After opting to play for the U.S. men's national team earlier this year, Ricardo Pepi admits that Friday night's World Cup qualifier against Mexico will be a special night for both him and his family.
Having represented El Tri at the youth level, Pepi officially confirmed his intentions to play for the U.S. earlier this year and has since gone on to assert himself as the USMNT's top striker.
Pepi has scored three goals in his first four USMNT appearances, but Friday's battle with Mexico wil be the FC Dallas star's biggest test yet.
What did Pepi say?
"It's going to be a special feeling," he said. "Having my family in the stands having me with the U.S. jersey on -- I feel like I'm going to get some goosebumps for sure. It's going to be that feeling where I'm going to be very motivated for the game, and I'm going to be prepared for it."
"There was a talk that I had with my dad, my family in general," Pepi added when asked about his decision, "and I was just bringing everything to the table to them. I was talking about what it would be like walking out and playing the game versus Mexico.
"I feel like we've talked about how special it would be and how motivating that would be for me just to be able to be called up to the national team, to be able to play in that game. That made me work harder as a player, just knowing to stay humble and always work hard."
The USMNT's No. 1 No. 9
Pepi is the lone striker that has been called up to the U.S. squad for the upcoming games agaisnt Mexico and Jamaica.
And USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter says that decision is based around the fact that Pepi seems an ideal fit for how he wants to play, adding that he expects Pepi to play a bulk of, if not all of, both games this window.
Having all but locked up the No. 9 position for the time being, Pepi says he remains eager to prove himself.
"I feel like, as a national team player, you always have to prove yourself," Pepi says. "You don't have a spot saved for you in the team. You don't have a starting spot that's always going to be there for you.
"I feel like, every day, you get an opportunity to take the opportunity and be able to show yourself. I've been doing that."