.jpg) Pepi in 2023 withGroningen | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ricardo Daniel Pepi[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (2003-01-09)January 9, 2003 (age 23) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | El Paso, Texas, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Striker | |||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | PSV | |||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2019 | FC Dallas | |||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | FC Dallas | 55 | (15) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | North Texas SC | 13 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | FC Augsburg | 15 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | →FC Groningen (loan) | 29 | (12) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Jong PSV | 2 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | PSV | 60 | (26) | |||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | United States U17 | 17 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2021– | United States | 34 | (13) | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:03, January 10, 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of November 15, 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Ricardo Daniel Pepi (born January 9, 2003) is an American professionalsoccer player who plays as astriker forEredivisie clubPSV and theUnited States national team.
Pepi had his breakthrough withMajor League Soccer clubFC Dallas and was named theMLS Young Player of the Year in2021. In 2022 he joinedBundesliga clubFC Augsburg and was later loaned to Eredivisie clubFC Groningen. In 2023 he signed withPSV Eindhoven for €9 million ($9.8m) and won the2023–24 Eredivisie.[2]
He represented the United States at the youth U17 level. He made his senior debut in 2021 and won theCONCACAF Nations League in2023 and2024.[3] He won theU.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year award in 2021.
Pepi was born inEl Paso, Texas, and raised in nearbySan Elizario.[4] He is ofMexican descent, and he regularly travels toCiudad Juárez to visit family.[5] Pepi began playing recreational soccer when he was only four years old in local El Paso leagues.[6] He soon began playing competitive organized soccer for a club coached by his father, Daniel Pepi.[6] The club would soon become affiliated withMajor League Soccer clubFC Dallas, who scouted Pepi following the Copa Chivas tournament in 2016, offering the then 13-year old the opportunity to join the FC Dallas youth academy.[6]
In his first season, Pepi was put into the under-13 side and scored 18 goals in just 15 games, leading him to rise up the ranks within the club.[7] He was soon promoted to the under-17 side as a 15-year old, scoring 19 goals in eight matches.[7]
On December 8, 2018, Pepi became the first signing forNorth Texas SC, the new affiliate club forFC Dallas inUSL League One.[8] On March 30, 2019, he made his professional debut in North Texas SC's first ever match, scoring a hat-trick in a 3–2 victory over theChattanooga Red Wolves.[9] Following the match, North Texas SC head coachEric Quill stated: "I'd like to say that it shocks me, but it doesn't shock me. He's been in unbelievable form in the preseason. Every game, he's growing. He's got such a hunger to score goals, that is rare. He can finish in any way."[10]
In the following match againstForward Madison, Pepi scored for the second match in a row deep into second half stoppage time to give North Texas SC the 1–0 home victory.[11] He was then called into the internationalunder-17 squad. When he returned, Pepi scored again in his third game of the season againstLansing Ignite in a 2–2 draw.[12]
On October 12, 2019, Pepi returned to North Texas SC for the semifinals of theUSL League One playoffs. He scored a brace for North Texas SC againstForward Madison in a 2–0 home victory, advancing the side to the final.[13] After the match, Pepi was called into the under-17 side, thus not being available for selection againstGreenville Triumph in the final on October 19.[14] Despite his absence, North Texas SC proceeded to win the match 1–0 throughArturo Rodríguez, thus winning their first championship and giving Pepi his first trophy.[14] Pepi was named as a finalist for the USL Young Player of the Year on October 17, but lost out to Arturo Rodríguez.[15]
On June 11, 2019, Pepi was loaned toNorth Texas SC parent clubFC Dallas on a short-term loan ahead of theirU.S. Open Cup match againstOKC Energy.[16] The next day, Pepi made his competitive debut for FC Dallas against OKC Energy, starting in the 4–0 victory atToyota Stadium.[17] He appeared again for FC Dallas in the next round on June 19, starting in the 2–1 defeat.[18]
On June 21, 2019, Pepi was signed byFC Dallas to ahomegrown player deal, becoming the club's fourth youngest academy signing at 16 years and 163 days old.[19] The next day, on June 22, Pepi made hisMajor League Soccer debut, coming on as an 84th-minute substitute in a 3–0 home victory overToronto FC.[20] He finished his first season with FC Dallas with nine appearances and 0 goals.[21]
On March 7, 2020, Pepi scored his first professional goal for FC Dallas, a 96th-minute equalizer in a 2–2 draw against theMontreal Impact.[22] He scored his second goal of the season on September 9 in a 3–2 defeat away againstMinnesota United.[23] On November 22, Pepi scored an equalizer for FC Dallas after trailing 1–0 in second-half stoppage time in the first round of the2020 MLS Cup Playoffs against thePortland Timbers. The match would eventually be decided in a penalty shootout, with Pepi converting his penalty in the lead up to FC Dallas advancing 8–7.[24]
