Ricardo Pepi is one of the most reliable goalscorers in the USMNT pool, a penalty-box striker who has turned himself into a proven scorer in Europe. Born in El Paso, Texas, Pepi broke through at FC Dallas as a teenager before a move to the Bundesliga, and he now leads the line for Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven. For the United States at a home World Cup, he is a dangerous option in attack.
From FC Dallas to PSV
Pepi made his name at FC Dallas, scoring freely in MLS as a teenager and earning a big move to Augsburg in Germany. That spell did not work out, but a loan to Groningen in the Eredivisie reignited his career, and a permanent switch to PSV Eindhoven followed, where he won the Dutch title. The table below covers his main club spells in our database.
| Club | Apps | Goals | Assists | Chances created |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC Dallas | 49 | 14 | 3 | 35 |
| Augsburg | 20 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| PSV Eindhoven | 51 | 24 | 4 | 25 |
What the numbers say
Pepi’s game is finishing. At PSV he scored 24 goals in 51 appearances at a shot accuracy of better than 60%, with 18 of those goals coming from clear-cut chances, the mark of a striker who lives inside the box. His FC Dallas years brought 14 goals and 35 chances created, and the difficult Augsburg spell aside, the trend is clear: give him service and he scores.
The other standout is his value as a finisher off the bench. Much of his recent output has come after being introduced as a substitute, which makes him an ideal impact option in a deep squad.
Ricardo Pepi and the USMNT
For the United States, Pepi gives head coach Mauricio Pochettino a different kind of No. 9 to Folarin Balogun, a pure poacher who can change a game late on. Whether starting or finishing matches, his penalty-box instincts are exactly what a tournament squad needs. See where he fits in our USMNT roster guide.
Pepi’s impact vs Paraguay
Pepi’s substitute appearance was about game management as much as goals. Brought on with the result secure, his movement kept the Paraguay defense pinned back and the United States on the front foot to the finish. It is the impact-sub role he has made his own, and a useful one to have in reserve behind Folarin Balogun.
USA 4-1 Paraguay and what is next
Pepi played his part in the opener, coming off the bench in a lively cameo that kept Paraguay pinned back as the United States closed out a 4-1 win at SoFi Stadium. Read the full USA vs Paraguay player ratings. Next up is Australia in Seattle on June 19. Planning to go? See our World Cup 2026 tickets guide. For the bigger picture, see our World Cup 2026 hub and the latest World Cup 2026 winner odds, with more at U.S. Soccer. Must be 21+ and present in a state where betting is legal. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Ricardo Pepi is an American striker for PSV Eindhoven and a key squad option for the USMNT. Born in El Paso, Texas, he broke through at FC Dallas before moving to Europe and becoming a prolific scorer in the Eredivisie.
Pepi came through FC Dallas in MLS, moved to Augsburg in the Bundesliga, revived his career on loan at Groningen, and then joined PSV Eindhoven, where he won the Eredivisie title.
He is an out-and-out striker, a penalty-box finisher who scores most of his goals from inside the area and offers a different profile to the USMNT’s other forwards.
Pepi came off the bench in the 4-1 win over Paraguay, a lively cameo that kept the Paraguay defense pinned back as the United States saw out the result.