Brazil is also bringing their best eleven, including their three superstars Ronaldinho, Kaka, and Robinho. The number one ranked team in the world comes to the US fresh off of a summer in which they won the Copa America and having just beaten Algeria 2-0 in Montpelier, France. The match on Sunday will be a reliable measuring stick for how well the US team stacks up against the world's best competition.
"We've tried to take the year as a whole and realize it was a great opportunity to look at a lot of players, to challenge guys, to move our program along and to establish a good foundation going into World Cup qualifying next year," said Coach Bob Bradley.
Bradley has made it a point to schedule high-level competition in his first full year heading the program. The team had a busy summer, winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup with their top team, before sending a young roster to Venezuela for the Copa America. The team lost all three games at the Copa America, but playing back-to-back friendly matches against Sweden on their own turf and world number one Brazil affords our best roster the chance to gel before World Cup qualifying begins next year.
"The more we play against opponents like Argentina and Brazil the better we get," he said. "To see the US wearing our red, white, and blue against those yellow jerseys of Brazil... I think is really important."
The friendly against Brazil was scheduled at the last minute after the US Soccer Federation was informed that Mexico would not be available for the much anticipated friendly at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The US team will have ample opportunity over the next two years of World Cup qualifying to rejoin its fierce battle with Mexico. In the meantime fans in Chicago have the rare chance to see some of the of the world's very best players in Kaka, Ronaldinho, and Robinho coming to town.
"Anytime we are involved with those kind of players the spotlight on US Soccer is a little bit brighter and the hope is that people then see our own personalities. They see what Tim Howard is about, they see Damarcus Beasley, they see Landon Donovan and they realize that we have some of our own players that we should know more about and be excited about," said Bradley.
One player who is likely to start across the ball from Ronaldinho is Michael Bradley, the coach's son who has earned his way into the starting lineup as a central midfielder by playing a major part in the resurgence of Dutch side FC Heerenveen.
"Every time you play for the national team there's the pressure to play well and to perform," he said. "It's an honor and a privilege to play for this team. Everyday in training I'm trying to prove to the rest of the guys, the players and the coaches, that I'm someone they can count on."
Bradley starred in the midfield for the US U-20 team in this summer's World Cup and has looked very impressive on the national team. He expects Sunday's game to be difficult.
"They can play through you or they can beat you for speed. It's a game that we're looking forward to. It's going to be a big challenge.
Another player who figures to play a big role on Sunday is Fulham sensation Clint Dempsey, who has scored two goals in three appearances at the start of the English Premier League season. Dempsey's is arguably the United States' most skillful attacking player, and he relishes the chance to go head to head with the Brazil.
"I like playing different styles," Dempsey said. "Being over in England it's really direct and fast. Coming back to the National Team, it's good to have more time and space on the ball and move the ball around a little bit more. My style is more of the South American style. I want to get as many touches on the ball as I can and pass it around."
Dempsey insists he will not be star struck on Sunday, but that he is looking forward to taking the field across from Milan superstar Kaka.
"A player who's been playing really well is Kaka. It's cool to say you've played against him, but at the end of the day you want to be competitive and that's mainly what you're thinking about. You just want to go out there and win."
The US Men's National Team plays Brazil at Soldier Field on Sunday, and despite having lost their last five matches, the atmosphere at their mini-camp is upbeat. Coach Bob Bradley has used the opportunity that the FIFA matchday schedule affords to name a roster full of European-based players whose clubs have the week off. Consequently, the team on the field should be very similar to the team that lost to Sweden 1-0 in Goteborg last month...