July 27, 2021 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – FC Dallas News Release
Frisco, Texas – FC Dallas has signed Homegrown Ricardo Pepi to a new, five-year contract through 2026, the club announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal will not be disclosed.
“I’m very happy to give my everything to FC Dallas,” Pepi said. “I want to thank the club for having that trust in me. It’s a big step in my career, personally and for my family.”
Pepi, 18, has scored 11 goals and recorded two assists across all competitions for FC Dallas, including his first MLS career hat trick on July 24, 2021 against LA Galaxy. He is the youngest player in MLS and FC Dallas history to score a hat trick at 18 years and 196 days old, surpassing the MLS record previously set in 2013 by Kekutah Manneh at 18 years and 283 days. He has earned two MLS Team of the Week honors this season and was named Player of the Week on July 26 after his hat trick against the Galaxy at Toyota Stadium.
He signed with FC Dallas as the 26th Homegrown at 16 years and 163 days old on June 21, 2019, making him the fourth youngest player in club history behind Bryan Reynolds, Dante Sealy and Jesús Ferreira. He is the first true pathway player in the FC Dallas Academy after starting his soccer career in the FC Dallas-El Paso affiliate then signing with FC Dallas’ USL League One affiliate North Texas SC on Dec. 6, 2018, and lastly the senior team.
Pepi first joined to the FC Dallas Academy in 2016 from the club’s youth affiliate in El Paso and scored 54 goals overall in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. He was the first player to sign with North Texas SC on Dec. 6, 2018 at 15 years old and helped the team win the inaugural USL League One title on Oct. 19, 2019. He scored his first professional hat trick in his debut on March 30, 2019 against the Chattanooga Red Wolves and scored a brace in the USL League One Semifinals against Forward Madison FC.
Pepi made his FC Dallas debut and recorded his first FC Dallas assist while on a short-term loan for Dallas in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Fourth Round match against OKC Energy FC on June 12. He made his MLS debut on June 22, 2019 against Toronto FC after he subbed in for Michael Barrios in the 84th minute.
The El Paso, TX native is eligible for both the U.S. and Mexico National Teams, last appearing in the 2019 Concacaf U-17 Championship where he helped the U.S. reach the final before falling to Mexico in extra time.
Name: Ricardo Pepi
Connect with Ricardo Pepi: Twitter | Instagram
Position: Forward
No. 16
Height: 6-1
Weight: 162 lbs.
Date of Birth: January 9, 2003 (18)
Birthplace: El Paso, TX
Hometown: El Paso, TX
Nationality: United States
Transaction: FC Dallas signs forward Ricardo Pepi to a five-year contract through 2026.
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