USMNT's Pepi 'very close' to return from injury

PSV Eindhoven and U.S. men's national team striker Ricardo Pepi revealed he's "very close" to seeing a return to the pitch after suffering a knee injury during a Champions League Match against Liverpool in January.

Though Pepi scored the game-winning goal in that 3-2 victory over the Premier League giants on Jan. 29, he was forced to leave the pitch in the 76th minute. The forward then underwent meniscus surgery in the United States following the injury, forcing him to the sidelines for the remainder of the 2024-2025 campaign and this summer's Concacaf Gold Cup with the USMNT.

Now, Pepi said he's close to being 100% as he prepares for the upcoming campaign.

"It's amazing. I've been waiting for the past five months and now I am back on the pitch with the team," Pepi told ESPN. "I think I am really close [to being back] I think about, almost close to 100%, doing the last little steps and then I will be back.

"It's one of those things where you are just super impatient to get back to the field, it's super important to take the right steps because you cannot rush an injury. It's about when your body feels ready to be back and now I am very close to being back and super excited to get this season going."

Pepi heads into the season with a new mindset and shirt number, recently taking up PSV's No. 9 from departing captain Luuk de Jong. The former FC Dallas player insists a new number comes with higher expectations to perform.

"I think they have really big expectations but no one has more expectations on me than myself. It's a good balance between helping the team out and also achieving my goals," said Pepi.

"I think it'll be a good year for sure, the past two seasons we've gotten a taste of what I can do so it'll be interesting to see this year."

Pepi concluded the 2024-25 campaign with 17 goals in all competitions for PSV, recording one goal fewer than former captain De Jong despite the knee injury. Beyond the Eredivisie, Pepi hopes to impress with PSV in order to be part of the USMNT roster for the 2026 World Cup.

"It's always been a goal of mine [to reach the World Cup] so I have to focus on what I do at a club level to even get there I am sure, and I got to take care of business here at PSV," said Pepi.

Pepi last featured for the USMNT on Nov. 18, 2024, scoring in the team's 4-2 victory over Jamaica in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal.