ENGLEWOOD, Colorado — The global championship is still several months away, a long duration for an athlete managing the responsibilities of their club and national commitments. It’s challenging to avoid injuries and maintaining peak condition, and if their performance declines in their daily tasks, invitations to represent their nation may also diminish.
However, presently, with a handful of exhibition matches remaining before Gregg Berhalter finalizes his squad for next year’s international sporting event, and various hopefuls competing for a prominent role, a clear leader has emerged to begin matches as the primary attacker: Ricardo Pepi.
In American soccer circles, it’s been a while since such a notion could even be considered. Reflect on the most recent global championship, where Haji Wright was in the starting eleven on a couple of occasions, Josh Sargent was selected to play against England, and Jesus Ferreira started against the Netherlands in the knockout phase.
Consider the ensuing couple of years during which Sargent remained involved, Wright became a regular, Pepi joined the setup, and Brandon Vázquez and Daryl Dike received their opportunities. Berhalter has also introduced both Nicholas Gioacchini and Haji Wright.
As things have unfolded, Pepi has overcome periods of being unavailable and a prolonged absence from the national team to assert his claim to a role that hasn’t had an undisputed occupant since Clint Dempsey in the prior decade.
Berhalter highlighted multiple qualities he admires about Pepi, emphasizing that “his ability to find the back of the net is what stands out the most. It’s a striker’s primary job.”
As the 2026 World Cup draws ever closer, Ricardo Pepi has emerged as the frontrunner to lead the USMNT’s forward line.
(Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
In a setup that hasn’t frequently generated natural goal-scorers, “Rico” is strongly making a case for long-term selection. He has found the net in each of his most recent couple of appearances, including the opening goal in the 2-1 victory against Nigeria on Saturday in Carson, California. It was the culmination of a night of relentless determination, featuring multiple attempts in the first half and excellent collaboration with midfielder Weston McKennie.
Last month, in his initial camp following a year’s absence, Pepi contributed the concluding goal in a 3-0 triumph over Uzbekistan. To date, he has tallied nine goals in 25 appearances ever since committing to the American team over Mexico in 2021.
The U.S. squad will compete against Uruguay on Tuesday in this location just outside of Denver.
“For me, it revolves around developing consistent momentum and regularly participating as a member of the team and being available,” Pepi expressed. “I believe that the most crucial aspect for every athlete is to be accessible. Consequently, I aim to demonstrate that to myself, validate it to the coaching personnel. And once I step onto the field — and as I spend more time on the field, fostering confidence — advantageous outcomes will materialize. Therefore, it represents a process, and I am undoubtedly satisfied with the direction it is headed.”
Pepi, 21, was unavailable last October and November, as well as this spring, owing to a hamstring injury sustained while playing for his Dutch Eredivisie club, PSV Eindhoven. He was subsequently ruled out of the summer’s CONCACAF Nations League as well, due to a separate calf issue.
Now that Pepi is in good health, Berhalter is turning to him as a primary threat in the forward positions. Sargent and Gioacchini, who competes in France’s second-tier league, are also included on the roster for this gathering. Given his fitness, the English Premier League-based Wright might return to contention in the coming month.
“Rico possesses a comprehensive skill set,” U.S. midfielder Luca de la Torre commented. “He can create space behind the defensive line. He can play while facing away from the goal. He also shows a knack for taking on opponents in one-on-one scenarios, connecting well in interplay, showing great movement and displaying individual flair. He truly encompasses it all.”
For any goal-scorer, however, “it’s about facilitating their involvement,” de la Torre elaborated. “When we have Rico on the pitch, our foremost concern is to maximize his engagement. His presence can significantly change the game’s dynamics.”
Throughout the nascent stage of PSV’s league campaign, Pepi has made a relatively noticeable impact, recording a trio of goals across seven appearances. (He has been in the starting lineup four times and introduced as a substitute in three others.) He also earned a starting role (though he did not score) in Champions League fixtures versus Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund.
To maintain his position atop the U.S. depth chart on the road to the global tournament, Pepi must persist in securing regular starts for PSV, which currently sits fourth in the league, five points adrift from Feyenoord. And to achieve regular starts for PSV, he will need to exert his influence in the attacking phase, both by scoring and enabling opportunities for his teammates.
Presently, here at U.S. camp, Pepi and Berhalter appear to be well-aligned.
“Having such a recognized manager provides us with significant reassurance,” Pepi observed. “Everyone is content with the work he is executing, and the collective progress is apparent to all.”
Progress became evident during a substantial portion of the Uzbekistan contest and throughout the majority of the Nigeria encounter. Specifically, partnerships, such as the one between Pepi and McKennie, shone brightly on Saturday.
“I was particularly struck by the quality of our play and the sharpness of his vision and delivery,” Pepi noted. “It instills in me the confidence to initiate runs, knowing that he will successfully locate me.”
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With the goal of extending his assessment of the player pool, Berhalter indicated that he intends to make multiple adjustments to the starting lineup on Tuesday. This could lead to either Sargent or Gioacchini assuming Pepi’s role, with Pepi potentially entering as a substitute. Berhalter might also be interested in observing Pepi on the field alongside Christian Pulisic, an assured starter who was shifted to a reserve role on Saturday due to a minor hamstring strain. Pulisic provided the assist for Pepi’s goal against Uzbekistan.
Irrespective of how he opts to deploy Pepi against Uruguay, Berhalter seems to favor him as the starter in the international tournament.
Pepi was born in El Paso but was raised in Dallas, one of the country’s soccer hotbeds. The sport’s biggest contest is never far from his considerations — although there is ample time for changes to occur between now and then.
“It’s simply a spectacle, isn’t it?” he mentioned. “For individuals across the globe, it’s akin to a moment when time seems to stand still. You come back home from work or whatever you are engaged in, and you switch on the television, and there is an abundance of matches available for viewing, with everyone supporting their respective nations. It is an occasion that imparts a feeling of grounding, wouldn’t you agree?”
With the event approaching North America, “it will undoubtedly stand as a monumental event,” he added. “My recollections of the global competition are thoroughly enjoyable, and I am extremely eager to participate in one.”
USMNT still monitoring Pulisic; Robinson out Tuesday
Pulisic participated in the training session on Monday and appears poised to play for a duration exceeding the 22 minutes he recorded against Nigeria.
“My expectation is that [Pulisic] will be available,” Berhalter stated. “We must await the outcome of [Monday’s training] before making a decision, although I believe his condition has improved since our arrival” on Saturday in Colorado.
Left back Sergiño Dest (groin) did not take part in practice and will not be included in Tuesday’s game, Berhalter announced. This marks a setback for the Barcelona left back, who was a starter in the 2022 global competition and has been a consistent presence for the U.S. team since his injury-related absence last fall.
Winger Tim Weah, who was unavailable on Saturday due to an ankle sprain, has departed from camp.
