Former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard believes Diego Luna could have made a difference in the United States’ 4-1 loss to Belgium in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking on the Unfiltered Soccer podcast, Howard was asked whether Luna’s presence could have changed the game. While he admitted no player can guarantee a different result, he explained why he believes the Real Salt Lake midfielder offers a unique quality the USMNT lacked against Belgium.
Howard recalled a lesson he learned while playing under legendary Manchester United captain Roy Keane. “Sometimes you just got to start a fight,” Howard said. “Sometimes you have to change the momentum. Bring someone on who is gonna be nasty and is gonna stir things up.”
He explained that not every player can play that role, but believes every team benefits from having someone capable of changing the energy and rhythm of a match.
Tim Howard Says the USMNT Failed to Change the Momentum
Howard pointed to the moment Belgium took control of the game, saying the United States never found a way to shift the momentum. "We didn’t break the momentum. We didn’t do anything different," Howard said. "We tried to do what we set out to do, but we didn’t do anything different."
He then brought up Luna as an example of the type of player who could have offered something different off the bench. "Diego Luna, he obviously wasn’t on the squad. But yeah, there was a bit of a nastiness there that I think is an interesting sort of squad makeup."
Howard compared the idea to other sports, where teams often have an “enforcer” ready to change the intensity of a game. While he said not every football team needs that type of player, he believes having someone with Luna’s mentality can be valuable when momentum turns against you.
Luna was one of the biggest surprises to be left out of Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-man squad for the World Cup, despite enjoying a breakthrough year with the national team.
After the United States’ disappointing exit at the hands of Belgium, Howard has reignited the debate over whether the 22-year-old should have been included.
