Ricardo Pepi kickstarted a season he hopes to end with a role for the United States at the 2026 World Cup, scoring twice for PSV Eindhoven in their win over NEC Nijmegen on Saturday.
The 22-year-old was making his first start of the season as he makes his way back from a knee injury suffered in a Champions League game with Liverpool in January.
After scoring in the 12th and 49th minute to help PSV to a 5-3 Eredivisie win in Nijmegen, the U.S. striker declared that he was now fully back.
"I think it was a very important game, very happy to be back. Overall happy to get the win, of course, happy to score two goal so I think, yeah, the definition of being back," he told ESPN Netherlands.
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Saturday's double continued Pepi's impressive record when named in PSV's starting lineup. He has now scored at least once in all nine starts he's made in all competitions for PSV since the beginning of last season, netting 16 goals in the process.
Pepi had previously made two substitute appearances, totaling 49 minutes, so far this campaign before playing 65 minutes from the start against NEC.
"The thing is after such a long injury, surgeons always tell you, 'yeah you're going to be out for six, seven months,' and then you expect it to be seven months. But that's never how it works," Pepi added.
"It always takes time for your knee to get used to all the contact, all the loads. It's really up to your body, I think my knee has a mind of it's own and I'm just trying to cooperate with it and manage it the best I can.
"I think I'm pretty far now, I got in a good 60 minutes today. I think it's only up for now and hopefully we can manage it well. For me to stay on the pitch is the most important thing."
Pepi's injury meant he missed this summer's Concacaf Gold Cup with the U.S. as well this month's friendlies against South Korea and Japan. But the former FC Dallas starlet, who has scored 13 goals in 33 appearances for the USMNT, still has time to play his way into Mauricio Pochettino's roster for the World Cup on home soil in nine months' time.
Asked about the World Cup and whether this could be his season, Pepi responded: "I'm going to work hard to make it my season for sure and I'm really looking forward to it."
Pepi could next take the field when PSV begins its Champions League campaign at home to Union Saint-Gilloise on Tuesday.