San Jose Earthquakes' superstar Chris Wondolowski knows that his time on the U.S. National team is anything but a given, telling MLSsoccer.com that he is more determined than ever to make the most of his opportunity with the best players this country has to offer.

Wondo blew a golden opportunity against Panama in last summer's Gold cup, missing essentially a gimme goal right in front of the net in an eventual 2-1 loss. But with the addition of Jurgen Klinsmann as the new head coach, Wondo has been given the chance to redeem himself, and he expects to do just that:

Thee way it runs through my head is kind of a motivational thing," he explained. "It's a humbling thing, but it's one of those things that drives me. It keeps me going, makes me work harder...To be truthfully honest, I really do believe everything happens for a reason, and I think I've grown as a player and a person from it," he said. "I'm really hoping to get a crack at them [Panama] again."

He's already been making the most of it, scoring a goal and an assist for the senior squad in last week's 4-0 scrimmage victory over their Under-23 squad. Hopefully similar performances are to come once the scrimmages are over.

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