Duisburg: The United States' quarter-final appearance at the last World Cup gained the team international recognition. The squad is ranked fifth by FIFA, eight spots ahead of Italy.
Among the Azzurri, however, the Americans are still unknowns.
Italy knew more about World Cup newcomer Ghana, which it beat 2-0 on Monday, than the United States, its next opponent in Group E.
"We know very little because they don't play in Europe. We're going to have watch the tapes over the next few days," midfielder Andrea Pirlo said Wednesday.
Pirlo could only identify US captain Claudio Reyna and PSV Eindhoven midfielder DaMarcus Beasley, albeit vaguely.
"I know Reyna and the one who plays for PSV. I don't know the others," Pirlo said.
Four Ghana players have experience in Italy's leagues and there are three Czech Republic players based in Italy that the Azzurri will face in their final group game.
The United States doesn't have any players with experience in Italy.
Defender Fabio Grosso could also name only two Americans - Beasley and the Los Angeles Galaxy's Landon Donovan.
Still, Italy is expecting a tough challenge.
The US team, more than half of which plays in Europe, is coming off a 3-0 loss to the Czechs and will be playing for survival on Saturday.
"They have to win to avoid going out," Pirlo said.
Endangered creatures can be dangerous, and Italy doesn't want to be surprised.
"We realize it will be very difficult and we're preparing for this," Grosso said.
Italy coach Marcello Lippi could only name Donovan and forward Brian McBride during an interview in April.
And that was only a few weeks after the coach attended the United States' 4-1 loss to Germany in a World Cup warmup.
Lippi had his team focus exclusively on Ghana in the run-up to the cup.
Italy scouts did attend each of the US team's games this year and Lippi said Italy will not enter unprepared.
"In this day and age of satellites and videotapes, I don't think any team at the World Cup will lose because they didn't know their opponent," Lippi said.
Italy is aware of the tight security around the American team and that there will be extra police at the game in Kaiserslautern.
"We're not really dwelling on that, although we do read the papers," Pirlo said. "We have to focus on the game and not other things going on in the stadium. Although we know it's a game at risk."
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