Not many of even the biggest Team USA supporters would have expected the team to have the top spot in the group secured before the third match, but here we are as the Americans clinched Group D after winning each of their first two matches. Given the win/loss result of the match doesn’t change USA’s future, it will be no surprise if the Americans give different players increased playing time and chances to showcase their skills. One of those players could be Ricardo Pepi, a 23-year-old who has taken on a significant role in the 2026 World Cup after not making the squad in 2022. Pepi could have increased opportunities to create his own shot on Thursday for USA vs. Turkiye in a 10 p.m. ET start. The USA are -120 money line favorites, with Turkiye +280 underdogs. A draw is priced at +310.
According to the recent 2026 World Cup odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, Pepi is +165 (risk $100 to win $165) to record a goal with +800 odds to score two or more goals. Pepi is priced at +100 to record a goal or assist, and he’s +270 to have two or more shots on target.Before locking in your 2026 World Cup picks and other World Cup bets on betting sites like FanDuel, be sure to check out top picks from soccer insider Brandt Sutton. Sutton is a former collegiate soccer player and has been SportsLine’s top soccer editor since 2017. He has followed soccer closely for much longer and factors in managerial tactics, projected lineups and past performances to make the most informed soccer betting decisions possible. Since 2025, Sutton has been profitable across multiple leagues, including the Premier League and Bundesliga. He’s also been profitable on his Champions League picks in 2026. Anyone wanting to follow his World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could see big returns.
Ricardo Pepi betting odds
Ricardo Pepi anytime goal scorer (+165)
Pepi has been a star in the making for years, playing in the MLS at 16 years old in 2019. He continued in the MLS for a few years, including scoring 13 goals in 31 games in 2021, before leaving the United States to play in the Bundesliga. He’s spent the last three seasons playing for PSV in the Eredivisie, which is the top league in the Netherlands. He had 16 goals this season for the club, including scoring at least once in each of the final five games. With the chance at a larger role Thursday, this could certainly lead to his first World Cup goal.
Ricardo Pepi to score or assist (+100)
Pepi has been more of a finisher than a creator with PSV, but with Team USA, he’s proven to have no objections to being a facilitator. He had two assists in an international friendly with Team USA in 2026, and he had multiple assists in two of his three seasons with PSV. Although this bet is still more likely to come via a goal, it’s nice to have the safety net of an assist cashing as well. Despite this game not meaning anything for Team USA’s future, it’s still a World Cup environment on home soil, which could bring the best out of younger players, such as Pepi.
Ricardo Pepi to have 2+ shots on goal (+270)
Pepi doesn’t have a shot on goal over the first two 2026 World Cup matches, but he does have three shots in general, and given there’s a path to increased opportunity on Thursday, he could find himself near the net in scoring range to fire shots on target. He had multiple shots on goal in eight of his final 15 matches with PSV, and this is the chance for the 23-year-old to prove to a nation he has the potential to be the next big-time American soccer player.
Top Ricardo Pepi picks, player props for USA vs. Turkiye
- Pepi to score (+165)
- Pepi to have 2 or more shots on goal (+270)
