Ricardo
Pepi

NATIONAL TEAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Has appeared in five of the team’s 12 matches in 2022, starting four.

• Named 2021 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year

• Made his USMNT debut on September 8, 2021 in a 4-1 World Cup Qualifying win at Honduras. He was involved in all four U.S. goals, scoring the game-winner and adding two assists.

• At 18 years, 242 days, he became the second youngest player to appear for the USMNT in a World Cup Qualifier (Christian Pulisic did so at 17). The goal made Pepi the fourth youngest player to score in his USMNT debut.

• Recorded his first career multi-goal game the following month, tallying both goals in the USA’s 2-0 qualifying win against Jamaica on Oct. 7, 2021 in Austin, Texas.

• Represented the U.S. U-17 USMNT at the 2018 Nike Friendlies, the 2019 Concacaf U-17 Championship - where he scored three goals - and the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil.

 

2022 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING

• Played in 10 of the 14 WCQ matches (8 starts, 2 substitutes). Only five players appeared in more WCQ games.

• Was second on the team with three goals to Christian Pulisic’s five, while his five assists tied him with Antonee Robinson for the team lead.

 

CLUB HIGHLIGHTS

• On Sept. 1 was loaned to FC Groningen (Dutch Eredivisie) for the 2022-23 season.

• A week before turning 19 - on January 3, 2002, Pepi was transferred to FC Augsburg (Germany) from FC Dallas for a reported $20 million – the most for a homegrown player in MLS history. He signed through 2026, and made his debut on January 8 against Hoffenheim.

• Led Dallas with 13 goals in 2021, was named to the 2021 MLS All-Star Team and earned 2021 MLS Young Player of the Year honors.

• After being called up to the first team for a U.S. Open Cup match, he signed with FC Dallas on June 21, 2019 at the age of 16 years and 163 days and made his MLS debut the next day against Toronto FC

• Scored 54 goals in two years in the FC Dallas Academy, and then became the first signing of the club’s developmental pro team, North Texas SC at age 15 on Dec. 6, 2018. He scored a hat trick in his first match in March 2019 and helped the team win the inaugural USL League One title.

• At age 10 joined the FC Dallas (MLS) affiliate in his hometown of El Paso, and in 2016 joined the FC Dallas Academy at age 13, moving in with a host family near the club’s base in Frisco, Texas.

 

PERSONAL

• Grew up with his brother Diego and sister Sophia in a Spanish-speaking household. Their mother, Annette was born in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico across the El Paso, Texas border…and father Daniel was born in El Paso but moved to Ciudad Juárez at age three.

• Eligible to represent the USA and Mexico, on August 26, 2021 he announced his decision to accept the USMNT’s callup for World Cup Qualifying matches.

• Enjoys drawing and sketching in free time.