Former USMNT star Landon Donovan is questioning the reliability of forward Ricardo Pepi and attacking midfielder Gao Reyna following their recent injury setbacks. The USMNT's all-time joint leading goalscorer suggested that availability issues could threaten both player’s roles in the national team under coach Mauricio Pochettino.
Inconsistent player availability
Donovan is growing frustrated with Pepi and Reyna's injury records. The former LA Galaxy captain emphasized that reliability remains a fundamental requirement for international coaches building toward major tournaments.
“Ricardo Pepi is further along on the totem pole, in the pecking order than Gio is, but these guys are becoming – what I would say is, unreliable,” Donovan said on his Unfiltered Soccer Podcast. "Whether that's through performance or mostly through injury, or both in Gio’s case. If you’re a coach, you just need to know what you are getting and these guys are becoming unreliable. And so it’s hard for me to imagine them continuing to get called in – or in Ricardo’s case, starting games – if he’s not reliable in that way.”
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Reyna's injury struggles have become a defining narrative of his young career, as he's missed 93 games. Pepi's situation, while less severe, has also raised concerns after the striker suffered a knee injury halfway through last season and has struggled to get back to full fitness since.
Getty Images SportNational team depth
With Folarin Balogun working his way back as the USMNT's starting striker and players such as Josh Sargent, Haji Wright and Patrick Agyemang providing healthy competition, Pepi's position could be vulnerable despite his goalscoring credentials.
Getty Images SportWorld Cup 2026 preparation
With the 2026 World Cup approaching rapidly, Donovan's assessment highlights the critical window facing American players hoping to secure roles in the tournament on home soil. Pochettino will next call up a squad for the upcoming October international break.