The Eredivisie's best club has quickly turned into a home for American soccer's stars – here's how it happened
There's nothing particularly American about the city of Eindhoven. With a population of just under 250,000, it's the fifth-largest city in the Netherlands but, by American standards, it's a relatively small town. It's a city with a large student population and, in some ways, has a culture reminiscent of an American college town.
It happened somewhat suddenly, and not necessarily by design, but Eindhoven also now finds itself at the center of an American soccer revolution.
PSV, the Eredivisie's reigning powerhouse and a legitimate Champions League team, features four U.S. men's national team players. All arrived with different cirumstances and ambitions. All have now become important pieces for a team that has legit hopes to go toe-to-toe with the world's best.
And so the eyes of American soccer are on that smallish-big city in the Netherlands, a city that has rapidly become an epicenter of the American game in Europe.
Ricardo Pepi is the player leading the charge, at least at the moment. He's enjoying his breakout season, one that ensures he likely won't be in Eindhoven for long. He's joined by last season's breakout star, Malik Tillman. Both have scored double-digit goals already this season. Both could someday leave PSV for record-breaking hauls if they keep playing the way they have since they arrived.
They're joined at the club by Sergino Dest and Richy Ledezma, two other players with their own stories to tell. Dest is a 2022 World Cup starter and a USMNT star. He's had his share of setbacks, but none quite as big as the ACL injury that leveled him in 2024. He's on the comeback trail, and he's nearly back. In the interim, Ledezma has suddenly become his unlikely replacement, an attacking midfielder-turned-fullback who has seized his long-awaited PSV chance with both hands.
On any given gameday, there are multiple Americans in PSV's starting XI. There's also a former U.S. men's national team star watching on from the Phillips Stadion director's box. PSV's American Revolution has been spearheaded by Earnie Stewart, PSV's Director of Football, and, when asked about it, he has a confession to make: this has all kind of happened by chance.
This wasn't really the master plan. PSV's American revolution wasn't some long-term scheme to take over Europe with a group of USMNT stars leading the charge. It wasn't the reason Stewart was brought in to lead the club – and it sure as hell wasn't how he expected this to go.
It's working, though, so, in that sense, it's all according to plan.
"It all starts with the way that we want to play and trying to find players that fit that and match that the way that we want to do that," Stewart tells GOAL. "But I will say, and that's not only for myself, but that's probably for a lot of technical directors: once you know there's a market where you have a good understanding and have even worked with players, it does make it easier, in the end, to make sure that you can verify different aspects. No matter if it's just from a technical or tactical element, but also from a character standpoint, that does help in the end.
"In my case, I worked 1) in MLS, but then also; 2) for the national team. As we did our scouting, you learn a lot about the individual players that are there and the talent level that they have. That did help coming into PSV."
And those players fit into the style of what PSV is trying to deliver on the pitch.
"No matter where I've worked, whether that's at the Philadelphia Union or PSV or with the USMNT, for me, it all starts with the identity of who we want to be," he said. "That's not about me and what I feel; it's about winning games. It's about what the DNA is of a club or a country is and trying to instill that within the system that you want to play. Once you have that, it makes your job so much easier in the decisions that you have to make."
It's all come together to form a juggernaut, a club that's on a path towards a second Eredivise title while captivating a new audience an ocean away. How did it come together? GOAL spoke to a group of PSV's American game-changers to find out.
Getty ImagesArriving with a point to prove
Despite being American internationals, PSV's USMNT contingent really doesn't have all that much in common. Pepi comes from Texas, the land of good food, big cities and even bigger highways. Tillman, meanwhile, was born and raised in Germany. He's still overwhelmed by American life at times when he heads to the U.S. for USMNT duty, particularly when he arrives in Pepi's home state.
"My first experience being here, I told everyone this country is too big," Tillman tells GOALwith a laugh. "Everything is just bigger here than it is in Europe. For example, the highways – it's so different. I can't really explain it. Just everything is bigger, everything is further away."
Tillman is reserved and shy. Dest is quick to post highlight videos and skills compilations. Pepi, Dest and Tillman have all played for megaclubs; Ledezma has been with PSV for six years now, save for a brief stop in MLS on loan.
All four, though, have this in common: they began this new era with a point to prove.
Pepi arrived from Augsburg in the summer of 2023, having struggled to adapt to life in Germany. It's crazy to think about now, given the fact that he now has 10 league goals in under 650 minutes this season, but it was his goal drought with Augsburg that saw his 2022 World Cup dream swept away. He arrived in Eindhoven after a good season with struggling Groningen. This would be Pepi's chance to show he belonged and rediscover the belief that made him one of the hottest commodities in American soccer.
"It's something about just the confidence that you have in yourself," Pepi tells GOAL. "All of a sudden, for me, I start doing things that I normally wouldn't do if I'm not playing so much. It's just because you trust yourself, you believe in yourself. All of a sudden, you've already proved that you can do these type of things… you just have to have the confidence to do it in a game. I definitely think, when I'm at my all-time high in confidence, I can definitely do things out of the ordinary."
Also arriving that summer was Dest, whose PSV stint was preceded by difficult spells at Barcelona and AC Milan. Tillman, meanwhile, was told by Bayern Munich that the club didn't want him anymore and that he was free to go. He, too, joined PSV in 2023.
