Luna's unconventional route has led him to USMNT opportunity - ESPN

Diego Luna hasn't always gotten what he wanted. Professional athletes — especially those who are only 21 years of age, rarely do. But much like the Rolling Stones song, the Real Salt Lake midfielder has shown an uncanny ability to get what he needs.

This month, Luna is in training camp with the U.S. men's national team under the watchful eye of manager Mauricio Pochettino. On Saturday, Luna earned his second cap in the 3-1 friendly win against Venezuela, and in 25 minutes of work, showed his ability to keep possession in tight spaces.

The Sunnyvale, Calif. native has made it this far by trusting his instincts, whether it was leaving the San Jose Earthquakes academy at age 15 to head to the Barcelona Residency Academy in Casa Grande, Ariz., heading to the USL Championship with El Paso Locomotive three years later, or finally landing with Real Salt Lake in 2022 and last year recording eight goals and 12 assists on his way to earning MLS' Young Player of the Year. The USMNT's January camp is the next step.

«It's all about timing and when something's going to happen for you, right?» Luna told reporters prior to Saturday's game. «So for me, I think performing and getting the opportunities like that is what we work for, and the level's been great. I think that this week has been unreal.»

Talk to anyone who has watched Luna for an extended period of time, and the same phrase keeps coming up. Luna, they say, is «a little bit different.» This is basically U.S. soccer speak, used to describe a creative player who is a rarity in the American system, one who — beyond his ability to find passes and goals — plays different, and maybe even looks different.

Back when Luna was making his way through the Quakes academy, the feedback from