Ricardo Pepi is back with the USMNT for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he continues to play an important role in the team’s attack. The striker, who plays in Eredivisie club PSV, remains one of the key young forwards in the United States squad during the tournament. When it comes to his personal life, Pepi keeps things private.

Pepi moved to Dallas on his own at 13-years-old to chase a dream, one he will fulfill on home soil with the U.S. men's national team this summer.

El Paso natives Ricardo Pepi and Alejandro Zendejas are set to make their World Cup debuts for the USMNT.

First and foremost, Ricardo Pepi is a member of the U.S. World Cup team because he knows how to score goals — 45 of them, despite irregular starting assignments, over three years across all competitions for Dutch bully PSV Eindhoven. “Pepi is a killer,” coach Mauricio Pochettino said last week.

Four years ago, Ricardo Pepi hung up on Gregg Berhalter after being told he would not be part of the USMNT’s 2022 World Cup squad. This time, the message came in a very different way. Pepi was in the car with his father when he learned he had made Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-player United States roster for the 2026 World Cup.

U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter called him in November 2022 with the decision to leave Pepi off the World Cup roster. Flash forward to this May 22. Pepi was a passenger in a car his father, Daniel, was driving in Dallas when current coach Mauricio Pochettino’s WhatsApp video popped in with the message sent to this year’s American 26.