For Ricardo Pepi, now is the time to impress

Ricardo Pepi has been one of the most talked-about U.S. players in this current cycle for the national team, and not particularly for his play on the field, but for the circumstances off of it. He missed out on an opportunity to impress Mauricio Pochettino in the early stages of 2025 after suffering a knee injury that sidelined him for several months. Then, a little over a year after that incident, Pepi broke his arm, which put the youngster in the headlines again. 

Pochettino experimented with other strikers in the past year such as Haji Wright, Patrick Agyemang, and Folarin Balogun. All of a sudden, Pepi was on the outside looking in on a crowded but subpar striker room.

Until now. 

Ricardo Pepi’s career now hangs in the balance between his play for the national team and his move to Fulham

When the USMNT announced their roster for the upcoming friendlies against Belgium and Portugal, Pepi was included in the squad list alongside Agyemang and Balogun. Around the same time the roster was released, soccer insider Fabrizio Romano dropped the news that Pepi would also be joining a new club team. 

Pepi will now have to face Premier League competition, a challenge that could make or break his aspirations of being the U.S.’s star striker. But first, he’ll have to prove himself to Pochettino in the upcoming camp.

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