You're going to have emotions, but now what?' - Diego Luna on World Cup exclusion, hard truths and turning disappointment into motivation

Diego Luna said missing the World Cup has been painful and persistent for more than a month and a half after he learned he would not be selected for Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-man U.S. Men’s National Team roster. In an interview with GOAL, the 21-year-old midfielder described the exclusion as something he cannot simply “get over,” fueled by ongoing media attention and constant questions. Luna added that he takes responsibility for part of the discomfort, acknowledging that he could have approached certain situations differently and that he may have been overly focused on the World Cup as the main goal. He reframed his path toward the 2030 tournament around daily discipline, setting smaller objectives such as being the best at training, staying fit to play 90 minutes, and contributing to his team. The article also notes Luna has struggled to apply everything he’s learned during what he once expected to be a defining summer.