Diego Luna, who was in Nike's World Cup promotional ads, shockingly left off USMNT roster

After all, he was the centerpiece of numerous promotional ads, including Nike's, ahead of the tournament

When the roster was leaked by multiple outlets over Memorial Day Weekend, Luna's absence was among the biggest snubs considering his work with the team and the fact that many believed him to be a lock to represent the Stars and Stripes on home soil this summer.

But Luna wasn't among the midfielders listed, which was made official on Tuesday when he wasn't among the 26 men who walked out on the Pier 17 stage.

Luna, who could've also chosen to play for Mexico due to dual citizenship, is known to fans as the wild card. He became a fan-favorite during the team's 2025 Gold Cup run.

It wasn't that Luna wasn't producing at the time for the USMNT. He appeared in 17 of 18 matches in 2025, becoming a breakout player as he scored four goals and tallied three assists over that time.

Luna, who plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer, did suffer a knee injury during March's international window. However, he has played for his club seven times since then and at least 70 minutes in six of those matches, making health a non-factor in this case.

But that international window is a crucial one for all prospective players wishing to make their World Cup rosters, and perhaps Luna's absence contributed to Pochettino deciding on a different direction. Only the manager will have the answers to why Luna is off the roster.

Other than Nike, Luna was also featured in Head & Shoulders ads as well as Panini, which included him among the featured players for their official World Cup sticker collection.