Real Salt Lake Star Diego Luna Amongst 26 Players Selected by USMNT Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino
MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Star Diego Luna Amongst 26 Players Selected by USMNT Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino

Published on October 2, 2025 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


ATLANTA / HERRIMAN, Utah - Real Salt Lake star Diego Luna has been named by U.S. Men's National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino amongst the 26 players selected for upcoming U.S. friendlies on Fri., Oct. 10 and Tues., Oct. 14 against World Cup-bound opponents Ecuador and Australia. A total of 26 players have been rostered, with one addition to be confirmed. Players will begin reporting to Austin this Saturday, with Luna arriving in Austin on Sunday following RSL's home Rocky Mountain Cup match on Saturday.

Luna - RSL's leading 2025 scorer with 10 goals and seven assists this season, surpassing his goal output from last year in fewer MLS matches - is one of 10 MLS players on this October friendly roster, already appearing in 13 of the U.S.' 14 games in 2025. Returning from the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup runner-up U.S. roster, Luna is one of two players - joining defender Chris Richards - who were named to that tournament's Best XI. Richards started all six matches and scored two goals, while Luna tallied three goals and two assists and earned Man of the Match honors after scoring twice in the semifinal win against Guatemala.

Earlier this year, Luna earned the game-winning assist during his first 45 minutes played under Pochettino, suffering a shattered nose in the process, during a January friendly against Costa Rica. During the CONCACAF Nations League consolation match, Luna was bright and assertive against Canada, as the 2024 MLS All-Star selection and reigning MLS Young Player of the Year continues to press for 2026 FIFA World Cup inclusion.

Real Salt Lake (11-16-4, 37 points, 11th West / 21st Shield) remains home Saturday to host visiting rival Colorado Rapids (11-14-7, 40 points, 8th West / 18th Shield) in a critical, must-win Rocky Mountain Cup decider as the Claret-and-Cobalt look vault itself back above the Western Conference 2025 MLS Cup Playoff line. Saturday's match provides an opportunity for RSL to win back-to-back matches for the first time since mid-July, while a multi-goal victory is necessary to reclaim the fan-created Rocky Mountain Cup. With a win Saturday by two or more goals, RSL seizes the Rocky Mountain Cup for the fourth time in the last five years and for the 15th occasion in the last 19 seasons (excluding the disputed 2020 edition).

Last weekend, RSL saw a late first-half goal from Paraguayan international Braian Ojeda, also expected to depart for his nation's World Cup Qualifying duties this window - Ojeda's fifth goal across all competitions this season - ending a dominant first 45 minutes, while playmaker Luna set up second-half strikes from two RSL newcomers: wingback DeAndre Yedlin and striker Victor Olatunji. Luna's assists were his sixth and seventh of 2025, to go along with a Club-high nine MLS goals and 10 across all competitions, eclipsing his previous career-high of eight goals, set last season.

The USA will first host Ecuador, presented by AT&T, on Oct. 10 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas [TICKETS]. Kickoff from the home of Austin FC is set for 6:30 p.m. MT and will be broadcast on TNT, truTV, HBO Max, Universo, and Peacock. As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, U.S. Soccer will pay tribute to the Hispanic community, honoring both their cultural heritage and their passionate support for the U.S. team.

Four days later, USA-Australia, presented by American, will mark the USMNT's return to Commerce City, Colorado, for the first time since 2017.

DICK'S Sporting Goods Park hosts on Oct. 14 with the match against the 24th-ranked Australian side kicking off at 7 p.m. MT and shown live on TNT, HBO Max, Universo, and Peacock.

Both matches will be carried live on radio as Westwood One Sports delivers English language commentary while longtime partner Fútbol de Primera has the Spanish language call.

Fans can follow the USMNT on X (@USMNT), Instagram (@USMNT), Facebook and the official U.S. Soccer App.

The matches against two teams ranked in the Top 25 in the world will provide the USMNT a valuable opportunity to compete against fellow World Cup-bound teams, offering a potential preview of the opponents and styles they could face next summer. Ecuador will make its fifth World Cup appearance, joining Argentina and Brazil as one of the three teams from South America already confirmed for the tournament. Australia secured its spot by finishing second in its group during the third round of Asian Football Confederation qualifiers, marking the country's sixth consecutive World Cup appearance.

DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (Club/Country; Caps/Goals)

GOALKEEPERS (4): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Matt Freese (New York City FC; 9/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 3/0), Matt Turner (New England Revolution; 52/0)

DEFENDERS (8): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; 12/1), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 19/0), Alex Freeman (Orlando City; 9/0), Mark McKenzie (FC Toulouse/FRA; 22/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 77/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 33/3), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 50/4), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 34/3)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 53/9), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 14/3), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 60/11), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough/ENG; 9/0), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; 39/0), James Sands (FC St. Pauli/GER; 11/0), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 8/0), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen/GER; 25/3)

FORWARDS (6): Patrick Agyemang (Derby County/ENG; 12/5), Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco/FRA; 19/6), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 80/32), Tim Weah (Marseille/FRA; 45/7), Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG; 17/5), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 13/2)

CP LEADS THE ALL-TIME CAPWINNERS IN CAMP ...

Christian Pulisic leads all players on the roster with a total of 80 appearances. Tim Ream (77), Weston McKennie (60), Brenden Aaronson (52), Matt Turner (52) and Antonee Robinson (50) round out the 50 and over club.

CP is the only player on the current roster to have stepped on the field for the United States at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. With Tim Ream in reserve, Pulisic scored bothgoals in the 2-0 win against Trinidad and Tobago on June 8, 2017, during final round of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

WHILE LUNA LEADS THE 2025 CLASS ...

Diego Luna has appeared in 13 of the USMNT's 14 matches in 2025, leading the class. Both Patrick Agyemang and Max Arfsten have 12 caps to their credit this year, while the defensive duo of Tim Ream (11) and Chris Richards (10) top off the list.

BRINGING THE GOALSCORING MO'

A number of U.S. players are bringing goalscoring momentum into the October camp from the frontline to the backline.

Pulisic has collected six goals and two assists in seven matches across all competitions for AC Milan this season. Alex Zendejas has also impressed at club level this season, registering five goals and two assists in 11 Liga MX appearances, including a brace in Club América's 4-1 win against Pumas UNAM on Saturday. Haji Wright bagged a brace for Coventry City in their 4-0 win away to Millwall last night, bumping his tally to seven goals in eight league matches and eight total in all competitions.

Midfielder Tanner Tessmann was the difference maker recently for Olympique Lyon, converting a long-range strike that lifted the French side past Utrecht 1-0 in UEFA Europa League play on Sept. 25. Malik Tillman has already scored two goals in four Bundesliga matches after making the big transfer to German powerhouse Bayer Leverkusen this summer. Tillman tallied three goals and two assists during the run to the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup final, earning a spot on the tournament Best XI.

Orlando City defender Alex Freeman has now bagged six goals this season, the most recent in the 1-1 draw against FC Cincinnati. He's now fifth amongst all MLS defenders in goal contributions this year.

RETURN OF THE JEDI

2024 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year Antonee Robinson makes a welcome return to the fold after injuries have prevented his appearance in a U.S. kit for all of 2025. The Fulham-based defender has a history in Austin, appearing in four matches at Q2 Stadium since 2021. He scored the middle goal in the USA's 3-0 shutout of Trinidad and Tobago in the first leg of the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League Quarterfinal Round.

He was also on the field for the USA's dramatic 1-0 against Honduras on June 3, 2021, in Denver during the semifinal of the inaugural Concacaf Nations League tournament that the U.S. went on to win.

BACK IN ACTION

Defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, midfielders Weston McKennie and Tanner Tessmann and goalkeeper Patrick Schulte will all make their first camp appearances since the March Concacaf Nations League window. Meantime, Aidan Morris has a chance to step back on the field for the first time since the October '24 friendlies against Panama and Mexico, the first matches for Pochettino as head coach. Fellow midfielder James Sands earns his first call-up under Pochettino, returning to the USMNT fold for the first time since the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup.

ROSTER NOTES

The roster will hold an average age of 26 years, 97 days as of the first day of training on Oct. 6. The 26-player squad also averages 28 caps.

Eleven players return from the squad that took part in the September camp.

With 80 caps, Christian Pulisic is the most experienced player on the roster, followed by Tim Ream (77), Weston McKennie (60), Matt Turner (52) and Antonee Robinson (50).

The squad features players playing in eight different countries. Major League Soccer leads the way with 10 players, followed by England (6), France (4), Germany and Italy (2 each), Mexico and Scotland (1 each).

