Diego Luna has emerged as a central figure for the USMNT at the 2025 Gold Cup, garnering attention and praise for his performances. Analyst Alexi Lalas has highlighted Luna as one of the top USMNT players of the tournament, underscoring his growing importance to the team.
Luna's journey to becoming a key player has been marked by determination and a strong desire to represent his country. USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino has emphasized the importance of players competing with pride, and he views Luna as a prime example of this. Pochettino noted Luna's "attitude, hunger, desire" and his eagerness to play for the national team, which has contributed to his current level of performance. Luna himself stated that it's going to be about the energy and grit to put in good performances in the final. He also emphasized the team's capability to create chances and the presence of players with the ability to do special things.
In the 2025 Gold Cup, Luna has been a standout performer, leading the team in goal contributions with three goals and four assists. He celebrated his first national team goal in the quarterfinal by pointing to the crest on his jersey, and he repeated this gesture after scoring twice in the semifinal victory against Guatemala. Luna earned his 11th cap in the knockout win against Guatemala.
Luna's journey to the USMNT started with a call-up to the January 2024 development camp. After waiting a year for his second call-up, he made an impact, securing a spot in the Concacaf Nations League roster in March and subsequently becoming a starter in the Gold Cup. His grit and determination were evident in a January friendly against Costa Rica, where he continued to play despite sustaining a broken nose. Even with cotton rolls to stop the bleeding, Luna remained in the game, embodying his unwavering commitment. Captain Tim Ream praised Luna's resilience, noting that he is "not fazed by anything," a quality that Ream hadn't seen in a while, especially in a young player. Ream added, "He just has something about him. That chip on his shoulder that was like, 'This is me — unapologetically me".
The USMNT advanced to its 13th Concacaf Gold Cup Final after defeating Guatemala 2-1 in the semifinals, with Luna scoring both goals in the first half. Luna had also scored his first National Team goal in the quarterfinal against Costa Rica. Only two players from the 2021 starting XI, Matt Turner and Miles Robinson, are on the 2025 roster. The USMNT will face Mexico in the final at NRG Stadium in Houston. Luna mentioned that he dreamt of winning a final for the country against Mexico as a kid.
At 21 years old, Luna's rise has been rapid. Just seven months prior to the Gold Cup final, many US soccer fans primarily recognized him as the player who had broken his nose. Now, he is a rising star for the USMNT. In addition to his on-field achievements, Luna was voted an MLS All-Star for Real Salt Lake. His performance in the Gold Cup has positioned him as a strong contender for a spot on the USMNT roster for the 2026 World Cup.
The Gold Cup final between the USMNT and Mexico is scheduled for July 6 at 7 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium in Houston. The match will be broadcast on FOX in English and Univision in Spanish.
