Former U.S. Men's National Team star Landon Donovan believes the current squad possesses the talent and spirit to compete with any opponent at the upcoming World Cup, which will be held on home soil. Donovan, who was part of the team's best modern World Cup performance in 2002, sees a familiar fighting spirit in the current group, particularly after their recent 3-2 friendly victory against Senegal, highlighted by goals from Christian Pulisic, Sergino Dest, and Folarin Balogun. He emphasized that if the team maintains this attitude and emotional connection to the game, they can challenge any nation, though he tempered expectations about winning the tournament outright. Donovan also discussed player selection processes, contrasting his own experience being left off the 2014 roster with current practices.