Super-sub Ricardo Pepi makes USMNT history as Gregg Berhalter sounds selection warning to Folarin Balogun & striking rivals of PSV star

The 20-year-old striker has already spoken this season of making peace with the fact that he may be restricted to an impact role with club and country – as he is not guaranteed minutes at Eredivisie outfit PSV.

Pepi continues to make an impression whenever called upon, though, and was back among the goals for the United States in their 3-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago in the first leg of their CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final. He has now netted five times off the bench for the USMNT in 2023 – the best return that any American has offered over the course of a calendar year.

Berhalter has said of Pepi sounding a warning to striking rivals such Folarin Balogun when it comes to competition for places in his starting XI: “All he does is when he gets the opportunity, takes advantage of it. And he's in a great spot. If you think about his situation, his [club] team in the league is undefeated, doing well in the Champions League. Compared to last year, his team was relegated. The year before he wasn't playing at Augsburg. So he's significantly increased his situation. He's gotten much better for us. He's established himself as a guy that's hard to take out because he keeps performing and I think he's in a great spot.”

Pepi suffered relegation out of the Eredivisie during a loan spell at Groningen last season, but he did hit 13 goals for the Dutch outfit and returned to the Netherlands when linking up with PSV. He has been catching the eye at international level after missing out on a place in the USMNT squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.