The U.S. men’s national team already knows the bigger challenges that awaits it this summer in two Concacaf competitions, but Wednesday’s Continental Clasico vs. rivals Mexico is a great opportunity to continue that long-term preparation.

USMNT interim head coach Anthony Hudson is preparing his squad for the first of two back-to-back meetings with El Tri over the next two months. Majority of the current USMNT roster is filled with domestic-based players, with AC Milan’s Sergino Dest and FC Juarez’s Alan Sonora chosen as the only non-MLS inclusions.

Although many of the key stars of the USMNT roster are not in this short camp, Hudson still expects his squad to make the most of their current opportunity.

“We have a really strong player pool, and I would say for every time we get together, players need to prove and perform to make sure they are in the next camp,” Hudson said Tuesday in a press conference from Arizona. “This camp is no different. We have a good group of guys and if they do well, they are going to be in contention for the next camp.

“The biggest thing for us is to have a group of guys that will go out tomorrow and represent the crest, make the fans proud, and that’s the bottom line for us,” he added.

A total of 10 players from the USMNT’s 2022 World Cup involvement have been called in for the Continental Clasico, giving Hudson a positive mix of experience and youth. Walker Zimmerman, Sergino Dest, and Jesus Ferreira are among the seven players in the current squad that featured during the Americans’ four-match international schedule, taking valuable experiences back with them to their club situations.

Plenty of them have returned to the USMNT for the first time since the January camp, ready to continue their roles and fight to lead the Americans past Mexico for a fourth time in the last five head-to-head meetings.

“It’s been such a short camp, majority of these guys were here in January and they came in and showed their true character,” Hudson said about the veteran returnees. “There hasn’t been tons of opportunities this camp for the guys to work together or gel together, but we are fortunate to have a good group of senior players that will always try to do their best and lead the young guys.”

Hudson is just over three months into his interim role with the USMNT, where he has led the Americans to two Concacaf Nations League group stage wins, and a berth into June’s semifinals. After serving as an assistant under Gregg Berhalter, Hudson has been rewarded with a new opportunity to continue the overall development and growth of a thriving USMNT program.

The USMNT’s involvement at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil [as well as Mexico and Canada] is over three years away, but Hudson expects the hard work to continue with the promising moments he’s already seen from the player pool.

“It’s been a smooth transition because I know all of the young players and senior players that have been through the last cycle,” Hudson said. “I have been really fortunate to be part of a special group and staff. We truly have a good group of people and for me it was very easy because transitioning into this role I had the relationship with the players and staff.

“The bottom line is this, it’s not about me, it’s about the players, and I can tell you the drive and desire is there from the players to take this team forward. When you see the determination to take the team forward, you can’t do anything but respect it and help them keep moving forward.”