Marko Mitrovic, the coach in charge of the first U.S. men’s team to enter the Olympics since 2008, celebrated his 46th birthday on Monday. His gift was to face no questions from the assembled media -- during the portion of a U.S. Soccer press conference that was available to reporters nationally on a Zoom call -- about his stunning decision to exclude Major League Soccer star Diego Luna from the 18-player roster.
Journalists in the room in New York City asked questions of Mitrovic, women’s national team coach Emma Hayes and Olympians Walker Zimmerman and Lindsey Horan on a variety of different topics, but Mitrovic’s controversial roster choice was left unmentioned.
Except for one question in which the subtext was obvious to those who follow American soccer:
“Marko … the men’s team hasn’t been to the Olympics in quite a long time. What would you say was the differentiation point or points that were able to get you to this time?”
Mitrovic acknowledged that Olympics entry had been achieved by the Under-20 squad, under coach Mikey Varas, which won the CONCACAF championship in 2022 that served as the qualifier for both the FIBA U20 World Cup and the 2024 Paris Games. And Luna was a huge part of that performance, recording four assists and a goal as the U.S. won its third U20 title.
“It was a great group, and a group that won CONCACAF, and by that they earned our spot in the Olympics,” Mitrovic said. “And we’re always appreciative for that group, the coaching staff and the team, that allowed us to be at the Olympics after 16 years.”
MORE: Full 2024 Olympic schedule for men's soccer
Just not enough to bring along Luna, 20, as a full-fledged member of the team, even as he is dominating for Real Salt Lake in just his second full MLS season, even after he led the U20 team in assists during the 2023 FIBA U20 World Cup in Argentina.
Why is Diego Luna not playing for Team USA at Olympics?
According to Salt Lake television station KTVX, Luna was offered the chance to travel to Paris as an alternate, which would make him available to participate if any of the team’s forwards or midfielders were injured. He declined, which was not an unreasonable decision under the circumstances. His club team is in the middle of its best season in years, and he can continue contributing rather than serving as a spectator for a U.S. coach who does not value him.
Mitrovic was asked about Luna's absence from the roster after the Zoom call portion of the press conference by Brian Sciaretta of American Soccer now. The coach's answer did little more than acknowledge it had been a difficult decision.
"We had to make our decisions and move forward," Mitrovic said.
Luna has Mexican ancestry and conceivably could choose to play for that country in international competition; although he has represented the U.S. in a variety of age-group competitions, he could choose to switch to represent Mexico in the future.
In 20 games for RSL, which stands second in Conference West, he has scored 5 goals and recorded 12 assists. The latter figure ranks third in the league, one behind Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi.
Luna does not look the part of an elite athlete; he is listed at 5-8, 187 pounds, and he may not be that tall. But his stocky build has not prevented him from demonstrating exceptional creative skills on a soccer field.
In June, when he left Luna off the 25-player roster for two exhibition games with the Olympic team, Mitrovic said Luna still could be included on the Olympic team.
“It’s just a decision made for this camp, and I’ll be back in for the Olympics,” Luna said June 1, in a video posted by journalist Carson Lantz.
Diego Luna on Marko Mitrović decision on leaving him out of the recent U.S. U-23 roster:
— Carson Lantz (@CarsonLantz) June 1, 2024
“I’ll be back in for the Olympics” - 🌙#RSL #Dalereal #USMNT pic.twitter.com/4s2g09mBnd
Since then, Luna has started six MLS games and recorded five assists as RSL went 4-1-1. That included a goal and three assists in a 5-2 victory Saturday over Atlanta United – after it became clear Mitrovic had snubbed him.
Full roster for 2024 USA men's Olympic team
In midfield, where Luna typically performs in an attacking role, Mitrovic instead chose Djordje Mihailovic of the Colorado Rapids (10 goals, 9 assists in 21 games); Gianluca Busio of Italy’s Venezia (7 goals, 5 assists in 41 games); Benjamin Cremaschi of Inter Miami (3 goals, 3 assists in 14 games); Jack McGlynn of the Philadelphia Union (3 goals, 5 assists in 21 games) and Tanner Tessmann of Venezia (7 goals, 3 assists in 41 games).
The rest of the U.S. men’s Olympic roster:
Goalkeeper: Patrick Schulte of the Columbus Crew, Gaga Slonina of England’s Chelsea
Defender: Maximilian Dietz of Germany’s Greuther Furth, Nathan Harriel of the Union, Miles Robinson of FC Cincinnati, John Tolkin of the New York Red Bulls, Caleb Wiley of Atlanta United, Walker Zimmerman of Nashville SC.
Forward: Paxten Aaronson of the Netherlands FC Utrecht, Taylor Booth of Utrecht, Duncan McGuire of Orlando City SC, Kevin Paredes of Germany’s Wolfsburg, Griffin Yow of Belgium’s KVC Westerlo.