Landon Donovan expresses growing dissatisfaction with the frequent injuries of Ricardo Pepi and Giovanni Reyna. The former LA Galaxy captain emphasized that reliability is a key quality for national team coaches preparing for major international tournaments.
On his “Unfiltered Soccer” podcast, Donovan stated: “Ricardo Pepi is higher in the pecking order than Gio, but these guys are becoming, as I would put it, unreliable. Whether that`s due to their performance or, most often, due to injuries, or both in Gio`s case. If you`re a coach, you just need to know what you`re getting, and these guys are becoming unpredictable. Therefore, it`s hard for me to imagine them continuing to be called up to the national team — or, in Ricardo`s case, starting games — if they aren`t reliable in that sense.”
Reyna`s injury woes have become a defining theme of his still-young career, having already missed 93 matches. Pepi`s situation, while less critical, also raises concern: the striker suffered a knee injury midway through last season and has struggled to return to full fitness since.
With Folarin Balogun working his way back as the USMNT`s primary striker, and players like Josh Sargent, Haji Wright, and Patrick Agyemang providing healthy competition, Pepi`s position could be vulnerable despite his goal-scoring abilities.
The rapidly approaching 2026 World Cup underscores the importance of Donovan`s assessment, highlighting a critical period for American footballers hoping to secure spots in the tournament to be held on home soil. The national team coach will announce the next squad for the upcoming October international break.
