July 3, India – At Energizer Park on Wednesday, the US Men's National Team (USMNT) squared off against Guatemala in the semifinals of the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Despite missing key winger Christian Pulisic, the USA team managed to establish a 2-0 advantage during the game's first 15 minutes. Diego Luna, who scored twice, proved to be a trustworthy alternative in Pulisic's absence.

Luna, a 21-year-old midfielder for Real Salt Lake, took over, especially in the 4-3 penalty victory over Costa Rica, while Pulisic, the captain of the USMNT and a star player for AC Milan, decided to skip the competition. Wednesday, scored two crucial goals that gave USA the advantage over Guatemala.

Pulisic, 26, decided to skip the 2025 Gold Cup in order to concentrate on rest and recuperation following a demanding two seasons in which he played about 120 games and recorded over 3,500 minutes for AC Milan and the USMNT. Although it is unclear whether the injury directly caused his choice, he listed physical exhaustion and persistent minor injuries, such as the chronic hip flexor problem that was first identified in March, as important contributing factors.

On CBS Sports' Call It What You Want, the winger stressed the importance of getting ready for the 2025-26 European season and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying, "I had to make the best decision for myself and the team."

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino denied Pulisic's request to participate in pre-Gold Cup friendlies against Switzerland and Turkey, citing the importance of team continuity for the competition. Pulisic was left out of the Gold Cup and both friendlies by Pochettino, who said, "Players cannot dictate the plan."

The USMNT is also without Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, and Gio Reyna because of FIFA Club World Cup obligations, as well as Yunus Musah and Antonee Robinson because of rest or injuries.

The discussion about Pulisic vs Luna resumed among fans after Luna's brace on Wednesday.

In the USMNT's Gold Cup campaign, the flexible midfielder for Real Salt Lake has played a vital role, scoring a goal and contributing to the 2-2 draw against Costa Rica in the quarterfinals, which helped seal a 4-3 victory in penalties.

On X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, one fan posted, "Diego Luna is sending a message to Christian Pulisic about who's gonna wear number 10 for @USMNT in the World Cup...".

"While Christian Pulisic may be the "face" of American football, Diego Luna is "Captain America," another one added.

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