POCATELLO — Maria Sanchez compiled 18 minutes on the field in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, honed her skills in practices and witnessed top level soccer from the sidelines.

She learned through it all that the gap in talent between the world’s best players and her is not as wide as she presumed.

“I thought it would be a lot harder. I thought they would be a lot bigger and a lot faster,” Sanchez said at Davis Field in Pocatello on Thursday. “But playing with them kind of gave me more confidence in knowing that I can compete with them.”

The experience was dream-like when she was in Canada. But now being a part of the Mexican National women’s soccer program feels like a reality that she can capitalize on after getting her nerves squared away in her first World Cup appearance against England.

She had an opportunity against the British that players fantasize about, entering a corner of the box with her dribble. She eventually lost possession. Sanchez senses she will be ready the next time the ball is at her feet.

“I remember I had the open shot, but I was really nervous. I didn’t take it and I tried to give a pass to my teammate, but I got the ball taken away,” Sanchez said. “But once I started going through the game more, I started getting more confident and starting to take more control of the ball.”

She didn’t receive notice that she would enter the match until midway through the second half.

As she entered in the 77th minute, she was sure to outline a cross with her hand.

“I believe that God has helped throughout my whole process and my whole career,” said Sanchez who added she is fortunate that her hard work amounted to great opportunities.

El Tri failed to pick up their first-ever World Cup win, bowing out after going 0-2-1. Sanchez still enjoyed the unique experience. What she noticed, more than anything, were the cameras. They were everywhere. She could not even escape them when she left the playing field.

After the conclusion of her team’s appearance, the final words Mexico had for her was to continue improving.

“They told me to keep working on it and to not give up,” Sanchez said. “That I would definitely earn my spot and play more minutes with them. And yeah, just to keep practicing.”

Sanchez is traveling to Mexico on Monday to prepare for the Pan American Games, which is also held in Canada. The first game for El Tri is July 11 against Columbia, a team they tied 1-1 in the World Cup.

“My coach told me too that he plans on playing me more, so I can get more experience and go back with the U-20 and just get better experience because he knows I’m new to the program,” Sanchez said. “So he’s hoping that I can catch on the main team and go back to the U-20 and do good there.”

Maria Sanchez back in town talking about her experience at the World Cup #goisu #bigskysoccer pic.twitter.com/XYglNE5HKu

— Kyle Franko (@ByKyleFranko) June 25, 2015

"It was amazing to know I was going in." -- Maria Sanchez on the World Cup pic.twitter.com/pPm1qyYEBu

— Kyle Franko (@ByKyleFranko) June 25, 2015

Some closer shots of Maria Sanchez's Mexican jersey pic.twitter.com/pgGtS2IYyt

— Kyle Franko (@ByKyleFranko) June 25, 2015