SAN JOSE — Earthquakes star Chris Wondolowski understands the challenge has become tougher as he tries to remain part of the U.S. soccer team.

Although he wasn’t included on the team that will play host to Ecuador on Friday, Wondolowski hopes to stay in the picture after making his World Cup debut in the summer.

“We have one of the deepest pools right now that we’ve ever had,” Wondolowski said Monday. “You’ve got to give guys chances. I’m just trying to fight my way in.”

U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann is integrating promising young players with some veterans in a match that will serve as Landon Donovan’s final game with the national team.

“We want to continue the energy that was created in Prague last month when we won against the Czech Republic and see how far these younger players can take it,” Klinsmann said Monday through U.S. Soccer.

Klinsmann added that the latest call ups serve as a chance to break in players who he expects to compete for spots for the 2018 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

“Guys like Kyle Beckerman, DaMarcus Beasley, Brad Davis, Chris Wondolowski and others are not in this roster, not because they aren’t part of the national team moving forward, simply because we want to see the youngsters make their point,” the coach said.

Klinsmann has told Wondolowski to keep putting in the time to improve. The Danville native scored his team-leading 14th goal last weekend. Since returning from the World Cup, Wondolowski has nine goals and four assists to become one of Major League Soccer’s hottest players in the second half of the season.

Wondolowski wants to compete in the Gold Cup next summer to help the Americans reach the 2017 Confederations Cup, a prestigious tournament a year before the World Cup.

“It’s a big goal of mine,” he said. “I have to play to the highest standards so I can get the opportunity.”

Klinsmann might have more big decisions in the coming years than ever seen in U.S. soccer. The Americans also expect to build a powerful under-23 team for the 2016 Olympics. They also will comepte in the important 2016 Copa America that includes South American powers.

One of those young players in the conversation is Stanford sophomore Jordan Morris, a member of the Seattle Sounders Academy. The striker got his first senior national call up last month and is part of the U-23 team training in Brazil next week.

“We evaluate people based on their potential, based on talent and their willingness to learn,” Klinsmann said. “Sometimes people on the outside might think it’s coming a bit too early for a player like Jordan Morris, but we don’t think so because we see the potential.”

Another local who could factor in is Earthquakes rookie Tommy Thompson, 19, who this year made his first under-20 appearance. Thompson said Monday that he hasn’t had any recent conversations with U.S. coaches but hopes to get invited to the next U-20 camp. “For us, it’s always important to mix things up,” Klinsmann added. “For this first game we are mixing things up with MLS players and with players that are coming from overseas but they are not as established yet as we would like them to be, so maybe we let a few go after the Friday game back to Europe so they have a whole week of preparation for the next game.

“It’s time to start fresh again. And so whatever the experienced players have done deserves a lot of respect, but it in a certain way it’s behind us. They need to be on their toes; otherwise the younger ones shoot by them.”

Contact Elliott Almond at 408-920-5865 and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/elliottalmond.