Is Diego Luna “Him”?

“I Don’t Care if It’s an Overreaction” — Meet the Heartbeat of US Soccer

Okay, this is totally an overreaction... but I do not care.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about Christian Pulisic being arrogant for skipping the US Gold Cup camp. In that blog, I gave him an ultimatum — "Be Captain America, or get off the Marvel payroll" (as if he cares what I think).

Well, I think the soccer gods were listening. Cue “I Need a Hero” from Shrek 2.

His name is Diego Ángel Luna — born in Sunnyvale, California, to Mexican immigrant parents, raised in modest circumstances, and shaped by a gritty, working-class upbringing. And man… this kid is everything US Soccer needs right now.

I’m not going to slap any cheesy nickname on him — that’d be a massive disservice. He’s raw. He’s tough. He plays with flair. And most importantly, he doesn’t give a shit (yes, I had “care” at first — but then I realized I sounded like Dr. Seuss) about anything but football.

He is the epitome of “die for the badge.”

Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves — he’s only played a few games, and yes, the competition hasn’t exactly been world-class. But when the U.S. needed someone to step up, Luna took over.

That first goal against Guatemala? Pure effort. He follows a shot into the box and bangs in the rebound. I coach elite-level high school club boys, and trust me — getting them to understand that kind of follow-through takes weeks, if not months. That’s not just skill, it’s tenacity. It’s heart.

And the second goal? Straight-up beauty. He dribbles up, cuts in, and has a go. Could the keeper have done better? Sure. But guess what?

If you don’t shoot, YOU DON’T FUCKING SCORE.

This—this—is what US Soccer should be about. This is our identity: Hardworking. Gritty. (And I’m still hunting for a third adjective... Relentless? Unbreakable? You get the vibe.)

If you need a reminder of how tough Luna is, go watch that friendly against Costa Rica from a few months back. Early in the first half, he gets elbowed in the face and breaks his nose. Does he come off? Nope. Refuses to be subbed, stays on, and then delivers the assist for the opening goal.

That. Is. US Soccer.

Final thought — because I’m starting to sound like a total Glazer right now — Luna reminds me of Clint Dempsey. Maybe not a carbon copy in terms of playstyle, but the feeling I get watching him is eerily similar. Dempsey wasn’t always flashy, but you knew he’d run himself into the ground for the team.

That kind of attitude? That gets me excited. More importantly, it gets the fans excited. It gets the team excited to share the pitch with someone like that.

We’ll see how Luna develops — he’s only 21 — but I don’t see the spotlight shaking this guy. He came from the bottom, fought through it all, and this sport means something to him.

I'm hyped for the final against Mexico. But even more than that, for the first time in a while, I’m fired up about what this kid might bring to the World Cup next year.