Season recap: “I learned a lot from it”

Ricardo Pepi faced a lot of setbacks this season due to injuries. Despite that, the American managed to score regularly and thus make a significant contribution to the season’s third consecutive national title.

In conversation with ESPN, the striker talks about his season. ''A solid eight or nine,'' Pepi gives himself as a grade.

''Those are certainly the one or two points that are missing to make it a ten, but that’s just how football is'', the attacker continues.

Despite his many injuries this season, Pepi scored fifteen goals in the Eredivisie from 25 matches, but without all those injuries it probably could have been more goals. ''I have been efficient, which resulted in a nice number of goals'', the striker said.

Thanks in part to these injuries, and also injuries among fellow forward talents Alassane Pléa and Myron Boadu, Guus Til played often as a striker this season, which meant Pepi also had to settle for a spot on the bench. For the American, this was sometimes tough, as he says.

''Of course you always want to start. You have to earn your spot and sometimes I start. I also made more minutes than in the last two seasons. I learned a lot from it. I wouldn't want to say that I don't get angry or frustrated, but I try to stay calm'', says Pepi.

Next summer, Pepi will normally be on the field with Team USA during the World Cup, which is being played partly in the United States. ''Hopefully I’ll get the chance. I think I have a good shot. It’s tough competition. We have the same goal: to go as far as possible in the World Cup,'' the forward concludes.