US Soccer president Sunil Gulati believes MLS is gaining more and more respect.

Following a summer that saw some of the game's biggest clubs tour the nation (including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea), Gulati said that the interest of the game in the United States had developed immensely.

"It's been extraordinary ... what's been happening on domestic soil," said Gulati.

"It's not a question of watching the Harlem Globetrotters.

"Our teams are getting more respect. ... It's an important question of how we can tap into what is clearly an audience for very high-level international games, the same way the World Cup is."

Gulati also believes that the direction the of the game in America was only forward and admitted the progress made recently was astronomic.

"It's frustrating when people ask you, 'When is soccer going to make it?' given what's gone on," Gulati added.

"In many ways, we've made it, but it's still the 'first half' to me. ... We're not constant water-cooler talk, we're not filling up our games in MLS stadiums, the U.S. national team doesn't have the same following as the Argentine or English national teams.

"But I don't think there are many countries around the world, frankly, that over the last 20 years have had the same progress.

"And if we can have that over the next 20, then I think we'll be where we want to be, which is among the world's elite in terms of interest."