Ricardo Pepi, striker for the United States men’s national team, is set to be sidelined for approximately two months due to a broken forearm sustained while playing for PSV Eindhoven on Saturday, as confirmed by the Dutch club.
The 23-year-old was hurt after an awkward landing while celebrating his second goal of the match against Excelsior. Subsequent medical examinations revealed the fracture, and Pepi is scheduled to undergo surgery on Sunday. While the club did not report any complications, they have ruled him out for the near future.
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“It didn’t look good right away; at times like this, you wish you could look the other way,” noted PSV head coach Peter Bosz in a statement. “Ricardo was already out last January due to a knee injury. This time it won’t be as long, but it’s still unfortunate to have lost him again.”
Pepi exited the game shortly after the injury and did not return, while PSV secured a 5-1 victory. This injury interrupts a promising phase for the American forward, who had recently regained his form after overcoming his previous knee issue.
“Pepi was on a great run, had a solid training camp, and was completely back in form,” Bosz remarked. “He was gaining confidence and displaying good rhythm. Everything seemed poised for a strong second half of the season, so this is incredibly disappointing—primarily for him, but also for us.”
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This injury also raises concerns for the US national team as they prepare for the summer World Cup. Pepi has been a consistent player in the national setup, netting 13 goals in 34 appearances, including participation in the most recent international matches in November.
With the US kicking off its World Cup campaign on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Pepi now faces a challenging race to regain full fitness. His availability for upcoming friendlies against Belgium on March 28 and Portugal on March 31 remains uncertain.