Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic's replacement, was scouted by a pro club at age 13
Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic's replacement, was scouted by a pro club at age 13
Jeff Smith, For The WinFri, June 19, 2026 at 7:07 PM UTC
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Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic's replacement, was scouted by a pro club at age 13
The United States Men's National Team might be facing concerns about Christian Pulisic's lingering calf injury, but his expected replacement has been preparing for this moment his entire life. As Mauricio Pochettino's side announced its replacement for Pulisic, the nod ultimately went to Ricardo Pepi, who'll now earn a World Cup start against Australia in Friday's pivotal 2026 World Cup clash. The 23-year-old PSV Eindhoven striker has proven his potential and also that he's ready for this moment with strong play building up to the 2026 World Cup.
Pepi's emergence came early in his career, when he was scouted by FC Dallas at just 13 years old to join the club's youth academy. Demonstrating a professional mindset and an obviously impressive work ethic, he has achieved impressive results throughout his career.
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Ricardo Pepi's professional debut kicked off with a hat trick
Pepi was the first signing for the FC Dallas affiliate club in USL League One, North Texas FC. His professional debut for the club came on March 30, 2019, when he scored in a hat-trick in a 3-2 victory over the Chattanoogan Red Wolves. This performance was followed up by a match against Forward Madison, in which Pepi scored in stoppage time to give his squad a 1-0 victory.
Shortly after, Pepi received a call to join the international U-17 squad. He proceeded to join FC Dallas in 2019 and has since played with FC Augsburg, Groningen on loan, and currently, PSV Eindhoven.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic's replacement, scouted by pro club at age 13
Source: “AOL Sports”
