's Tim Ream, former Mexico international Carlos Vela and Concacaf president Victor Montagliani are some of the others who feature in the hour-long documentary.
The Guardian
25-03-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Raúl Jiménez used his Fulham form to revitalize Mexico in Nations League
Watching him score dazzling free kicks, pull off handsprings and other acrobatics in his goal celebrations, and lift the trophy for best player in the Concacaf Nations League Finals, it is easy to forget Raúl Jiménez ever suffered a serious injury of any type. Or that less than five years ago, there were questions about if he'd ever play the sport again, period. Yet there Jiménez was, with two goals in Mexico's semifinal against Canada and another two in the final against Panama, joking about enjoying a few tequilas in celebration of El Tri's first-ever Nations League triumph. A sleek headband is the only visible reminder of his November 2020 collision with Arsenal's David Luiz – an incident that fractured his skull and caused a brain bleed, and which could have cost him his life without the proper and timely medical interventions he received. There is no obvious physical record of the months of hard work it took Jiménez and his family to get back to a normal life, let alone to a playing career that was just blossoming in the Premier League (then with Wolves) and for Mexico. Jiménez doesn't need one. 'It's fantastic to come back after what I've been through,' he told CBS after his two-goal performance in Sunday's Nations League final, securing Mexico's first win in the competition in four attempts. 'This is a great example that you (should) never lose faith and continue. You know what you're capable of doing and know your level.' Jiménez has rediscovered his level, with fans in Mexico watching as he climbs the all-time goal-scoring charts, on which he currently sits third, seven behind Jared Borgetti and 13 behind Javier 'Chicharito' Hernández. He is a leader on the team now; an elder statesman at 33 years old who hopes to lead Mexico back to the top of Concacaf. Yet even after his return to the field from the accident, even as he recaptured his goalscoring form with Fulham ahead of this March international window, the attention in Mexico has been focused on a different striker expected to lead Mexico's line at the 2026 World Cup: 23-year-old Santi Giménez. The striker has seemed to score for fun at club level, earning a January move to AC Milan from Feyenoord this winter, but he is in the midst of an international goal drought, having failed to score for El Tri since the 2023 Gold Cup final. Soccer fans rarely are focused on consistency. A shiny, new rising star is much more exciting. But consistency is exactly what Jiménez has provided in the Premier League over the last two seasons, and increasingly in recent weeks. After scoring seven goals last season but cooling in the back half of the year, Jimenez has 10 goals in 29 Premier League appearances for Fulham this season – adding a goal in each the FA Cup and the League Cup as well. Some of his goals have been brilliant. Others have been unremarkable or, as you'd expect from a penalty specialist, from the spot like his double against Ipswich Town in January. Even this month, before heading off on international duty, Jiménez was on the mark for Fulham, using a savvy first touch off his chest to set himself up for the opening goal against Brighton before the home side rallied to win. What matters, especially for Mexico, is that he's scoring at all. The goals and even consistent minutes gives El Tri something it needs much more of: An in-form player, performing well in one of the best leagues in the world. It also gives Mexico a confident, veteran leader that manager Javier Aguirre may not have been expecting to have when he took over the team shortly after their collapse at the 2024 Copa América. So when the debate in Mexico became about whether Jiménez or Giménez should start, Aguirre's answer was: Both. Raúl partnered with Gimenez to great effect in both Nations League, admitting afterward that he liked working with another forward because it meant less attention from the stout, five-man back lines both of Mexico's opponents lined up with. The mentorship he provides isn't just for Giménez, though; Jiménez's experience can even be an example for a World Cup veteran like Edson Álvarez, the 27-year-old West Ham midfielder who wore the armband this month for Mexico but is still establishing his leadership style. Aguirre now has plenty of reason to have Jiménez as one of the first names on the final squad he draws up for the 2026 World Cup, even though he will be celebrating his 35th birthday before the tournament begins on Mexican soil. For now, Jiménez insists his focus is on helping Mexico in the short-term and keeping the good vibes rolling as he returns to London. 'It's a great achievement – put the goals aside, the work of the team when we had to defend or had to attack we did it in the same way,' he said in Spanish after the final victory. 'We have to be smart, know how to manage matches and we got what we had been denied.' Now, Mexico goes into the summer's Gold Cup in search of something less tangible. They want to be the bully of the region again, the unquestioned top team. The regional superiority has faltered in the last few years, but Raúl's resurgence gives Mexico hope.
