RSL's Diego Luna named MLS Young Player of the Year

SALT LAKE CITY — "Decent."

That was Diego Luna's answer when asked for one word to describe the season during Tuesday's Real Salt Lake player exit interviews.

It's safe to say Luna undersold his season a bit after the 21-year-old rising star was named MLS Young Player of the Year by league media, players and coaches Thursday.

The award honors the top player in MLS aged 22 and under and replaced the previous Rookie of the Year Award, which former RSL forward Corey Baird won in 2018.

Luna was named one of three finalists in October and narrowly defeated Inter Miami's Diego Gomez with 35.7% of the overall vote percentage to Gomez's 33.2%.

The California Bay Area native arrived in Utah in 2022 from USL Championship club El Paso Locomotive and had a breakout 2024 season with 12 assists and eight goals. His assist total was tied for the sixth-most among all MLS players this season.

Luna becomes only the second player in league history to total at least 20 goal contributions in a season before he turned 21, according to MLS. He joins Diego Rossi, who finished with 21 in 2018.

He also became the first player 20 years old or younger to record at least 10 assists in a single season since Talles Magno (New York City FC) in 2022.

The league recognition for Luna began earlier this year when he was named to the MLS All-Star Team as a replacement for suspended RSL teammate Chicho Arango. He was the youngest member of the elite squad, which also included European legends Jordi Alba, Hugo Lloris and Sergio Busquets.

MLS Young Player of the Year was first awarded in 2020, with U.S. men's national team regulars Jesus Ferreira and Ricardo Pepi among the winners. Luna earned his first selection to the senior national team in January after featuring prominently for several U.S. youth national teams.

"He's an amazing young man," RSL head coach Pablo Mastroeni said. "His story is incredible off the field and how he parlays that into being a great soccer player. Those two came together this year, and I think the sky is the ceiling for Diego. I think he's capable of achieving whatever he puts his mind to."

Mastroeni and chief soccer officer Kurt Schmid both mentioned the possibility of Luna moving on from Salt Lake in the future with "some clubs interested" in acquiring him at the moment.

"We're happy with what Diego's done with us," Schmid said. "If he stays five years, that'd be great. If we sell him this winter, you know, if it's the right opportunity for him and the club, then that's great, too."

The club earned a record $11 million from the outgoing transfer of fellow youngster Andres Gomez over the summer and could certainly demand at least that much from Luna's suitors. Being named the best young player in the country only serves to inflate that valuation.

"I think that there's a lot more than that I can do, and hopefully next year can bring it out of me," Luna said. "If I stay consistent throughout the year, I think I can end up with a much better season."

Luna is not alone in his dissatisfaction with the season; the entire team was left with a bitter taste in its mouth after a third consecutive first-round playoff exit last week. Mastroeni said everyone will "look real closely at what we've been and change our habits to the people that we want to be" heading into 2025.

The season starts a week early for the Claret and Cobalt next year, with the club qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions Cup after reaching a franchise record 59 points in this season's league standings.

Schmid said this puts "a little bit more pressure" on the front office to make player moves earlier in the offseason, which begins in December.

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