Real Salt Lake Midfielder Diego Luna Voted MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra for Matchday 25

NEW YORK (Monday, July 8, 2024) – Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra for Matchday 25 of the 2024 MLS season.

Luna recorded three assists in a single game for the second time this season and scored the fifth goal in Real Salt Lake’s 5-2 win over Atlanta United. This was just the fourth time a Real Salt Lake player recorded three assists in a single regular season game, and Luna is the first player to record three assists in multiple matches in club history. With his trio of assists, Luna became the first player 20 years old or younger to produce at least 10 assists in a single regular season since Talles Magno (10) did so for New York City FC in 2022.

Luna got things going early against Atlanta, whipping a cross into the box for an onrushing Matthew Crooks to slot past the goalkeeper and open the scoring in the first minute of the match (Watch Here). The 20-year-old would then record two assists off set pieces, including the game-winning goal for RSL from a free kick to the head of Cristian ‘Chicho’ Arango in the 68th minute (Watch Here) and a short corner kick to Alexandros Katranis to make it 4-1 in the 78th minute (Watch Here). Luna scored his goal in the 84th minute, bringing down a cross and firing a low shot past the goalkeeper (Watch Here).

This is the second time Luna has been named MLS Player of the Matchday after earning the honor after Matchday 26 in 2023, and he is the youngest winner since he won the award last season. An RSL player has now won the honor four times this season, with Arango earning the award three times (Matchdays 7, 10 and 18).

Salt Lake returns to action on Saturday, July 13 when they visit the Portland Timbers at Providence Park (10:25 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).

The MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra is selected each matchday of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while an X (formerly known as Twitter) fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio, and online media.