On April 17, Pepi made his first appearance of the2021 season against theColorado Rapids, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute in the 0–0 draw.[25] In the next match on April 24, Pepi scored his first goal of the season, a consolation for FC Dallas in a 3–1 away defeat against theSan Jose Earthquakes.[26] From that match on, Pepi would continue to feature as a regular starter forLuchi Gonzalez and on June 19, Pepi scored his second goal of the season againstMinnesota United. His goal was an equalizer in a 1–1 draw.[27] He then scored both goals for FC Dallas in a 2–1 victory against theNew England Revolution on June 27.[28]
On July 24, Pepi scored his first professional hat-trick in a 4–0 home victory against theLA Galaxy. The three goals in a single match made him the youngest player inMajor League Soccer history to score a hat-trick.[29] A week later, on August 4, it was announced that Pepi was selected byBob Bradley to participate in the2021 MLS All-Star Game against theLiga MX All-Stars.[30] During the match on August 25, Pepi came on as a halftime substitute as the match ended 1–1 in regulation time, going into a penalty shootout.[31] During the shootout, Pepi scored the winning goal for the Major League Soccer All-Stars to give the league a 3–2 victory.[32]
In his next match, on August 29 againstAustin FC, Pepi scored two goals for FC Dallas in a 5–3 away victory.[33] He scored 13 goals in 31 appearances during the 2021 regular season and was namedMLS Young Player of the Year.[34]
On January 3, 2022, it was announced that Pepi had signed withFC Augsburg of theBundesliga. The transfer fee was reported to be $20 million plus add-ons.[35] The move made him themost expensive American MLS player to sign for a European club, the most expensive transfer by Augsburg, and the second most expensive player to transfer from MLS to a European league.[36] He made his league debut for Augsburg on January 8, coming on in the 60th minute in a 3–1 defeat to Hoffenheim.[37]
On September 1, 2022, it was announced that Pepi would go on a year-long loan toEredivisie outfitFC Groningen for the duration of the2022–23 season.[38] In his competitive debut for the club againstCambuur he tallied an assist on the game's only goal.[39] Pepi's hot start continued in the following match in which he broke an 11-month goal drought in a 2–1 defeat toSparta Rotterdam. His most recent goal had come on October 7, 2021, in a 2–0 victory overJamaica for theUnited States in World Cup qualifying, marking him just 20 days shy of a year without scoring a competitive goal.[40]
Following the September international break, Pepi notched his second goal in as many league games, scoring Groningen's only goal as they suffered a 4–1 defeat toAZ Alkmaar.[41] The following week he scored a brace in a 3–2 defeat toRKC Waalwijk, in the process becoming the firstEredivisie player in the 21st century to score or assist on five goals in his first four league games.[42] In a 3–0 victory overExcelsior on February 25, Pepi scored his tenth goal of his loan spell in just his 20th competitive game for Groningen.[43]
Despite playing for a relegation-threatened side, Pepi earned a spot on the official Eredivisie Team of the Month for February 2023 as the only outfield player not from league powerhousesAjax,PSV, andFeyenoord.[44]
On July 7, 2023, Pepi signed a five-year contract with PSV Eindhoven after the Dutch club agreed to pay $9.8 million to Augsburg for Pepi's transfer.[2] On November 29, 2023, he scored his firstUEFA Champions League goal, a 3–2 game winner in stoppage time againstSevilla, which qualified his club to theknockout phase.[45]
Born in the United States, Pepi was eligible to play for both theUnited States andMexico through his parents.[46] He had also previously attended training camps for both theUnited States under-17 andMexico under-17 sides.[47] On April 22, 2019, Pepi was included in the United States under-17 squad byRaphaël Wicky for theCONCACAF U-17 Championship.[48] On May 12, Pepi scored his first international goal againstPanama, followed by a brace againstCanada to help the United States advance to the final.[49][50] In October 2019, Pepi was included again in the under-17 squad, this time for theFIFA U-17 World Cup.[51]
On August 26, 2021, managerGregg Berhalter selected Pepi in the United States squad for2022 FIFA World Cup qualification.[52] On September 8, 2021, Pepi made his debut for the United States and scored the winning goal in a 4–1 away victory againstHonduras. His goal was the second of the match, giving the United States a 2–1 lead.[53] He scored twice in his second match, a 2–0 qualifying win againstJamaica played inAustin, Texas.[54]
Despite the early success, Pepi was ultimately not called up to the team's 26-man 2022 World Cup roster.[55][56][57] In his first international match following the World Cup, Pepi scored his fourth and fifth international goals as part of a brace in a 7–1Nations League victory overGrenada.[58] Four days later, he scored the game-winning goal againstEl Salvador to send the United States into the 2023 Nations League semifinals.[59] In the Nations League semifinal againstMexico, Pepi scored off the bench securing the 3–0 U.S. win.
