USA head coach Bob Bradley has heaped praise on young striker Jozy Altidore.

The Villarreal man has been impressive so far in the World Cup and Bradley understands there is a lot of pressure him to perform.

He said that past experiences have assisted Altidore greatly in improving his game and has urged him to continue his development and to carry on being a vital member of the USA squad.

"Jozy has done very well for a young player. We rely a lot on him, we ask a lot of him, we challenge him and I think his responses have always been good," Bradley said. "I've mentioned many times to him over the last few years that when he's come into camp, even when he hasn't been playing, you can tell that he's motivated.

"You can tell that he's learned from tough situations with clubs where things just haven't come easily, but that's part of the process for a young player. He's handled those challenges well and again, he's grown and matured. I think tournament, in tough games, he's been a presence. He has kept going in games in the second half. When we needed him to be stronger, he's been there. It's a sign of a talented young player who is continuing to grow and step up and he's become a very important man on our team."