Ricardo Pepi is determined to regain his top form as he rejoins the U.S. National Team after a year's absence. The 22-year-old forward from El Paso, Texas, is part of the forward pool with Folarin Balogun and Haji Wright as the Americans prepare for friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay. These matches represent the next-to-last training camp before coach Mauricio Pochettino selects players for the World Cup.

Pepi acknowledges the past year has been inconsistent but feels he is now in a good place. His primary focus at the beginning of the season was to stay healthy. Pepi made his Major League Soccer debut for Dallas at 16 and transferred to Augsburg in Germany in January 2022. After failing to score in 16 games with the German club, he was loaned to Groningen for most of the 2022-23 season and then signed with PSV Eindhoven for 2023-24.

In the 2024-25 season, Pepi saw increased playing time, scoring 17 goals in 28 matches before a torn meniscus in his right knee against Liverpool ended his season on January 29. He humorously stated that his knee "had to sew it back together basically," explaining the lengthy recovery.

This season for PSV, Pepi has five goals in 12 matches, including three in the Eredivisie and two in the Champions League. After starting four consecutive games, he strained his left hamstring in a league match against Excelsior on September 27 and was sidelined until October 18. Since his return, he has made six appearances as a second-half substitute, scoring against Napoli, Fortuna Sittard, and Olympiakos.

Pepi has 11 goals in 33 international appearances. Despite the competition, Pepi is determined to seize the opportunity to make the USMNT's No. 9 position his own. He believes he is ready to start and get more playing time, proving his readiness with both club and national team performances. He recognizes the past year and a half has required patience, waiting for opportunities, but he is now eager to take advantage of every chance he gets.

Pepi's journey includes being named the 2021 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year. He debuted for the USMNT on September 8, 2021, in a World Cup Qualifying win against Honduras, where he scored the game-winner and contributed two assists. However, he was surprisingly left off the 2022 World Cup roster. In his first international match after the World Cup, he scored twice in a Nations League victory over Grenada.

Pepi's career has seen him represent the U.S. at various youth levels, including the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil. He was initially eligible to represent both the USA and Mexico but chose to accept the USMNT call-up in August 2021. His early success includes becoming the second-youngest player to appear for the USMNT in a World Cup Qualifier and the fourth-youngest to score in his debut.

As the USMNT prepares for upcoming friendlies and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Pepi aims to solidify his role and contribute significantly to the team's success.