On the eve of the USA's Wednesday friendly vs. Mexico at Azteca Stadium, U.S. star Landon Donovan said he believes there is a growing mutual respect between the archrivals.

"I think the Mexican people know this game very well," Donovan said. "They have respect for all players around the world who have been successful. So I think they appreciate that we've come so far [in terms of soccer development] in this country.

"They might not like us during the 90 minutes that we're playing against each other but they can respect and appreciate us for what we're doing."

In the last competitive game between the nations, Mexico beat the USA, 4-2, in the Gold Cup final.

"It didn't leave the best taste in our mouths but that's long gone for me," Donovan said. "Every time we play them, it always exciting regardless of what happened in the previous term."