A total of 10 players from the 2022 World Cup team are included in this camp.

After recovering from successful knee surgery, 2024 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year Antonee Robinson makes his first camp appearance of the year.

Currently on loan with St. Pauli in the Bundesliga, midfielder James Sands earns his first USMNT call-up under Pochettino and will look to gain his first cap since the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup semifinal against Panama.

Midfielder Aidan Morris also earns his first summons of 2025, having last been part of National Team camp in October 2024 during Pochettino's first window in charge.

Defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, midfielders Weston McKennie and Tanner Tessmann and goalkeeper Patrick Schulte will all make their first camp appearances since the March Concacaf Nations League window.

Forward Patrick Agyemang, midfielders Brenden Aaronson and Malik Tillman, defenders Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson, and goalkeeper Matt Turner return to the squad after last taking part in this summer's Concacaf Gold Cup.

Christian Pulisic comes to USMNT camp in top form. The veteran attacker has collected six goals and two assists in seven matches across all competitions for AC Milan this season, including a goal and assist in Sunday's 2-0 win against Napoli to push the Rossoneri to the top of the table in Serie A.

Attackers Folarin Balogun and Alejandro Zendejas made the most of their first call-ups of 2025 last month, both contributing goals in the 2-0 win against Japan on Sept. 9 in Columbus.

Zendejas has also impressed at club level this season, registering five goals and two assists in 11 Liga MX appearances, including a brace in Club América's 4-1 win against Pumas UNAM on Saturday.

Midfielder Tanner Tessmann was the difference maker recently for Olympique Lyon, converting a long-range strike that lifted the French side past Utrecht 1-0 in UEFA Europa League play on Sept. 25.

Defender Alex Freeman bagged his sixth goal of the season, tallying in the 90th minute to rescue a point in Orlando City's 1-1 draw against FC Cincinnati.

Eighteen players took part in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, with 14 coming through the MLS Academy ranks: Brenden Aaronson (Philadelphia Union), Max Arfsten (Cal Odyssey), Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Alex Freeman (Weston FC, Orlando City), Matt Freese (Philadelphia Union), Diego Luna (San Jose Earthquakes, Barcelona Residency), Weston McKennie (FC Dallas), Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew), Christian Pulisic (PA Classics), Chris Richards (FC Dallas), Miles Robinson (FC Boston Bolts), James Sands (New York City FC), Patrick Schulte (St. Louis Scott Gallagher, St. Louis FC), Tanner Tessmann (FC Dallas), Tim Weah (BW Gottschee, New York Red Bulls) Haji Wright (LA Galaxy), Alejandro Zendejas (FC Dallas).

RSL now puts its 9-9-3 (W-L-T) home mark on the Wasatch Front thus far this year in MLS, Champions Cup and Leagues Cup matches on the line against Rocky Mountain Cup rival Colorado on Saturday, needing a multi-goal victory against the Rapids to continue its dominance in the fan-created series, as well as the full three points to move above the West playoff line and into the 8/9 position with two road games remaining (Oct. 11 at Seattle, Oct. 18 at St. Louis).

RSL has posted a 7-3-2 (W-L-T) home mark across all competitions on Utah soil since June 1, with an eighth victory Saturday opening up the possibility that the Western Conference play-in game could be hosted in Sandy on Oct. 21/22. RSL and Colorado are two of the five teams within four points of each other for the final two playoff spots, joining Dallas, San Jose and Houston. RSL and Dallas each have three games remaining this season, with Colorado, Houston and San Jose idle during the Oct. 11 matchday during the FIFA international break.

A year ago, RSL amassed a 12-3-4 (W-L-T) record at home, where the Club has traditionally enjoyed a fortress-like record of success, winning nearly 70% of games and averaging just under two points per game in parts of 17 seasons across all competitions at what is now America First Field.

The Ojeda goal against Austin gave RSL the distinction of now scoring first in 21 of 36 matches played in MLS reg. season, Leagues Cup and Champions Cup this year, recording 10 wins and four draws against seven losses when drawing first blood. The July 26 comeback home win against San Jose marks the lone victory recorded thus far in 2025 when conceding first.

Luna will miss the first of RSL's two remaining reg. season road games, occurring on the penultimate reg. season weekend on Oct. 11 at Seattle in a match rescheduled due to the Sounders' recent Leagues Cup advancement, returning at St. Louis for MLS "Decision Day" on October 18.

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