Pepi and Zendejas wait as USMNT faces Bosnia

Ricardo Pepi and Alejandro Zendejas, both from the El Paso area, are set to start on the bench for the U.S. Men’s National Team’s Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Christian Pulisic is expected to return from a leg injury to start, while Pepi’s

On a night the U.S. is trying to turn pressure into progress, two El Pasoans will be watching from the bench. Ricardo Pepi and Alejandro Zendejas are set to begin the United States Men’s National Team’s Round of 32 knockout match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Bosnia and Herzegovina as substitutes.

Pepi’s absence from the starting lineup comes after he started the last two group-stage matches in place of Christian Pulisic. who had been nursing a leg injury. That injury, however, is behind him now. Pulisic is back to full health and is expected to be starting in Pepi’s place on a roster U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino is treating like first-choice.

Zendejas, meanwhile, got his first World Cup action as a second-half substitute against Turkiye after not playing in the first two group-stage matches. Against Bosnia and Herzegovina, he remained on the bench through regular time.

The last time Pepi was on the pitch in this tournament swing. he came on in the 88th minute against Turkiye for Pulisic. with the United States protecting a 2-0 lead. That moment matters because it points to how quickly a plan can change. In that same match. Folarin Balogun received a red card in the 64th minute and will not play against Belgium. a development that could mean a larger role for another striker like Pepi as the knockout bracket turns.

When the conversation shifts from what happened so far to what comes next. Pepi’s path to this point is hard to miss. The 23-year-old San Elizario native rose through the FC Dallas Academy after joining at 13 and made his senior debut at 16 in 2019. He spent three seasons as the club’s starting striker before moving to Bundesliga side FC Augsburg. followed by a loan to FC Groningen in the Netherlands. In 2023. he signed with PSV Eindhoven for $9.8 million and helped the club win the 2023–24 Eredivisie title. scoring 16 goals in 26 appearances this season.

This will be Pepi’s first appearance at a World Cup. He was left off the U.S. roster for the 2022 World Cup. In the national team’s recent friendlies, he has one assist in three appearances.

Zendejas’ story reads like a familiar El Paso-to-America soccer route, but his details are distinct. The 28-year-old grew up on the West Side of El Paso. was born in Juárez. and attended Hornedo Middle School when he was called up to the FC Dallas Academy as a 13-year-old in 2012. He worked his way up to the senior club and made his FC Dallas debut in 2015 at 17. becoming the youngest player in MLS.

He later joined Guadalajara Chivas of Mexico’s Liga MX in 2016 and played there for four years before joining Necaxa in 2020–2021. He was at Club America the next year and has been there ever since. Growing up. he played on both Mexican and American age-group national teams before making a full-time commitment to the USMNT in 2023.

This year, Zendejas has been a consistent offensive contributor for Club America, with six goals and four assists in 12 matches. His only USMNT appearance in the recent three-match friendly window came when he subbed on in the friendly against Senegal on May 31.

The sequence is straightforward: Pepi’s starting run ended when Pulisic returned from a leg injury. and Zendejas’ opportunity to play from the start hasn’t arrived yet. At the same time, the way the U.S. managed minutes against Turkiye—Pepi coming on at 88 minutes after a 2-0 lead—suggests how quickly his game-day moment can come. With Balogun sidelined due to a red card in the 64th minute of that match. the next 90 minutes aren’t the only thing on the line tonight.

As the U.S. begins the Round of 32 against Bosnia and Herzegovina with Pepi and Zendejas on the bench, the tournament continues to hinge on timing: who’s healthy, who’s ready, and how one match can set the stage for the next.

USMNT Ricardo Pepi Alejandro Zendejas Bosnia and Herzegovina 2026 World Cup Christian Pulisic Mauricio Pochettino El Paso soccer