USMNT star Ricardo Pepi reveals ex-Chelsea & Real Madrid striker to be surprising source of inspiration

The exciting 20-year-old forward is in the process of trying to forge his own reputation as a fearsome frontman in European football. He left FC Dallas for Augsburg in Germany back in 2022, but burst into life last season when hitting 13 goals during a productive loan spell at Groningen. Pepi is back in the Netherlands for 2023-24, having completed a transfer to PSV, and has already opened his account for the Eredivisie giants.

Asked on the Offside with Taylor Twellman podcast to name those that he tries to model his own game on, Pepi said: “I used to be a big Ronaldo fan, but I also used to watch a lot of Raul Jimenez – he was one of my idols growing up. Now I watch players like Alvaro Morata, who I feel is similar to my playing style a little bit. Of course you want to watch players like Erling Haaland, who is always scoring. I like to watch a lot of players.

Pressed further on why he looks up to Spain international Morata, who is currently back at Atletico Madrid and proving to be a useful source of goals for them, Pepi added: “Just the way we move on the pitch. We aren’t the fastest player or the strongest player, but we somehow manage to find space in the box and score goals. I feel like I compare myself pretty well to him. When it comes to scoring goals, I feel like he is a very effective player.

Pepi has found a way of being effective himself, with 16 caps and seven goals for the USMNT to his name, and hopes to use PSV as a stepping stone en route to the very top of the game in Europe. He said of his plans for the present and future: “I feel like being at a club like PSV, I signed a five-year deal so it’s about patience and working every day trying to get better as a player. I feel like I’m at a club, PSV, that are known for making big transfers of players, of having players go to the big clubs. I feel like I’m in the right spot and I’m going to keep working until I get my opportunity.