Ricardo Pepi sets sights on playing for Madrid or Barcelona
The United States international said during an interview that he is happy with the offers he has received, but nothing compares to the LaLiga sides.
Ricardo Pepi has become the man of the moment for the United States men’s national team and for FC Dallas during the 2021 Major League Soccer campaign. The 18-year-old has scored three goals with the USMNT in the World Cup qualifiers in CONCACAF and 13 in the MLS regular season.
On Tuesday, Pepi was awarded the number one spot in the list of 22 players Under 22 in Major League Soccer that is voted by an expert panel consisting of MLSsoccer.com analyst, MLS Player Department staff and external media members. The USMNT striker is having a breakout season and several teams in Europe are keeping a close eye on him.
“We saw this kid on this patchy, rough field, not a nice field. But he's scoring goals,” said FC Dallas coach Luchi Gonzalez. “He's playing up with the 13,14-year-olds and he is gangly, but he still has coordination. And he always had the ability to get the shots off, and he always found the right space to attack the ball and get a finishing opportunity. So he immediately stood out. And we talked to him, we talked to his family, we talked to the directors there, and we formed a plan for him to join.”
He wants to play in La Liga
According to multiple reports he has offers from clubs in the Serie A, Eredivisie and the Bundesliga, but his dream is to play in LaLiga. “I have a lot to learn and my goal is to one day play for Real Madrid, FC Barcelona or any big club in Europe,” said the 18-year-old during an interview with TUDN.