USMNT legend Clint Dempsey has hinted that he believes Ricardo Pepi should have been picked for the World Cup, after liking a post on Twitter.
Head coach Gregg Berhalter and his 26-man USMNT squad have travelled to Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup that begins on Sunday, with established stars Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Walker Zimmerman all on the plane. However, there was one notable omission, as wonderkid Pepi was not picked.
The 19-year-old won MLS Young Player of the Year for the 2021 season, and was named in the All-Star squad after a fantastic year with FC Dallas. Pepi has since flourished in Europe after moving away from MLS, and Dempsey's activity suggests he thinks he should be in Qatar.
The USMNT are one of the many nations sponsored by Nike, and Pepi took part in an ad campaign for the brand ahead of the World Cup. The slogan was 'Our belief is never done' as the USMNT are aiming to go far in Qatar despite being underdogs.
However, despite taking part wearing a full USMNT kit, Pepi was overlooked by Berhalter and will remain with FC Groningen, where he is on loan from FC Augsburg. A user on Twitter shared a picture of the advert, showing his sympathy for Pepi.
Along with the picture, the caption read: "Nike World Cup campaign... man. You have to feel for the kid." And Dempsey liked the post, perhaps showing where he stands on the decision to leave him out of the squad.
The USMNT have some exciting options in attack, as Gio Reyna, Pulisic, Tim Weah and Jesus Ferreira have all been selected. But Pepi's six goals in nine Eredivisie appearances for Groningen this season were not enough to see him get a call-up.
Pepi made a name for himself at North Texas SC as a 16-year-old, scoring nine goals in 12 appearances for the USL League One side back in 2019. He was quickly loaned to MLS side FC Dallas before being permanently signed to a homegrown player deal.
After a stuttering start at the top American level, Pepi made his breakthrough in the 2021 season, scoring 13 goals in 31 appearances, and Bundesliga side Augsburg came calling. The fee was a reported $20 million plus add-ons, which made him the most expensive American MLS player to sign for a European club.
It was also a record fee for Augsburg, but he doesn't seem quite ready for the Bundesliga just yet. After failing to score a league goal, Pepi was loaned to Groningen, and has quickly proven that the talent is there.
As a 19-year-old, it may be too early to call up the young American, although Dempsey's opinion seems clear. As the USMNT joint-record goalscorer (57), Dempsey knows a talented forward when he sees one.
