Ricardo Pepi is an American striker born on 9 January 2003, who has emerged as a prominent young forward in European football and a sought after name among memorabilia collectors on Walkouts. He combines a direct finishing style with intelligent movement, and his career arc from youth leagues in Texas to major roles in the Netherlands has created clear provenance for signed shirts and authenticated collectibles.
Pepi's early development began in El Paso and within youth setups that led to a place in the FC Dallas academy. He became the first signing for North Texas SC on 8 December 2018, and announced himself on the professional stage by scoring a hat-trick on his debut for the club on 30 March 2019. Those performances fast‑tracked his promotion to FC Dallas, where he made his MLS debut later in 2019 and increasingly featured as a starter.
The true breakthrough arrived during the 2021 season with FC Dallas. Pepi recorded the youngest hat-trick in Major League Soccer history on 24 July 2021 and finished the regular season with 13 goals. His form earned him the MLS Young Player of the Year award and the U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year honour, establishing the on-field credentials that underpin the appeal of match‑used and signed merchandise.
In search of European football, Pepi signed for FC Augsburg on 3 January 2022, before spending the 2022-23 season on loan at FC Groningen where he rediscovered his scoring rhythm. A transfer to PSV Eindhoven followed on 7 July 2023 for a reported fee of €9 million. With PSV he hit a memorable late winner in the UEFA Champions League on 29 November 2023, an example of a high‑profile moment that increases the documented provenance for related memorabilia.
Pepi has collected club and international honours early in his career, including being part of PSV's 2023-24 Eredivisie winning squad and the United States' CONCACAF Nations League successes in 2022-23 and 2023-24. These trophies and appearances create clear provenance lines for authenticated merchandise such as signed shirts, certified autographs, and match‑day memorabilia.
Internationally, Pepi represented the United States from youth level through to senior selection. He made his senior debut on 8 September 2021, scoring against Honduras, and contributed important goals across qualifying and Nations League campaigns. His role with the national team adds further certification layers to items tied to specific fixtures and tournaments.
For collectors, Pepi items carry both sporting narrative and verifiable provenance. Signed shirts and authentic autographs from milestone matches, such as his Champions League winner, are desirable as certified collectibles. Proper documentation, match reports and club verification together form the provenance that Walkouts collectors seek when acquiring memorabilia.
Looking ahead, Ricardo Pepi's blend of youth, documented high‑level moments and domestic and international honours place him as a modern collectible subject. Whether sourcing a signed shirt or an authenticated autograph, items connected to his key dates and matches provide clear provenance and collector value, and they will continue to be catalogued with exacting standards for future legacy and curation on Walkouts.
