Mastroeni Questions Pochettino's 26-Man US Squad After Diego Luna, Zavier Gozo Miss World Cup
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 25
Mastroeni Questions Pochettino's 26-Man US Squad After Diego Luna, Zavier Gozo Miss World Cup
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 25
Real Salt Lake coach Pablo Mastroeni said he was in disbelief after Diego Luna and Zavier Gozo were left off Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-man U.S. World Cup squad, with Luna’s omission hitting hardest inside the club.
Luna, 22, had been viewed as a near-lock after becoming a key USMNT contributor in 2025, and Mastroeni argued his mentality and ability to change games made him a natural tournament fit.
Gozo, 19, was a longer-shot candidate but still felt the disappointment after learning the decision by email; he has six goals and four assists in 14 MLS matches and said the snub only added motivation.
Hamstring tightness kept Luna from traveling with RSL to Minnesota, though he trained fully on Thursday and Friday, while Mastroeni said he now must help both players reset during the MLS World Cup pause.
The setback echoes Luna’s surprise cut from the 2024 Olympic roster, but Mastroeni said the playmaker has repeatedly responded to adversity and remains firmly in the national-team picture beyond this home World Cup.
Does sidelining in-form MLS talent reveal a deeper flaw in the US national team's selection process under coach Mauricio Pochettino?
Was snubbing a marketed star like Diego Luna a necessary tactical shift or a massive coaching blunder for the home World Cup?
Is Pochettino's controversial roster a desperate gamble after disastrous March friendlies or a stroke of genius for the World Cup?