Injury heartbreak! Red-hot USMNT star out for the season

USMNT return to action next month with the CONCACAF Nations League semi-final against Panama. The US side is closing in on a first piece of silverware under Mauricio Pochettino but will be without a key player for the foreseeable future.

PSV striker Ricardo Pepi has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury, the Dutch club have confirmed. Pepi was forced to undergo meniscus surgery after suffering the injury in his team’s 3-2 Champions League win over Liverpool. The 22-year-old scored the winning goal against the Premier League leaders.

Pepi’s injury will be a major blow for Pochettino as he looks to build his team for the 2026 World Cup. The striker has been in good scoring form this season, hitting 11 goals in 18 Eredivisie appearances despite often being used as a substitute.

He was named as the starting striker for USMNT in the most recent fixture, scoring the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Jamaica. Pepi had looked poised to nail down the No. 9 jersey for years to come, fixing a problem position for USMNT.

Ricardo Pepi finds his feet in Europe

The Texan forward impressed with FC Dallas in MLS before making the move to Europe with FC Augsburg. His time in Germany was underwhelming but he has rebuilt his career in the Netherlands and is showing his talents with PSV.

In January the Dutch giants turned down a $25 million offer from West Ham United and subsequently signed a new long-term deal with PSV. That contract extension will keep him in Eindhoven until the summer of 2030 and Pepi seems confident that this injury is nothing more than a temporary setback.

Writing on Instagram, he said: “Surgery went well everyone! Thank you so much for the warm messages and keeping me in your thoughts. Couldn’t be happier to sign my new contract until 2030 with PSV. We have so much to accomplish together. Love you guys.”

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