What Happened
According to Fox Sports analyst Alexi Lalas, Diego Luna is rapidly enhancing his reputation with the USMNT. Lalas specifically highlighted Luna`s attacking prowess, stating that only Christian Pulisic is ahead of him in the national team when it comes to challenging defenders, maintaining ball control, and keeping possession.
The former U.S. national team defender shared his positive assessment after Luna`s notable performance in the Gold Cup semifinal against Guatemala. Luna was instrumental in the victory, scoring two goals. Lalas also suggested that Luna might even be defensively stronger than Pulisic, pointing to the young midfielder`s contributions on both sides of the ball.
Speaking on his `State of the Union` podcast, Lalas emphasized Luna`s impact. He noted, “He scored two goals… He scored two goals, the United States won, the United States is going to another final. And this guy is a star that people want to not only recognize, but they want to celebrate… he`s second only to Christian Pulisic when it comes to taking players on.”
Detailing Luna`s offensive attributes, Lalas added, “So dribbling and forcing the issue with some urgency and more importantly with success, which we saw today with controlling the ball, maintaining possession in a crowd.” He then made a clear distinction regarding defense: “And I would argue that he is better defensively than Christian Pulisic.”
Lalas believes Luna`s recent emergence has revitalized the USMNT fanbase, providing a boost that was much needed after recent controversies surrounding the team.
Acknowledging potential skepticism, Lalas stated, “There are still a lot of people out there saying, ‘Hey, slow your roll. You don`t want to get too excited’.” However, he firmly defended his enthusiasm: “No, I`m not going to apologize for getting excited. I`m not going to apologize for saying that this young man has energized me and has energized people out there.” He clarified his comparison: “Do I think he`s the next coming? Do I think that he is as good as Christian Pulisic? No.”
Despite this, Lalas pointed to a sentiment he`s heard from fans: “But I`m telling you right now the amount of people that have said `I would rather have a Diego Luna who I know is going to fight, who I know is going to give everything, who I know wants to be there and who I can see cares more than other players that maybe have a better pedigree or maybe have a better CV.`”
Maurice Edu`s Perspective
Former national team standout Maurice Edu offered his thoughts, observing that while Pulisic has historically shouldered the primary offensive load for the USMNT, Luna is demonstrating his capability to share that burden.
Edu particularly admired Luna`s approach: “The thing that I like the most about Luna is that it`s like persistence, like he constantly, every time he gets the ball, he wants to get at defenders, he wants to take on defenders,” he explained. “He wants to be the difference-maker. And we need that…” He contrasted this with Pulisic`s established role: “Christian, when he`s in the team, bears the bulk of the responsibility to be the decisive player, to be the creative player, to create goals, to finish off goals.”
Edu concluded that Luna`s performances, including his contributions during the Gold Cup, highlight his valuable traits. “And now what we`ve seen through this Gold Cup, what we`ve seen through Diego Luna`s performances and previous appearances, he`s got that edge, he`s got that fire… that difference-maker ability, right? We don`t have a ton of those players in the pool.”
Broader Implications
Although he is still working towards consistent performance at the international level, Luna`s skill in dribbling past opponents provides an attacking dimension that the USMNT often lacks when Pulisic is not on the field.
What Lies Ahead
Thanks to Diego Luna`s brace, the USMNT defeated Guatemala 2-1 in the Gold Cup semifinal. The team will now compete against Mexico in the tournament final, scheduled for Sunday night in Houston.
