USA head coach Bob Bradley is confident national team captain Carlos Bocanegra will be at his peak in time for the group stage of the World Cup.

The Rennes defender recently had hernia surgery but is making good progress in his recovery and Bradley is calm in regards to having his leader back in action.

"His fitness is good. Every day he feels a little bit better in terms of getting past the hernia surgery," Bradley said. "The time frame you normally see with that injury is such that we have great confidence about how he'll continue to progress over the next stretch."

Bradley also explained the importance of having a player such as Bocanegra on the pitch in a tournament of such magnitude.

"Carlos is our captain and his presence in the team is very important. He's got a great way with the group, he's very positive and he's a player that, when he steps on the field, people respect him for the way he competes. I think in those ways his leadership has grown over the years and is an important part of our team," he added.