Luna Earns Third Call Up, Joining the Stars and Stripes for March Training Camps
El Paso Locomotive FC, alongside U.S. Soccer, has announced Midfielder Diego Luna has been called to the U.S. Under-20 Men’s Youth National Team for its March Training Camp, held from March 21-30 in Argentina. Luna will be available for El Paso Locomotive FC when the team plays its Home Opener against New Mexico United on Saturday, March 19, however, will be unavailable against Las Vegas Lights FC on Wednesday, March 23.
The United States will face Argentina’s U-20s at the AFA National Training Center and then play a River Plate squad made up of first-team players staying with the club through the international break as well as reserve and academy players.
This is the third camp for the U.S. U-20 Men’s Youth National Team of the 2022-23 U-20 cycle as the team continues its preparation for the CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Honduras in June. The CONCACAF U-20 Championship will also serve as qualifying for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games.
This is Diego Luna’s third time being called to the United States U-20 squad, first being called to represent the Stars and Stripes in November 2021 to compete in the inaugural Revelation Cup in Mexico. The 18-year-old midfielder played just under 120 minutes in the tournament, recording his first goal for the Youth National Team against the Mexico U-20s to equalize the scoring. Luna was also called to the January Training Camp in Bradenton, Florida earlier this year, where he competed against elite quality clubs from Major League Soccer.
The full U-20 Men’s Youth National Team Roster can be seen below:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Alexander Borto (Fulham/ENG; South Plainfield, N.J.; 1/0), Christopher Brady (Chicago Fire; Naperville, Ill.; 0/0)
DEFENDERS (7): Justin Che (Hoffenheim/GER; Richardson, Texas; 3/0), Brandan Craig (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.; 0/0), Mauricio Cuevas (Club Brugge/BEL; Los Angeles, Calif.; 0/0), Marcus Ferkranus (LA Galaxy; Santa Clarita, Calif.; 0/0), Kobi Henry (Orange County; Lake Forest, Calif.; 2/0), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; Lakewood, Calif.; 3/0), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United; Atlanta, Ga.; 3/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Paxten Aaronson (Philadelphia Union; Medford, N.J.; 2/0), Caden Clark (New York Red Bulls; Wayzata, Minn.; 2/1), Daniel Edelman (New York Red Bulls; Warren, N.J.; 2/0), Diego Luna (El Paso Locomotive; Redwood, Calif.; 2/1), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; Middle Village, N.Y.; 2/0), Rokas Pukstas (Hajduk Split/CRO; Stillwater, Okla.; 2/0), Obed Vargas (Seattle Sounders; Anchorage, Alaska)
FORWARDS (4): Brian Gutierrez (Chicago Fire; Chicago, Ill.; 3/0), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg/GER; South Riding, Va.; 0/0), Dante Sealy (PSV Eindhoven/NED; Frisco, Texas; 2/0), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.; 1/0)
Diego Luna and El Paso Locomotive FC will kick off its 2022 home campaign this Saturday, March 19 against New Mexico United at Southwest University Park. The first 3,000 fans to Southwest University Park will receive a limited edition El Paso Locomotive FC flag and the night will be highlighted with a post-game fireworks show. Tickets for this Saturday’s Home Opener are available online at eplocomotivefc.com/tickets or by calling 915-235-GOAL. The match will also be broadcast live nationally on ESPN Deportes and locally on KFOX14.