COLUMBUS – Many observers would argue Diego Luna should be in France right now, not central Ohio. But the Real Salt Lake star’s grin suggested he’s feeling pretty good about his current location.
With three goals, five assists and 24 key passes in his last 11 matches, Luna has produced probably the best run of form in his young career in the aftermath of his surprising snub from the US men’s Olympic team, who meet the host nation in Marseille on Wednesday in one of the Paris 2024 Summer Games’ curtain-raiser events. It helped him earn a spot on the MLS All-Star squad that will face their LIGA MX counterparts at Columbus Crew's Lower.com Field on Wednesday evening (8 pm ET | Apple TV - Free).
“Yeah, it's kind of crazy, right? I took it and continued to play well, and then things happen,” said Luna when asked on Tuesday if he feels any vindication. “And it's all glory to God, of course. So I think that's just what happened.”
The creative midfielder confessed to feeling “a lot of nerves and excitement” en route to the midsummer showcase before settling into a contented groove as he trained alongside his fellow All-Stars at the OhioHealth Performance Center, including several counterparts he’s admired for years.
“It's pretty awesome,” he said. “Everybody's just ballin’ and it's cool to just vibe with everybody and stuff … You see all these players when you play against them, but to finally talk to them and hang out with them is pretty cool.”
Growing up in a soccer-centric Mexican-American household in northern California, Luna was immersed in LIGA MX as a child and is eager to experience firsthand this duel with the league’s best – probably a decent appetizer to RSL’s Leagues Cup group-stage clash with Atlas on August 1.
He cited Club América veteran and former LA Galaxy star Jonathan Dos Santos as one figure he’s looking forward to facing, and has also enjoyed the company of El Tri alum and Houston Dynamo FC Designated Player Héctor Herrera in Columbus. But reigning Landon Donovan MLS MVP Lucho Acosta tops his list of All-Star role models.
“He's somebody I look up to,” said Luna of the FC Cincinnati maestro. “So it's pretty cool to just be on his team today in small-sided [games] and just pass the ball to him. It’s pretty sick.”
French connection
Hugo Lloris is one of the headline names among MLS’s steadily growing contingent of French standouts, along with his LAFC teammate Denis Bouanga and Columbus Crew defensive linchpins Steven Moreira and Rudy Camacho, a list that will soon grow with the impending arrival of Olivier Giroud. What’s behind this trend?
“Well, the evolution of MLS the last few years has been really, really positive,” answered Lloris on Tuesday. “The profile of players from Europe, they just arrive at a certain point in their career, they probably need something else, something fresh to discover a new experience away from Europe. But at the same time, they just want to continue to compete, and that's what we found here.
“The level is even better than what I expected, and there is a proper competition. It's not easy, because there's different rules than in Europe for clubs, but they still manage to strengthen their team, with good coaches, with talented players, and with amazing infrastructure.”
What little LAFC’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper previously knew about All-Star games came mainly from the basketball version. But he’s found it an intriguing experience.
“Of course, it's more famous for the NBA than for the soccer. But I think it's a great idea to join the best players of the league,” he said. “Even if it's for a short time period, it's still a positive experience. And hopefully tomorrow we're going to have a good game. I think everybody is ready to compete and to show a good image of the MLS.”
Might Europe’s top leagues ever be able to embrace the All-Star concept?
“I have no idea. There are so many games during the season, I don't know how they can find a place for that,” he said. “It's a different approach of the game, but I still think that there is a place for it, eh?”
His fellow All-Star ‘keeper Maarten Paes might be inclined to agree. The FC Dallas man framed his workouts alongside Lloris and St. Louis CITY’s Swiss standout Roman Bürki as a quick trip back to school.
“I feel like I'm a student these three days, because the two other goalies, they are absolutely world-class, and I try to soak up the experience, pick certain tools that they have in their game and try to mix it up in my game,” said Paes. “The composure they have is incredible, the presence that Roman has in the goal and the reactions that Hugo has, I hope I can learn a lot from that.”
Time to decompress
Beyond rubbing shoulders with esteemed colleagues, this week’s trip to Columbus is a family vacation of sorts for many of the All-Stars, a chance to set aside the daily grind of club responsibilities and savor the rewards of their work all year.
“My closest family, my wife and two kids, came from Minnesota, and then my sister-in-law is also here from Finland\] to help a little bit with the kids,” said [Minnesota United’s Robin Lod. “It's nice to share this moment with the family because they are so close to me and so dear. So it's great to have them here … it's pretty unique, and I feel like they are also really excited to be here.”
It’s much the same for D.C. United star Christian Benteke, who was more of a host at last year’s ASG, held at Audi Field in the U.S. capital.
“I'm more with my kids and my sister. So I'm trying to spend time with my family,” the Belgian striker told MLSsoccer.com on Tuesday. “They were here last year, and now it's a different location. And I think they will always enjoy seeing that, with all those good players, so yeah, it’s fun.”
It’s largely been a season of struggle for rebuilding United, who are 6W-11L-8D and outside the Eastern Conference playoff places as first-year head coach Troy Lesesne works to coax results from a roster clearly in transition. That said, Benteke takes heart from the Black-and-Red’s back-to-back wins heading into the All-Star break.
“It's a new project with a new GM, new coaching staff, ups and downs,” he said. “But now we have a good dynamic because obviously we are two wins in a row, and we want to finish strong and give ourselves a chance to go to the playoffs.”
Might that upturn improve their outlook on Leagues Cup, where they will meet Atlanta United and Santos Laguna in the group stage?
“I think it's a good moment for us,” said Benteke. “The dynamic, the mood in the team, it's really good. So of course we want to go as far as we can.”