On October 2, 2024, Pepi was included inMauricio Pochettino's first roster as the head coach of the USMNT for friendlies againstPanama andMexico.[60] In the October 12 match against Panama, Pepi scored off the bench to ensure a 2–0 U.S. win.[61] On October 13, Pepi returned toPSV due to a minor injury, and was not present for the second match of the international window.[62]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| North Texas SC | 2019 | USL League One | 12 | 9 | — | — | 1[b] | 2 | 13 | 11 | ||
| 2020 | USL League One | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 13 | 9 | — | — | 1 | 2 | 14 | 11 | ||||
| FC Dallas (loan) | 2019 | MLS | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| FC Dallas | 2019 | MLS | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2020 | MLS | 17 | 2 | — | — | 2[c] | 1 | 19 | 3 | |||
| 2021 | MLS | 31 | 13 | — | — | — | 31 | 13 | ||||
| Total | 55 | 15 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 57 | 16 | ||||
| FC Augsburg | 2021–22 | Bundesliga | 11 | 0 | — | — | — | 11 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| Total | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 | ||||
| Groningen (loan) | 2022–23 | Eredivisie | 29 | 12 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 31 | 13 | ||
| PSV | 2023–24 | Eredivisie | 27 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 10[d] | 2 | 1[e] | 0 | 40 | 9 |
| 2024–25 | Eredivisie | 18 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 7[d] | 2 | 1[e] | 0 | 28 | 17 | |
| 2025–26 | Eredivisie | 15 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 5[d] | 3 | 1[e] | 0 | 22 | 11 | |
| Total | 60 | 26 | 5 | 4 | 22 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 90 | 37 | ||
| Jong PSV | 2023–24 | Eerste Divisie | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2024–25 | Eerste Divisie | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | |||||
| Career total | 174 | 63 | 10 | 5 | 22 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 212 | 78 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2021 | 7 | 3 |
| 2022 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 10 | 7 | |
| 2024 | 11 | 3 | |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 34 | 13 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 8, 2021 | Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano,San Pedro Sula, Honduras | 1 |  Honduras | 2–1 | 4–1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | October 7, 2021 | Q2 Stadium,Austin, United States | 2 |  Jamaica | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 4 | March 24, 2023 | Kirani James Athletic Stadium,St. George's, Grenada | 13 |  Grenada | 1–0 | 7–1 | 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 5 | 6–1 | ||||||
| 6 | March 27, 2023 | Exploria Stadium,Orlando, United States | 14 |  El Salvador | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 7 | June 15, 2023 | Allegiant Stadium,Paradise, United States | 15 |  Mexico | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals |
| 8 | September 9, 2023 | CityPark,St. Louis, United States | 17 |  Uzbekistan | 2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 9 | September 12, 2023 | Allianz Field,Saint Paul, United States | 18 |  Oman | 3–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 10 | November 16, 2023 | Q2 Stadium, Austin, United States | 21 |  Trinidad and Tobago | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 11 | October 12, 2024 | Q2 Stadium, Austin, United States | 31 |  Panama | 2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 12 | November 14, 2024 | Independence Park,Kingston, Jamaica | 32 | Jamaica | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2024–25 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 13 | November 18, 2024 | CityPark, St. Louis, United States | 33 | Jamaica | 3–0 | 4–2 | 2024–25 CONCACAF Nations League A |
North Texas SC
PSV
United States
Individual
He is also the first player this century to be directly involved in five goals in his first four Eredivisie matches, according to Opta, having also registered one assist.
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