This is as much about Balogun as it is about Pepi, but the end result is the same: the striker race no longer feels like much of a race.
For the past several years, Pepi has done his part to keep that conversation alive. He has scored goals in the Eredivisie, delivered important moments for the USMNT and shown that he can be trusted in big spots. This summer, though, Balogun has separated himself. The Monaco forward has been sharper, more dangerous and more involved, and he is now the clear No. 9 heading into the knockout rounds.
Pepi has still had good moments. He was excellent against Senegal and did plenty of hard running against Australia. But when he was given the start against Turkiye, he was too quiet. The U.S. struggled to get him into the game, yes, but Pepi also did not do enough to force his way into it.
That does not make him a bad option. It just makes him the second option. Right now, Balogun is doing more, offering more, and giving Mauricio Pochettino little reason to reopen the debate.