All three were early-era Stewart signings. He knew them all well from his time with the USMNT. He was at U.S. Soccer for Pepi's rise, Tillman's switch from Germany and Dest's ascendancy to World Cup starter. There was no mystery there; just players he saw as undervalued, down on their luck a bit and, most of all, hungry for a chance.
Ledezma was hungry, too. For years, he plowed through with the youth teams waiting for that first-team break. There were tastes throughout 2021-23, but Ledezma needed some first-team run. In March 2023, just weeks after Stewart got going, Ledezma re-signed with the club and was loaned to NYCFC for a season of seasoning in MLS. He returned to PSV a different sort of player.
In some ways, PSV has given each the home they desperately needed. It's given them the platform, but also taught patience. That's by design. Yes, PSV wants to win trophies, and they have and will. The club also wants to develop players. That's where Stewart comes in.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe brains behind it all
It's been nearly 20 years since Stewart started doing this. His own decorated playing career ended in 2004 after 101 USMNT caps and three World Cup appearances. Two years later, he was named technical director of NAC Breda. He's since filled similar roles at AZ Alkmaar, the Philadelphia Union, U.S. Soccer and, now, PSV.
There's a reason why these teams bring him in, and Stewart knows exactly what it is. Yes, in his role as Director of Football, his fingerprints are on just about everything at the club, from the macro to micro. What he loves most, though, is finding ways to indentify and develop young players. It's what he's best at, too.
"This is something that I've done for a long time," Stewart says. "It's about development, and I don't care who we're talking about and which player it is. It's from a personal and individual standpoint, but also from a team perspective. There also needs to be team development as well."
Under Stewart, PSV have developed a winning entity. He arrived amid something of a dry spell, one where Ajax had reclaimed the throne of Holland's best. Last season, in Stewart's first full season in charge, PSV took that throne right on back by winning the league. They're leading the Eredivisie at the moment, too, and could very well win it again this time around.
His USMNT stars have played a huge part, but they're not the only ones. Veteran Luuk de Jong continues to hold off Pepi as the starting striker, while Dutch international Noa Lang, one of Stewart's first signings, has helped lead the attack, too. Homegrown product Johan Bakayoko continues to make waves, while the ageless Ivan Perisic adds veteran experience, too. Then there are, of course, the Americans, as Pepi, Tillman and Ledezma have all played massive parts in big wins this season.
At its core, PSV are a development club. They can't go toe-to-toe with the Real Madrids of the world. Hell, financially, they can't even go toe-to-toe with the Premier League's lower teams. Their business model is clear: find players, make them better, sell them for profit and repeat.
The club has lost stars like Xavi Simons, Ibrahim Sangare and Jordan Teze in recent years, but the train needs to keep rolling. Stewart's job is not only to make sure that the train doesn't derail; no, his role is to make it run even smoother even when top stars move on.
To do that, PSV must do two things. The first? Nail recruitment. If PSV are to spend on a player, it needs to be the right player. They cannot afford to miss. After a big fee comes in, it must be reinvested into a player that can not only fill a gap, but perhaps be the next big fee down the line.
To get there, they have to do the second part: develop talent. PSV can't afford the superstars of today, but they can get the superstars of tomorrow. The line between good and great comes down to development, though. It's the other thing that PSV has to get right.
"We never promise anything when it comes to playing time," Stewart says of the recruitment strategy. "The only thing that we can promise is that we'll create situations where they can develop themselves. We analyze the player, we see certain elements they need to develop to better their craft, and then, at some point, be sold. No matter if that's for Malik Tillman or for Ricardo Pepi or whoever… that's how we look at it. It's not about promising any playing time, because that's not my job. At the end, the coach [Peter Bosz] is the one that puts the best team on the field to win games."
And that preparation has to lead to performance, when the opportunity arises.
"In the end, it's really simple," he said. "Once you develop yourself and work hard, there's going to be the moment for a player, and they just have to be ready for the moment. That's what I keep telling them, no matter if it's Malik or Ricardo: when the moment comes, you need to be ready for it… Ricardo has done that in many ways. Malik Tillman has done that in many ways, too."
AFPPepi's breakout run
Stewart is putting it somewhat lightly there. Pepi has more than seized his moment. The stats are ridiculous. In under 1,000 minutes in all competitions, Pepi has 15 goals. He has 10 in just the Eredivisie, putting him in the Golden Boot race despite the fact that he's started just five times. It's been a remarkable leap forward from a player that PSV knew had potential. That's why they signed him.
For Pepi, the club has given him exactly the type of attention he required. He was chewed up and spit out immediately by Augsburg, who bought him for a record fee and did little to make sure he lived up to it. After that experience, Pepi understood the importance of both comfort and patience. He found both in Eindhoven.
"When I first moved to Augsburg, I didn't know what to expect," he tells GOAL. "I was kind of just there. I was just adapting as much as I can. I see myself now [at PSV], and things are a little bit easier. I have a little bit more experience living in Europe and so you can just focus on the obstacles that are on the pitch."
That experience has led to this breakout, and the big clubs have taken notice. In some ways, it's likely accelerated Pepi's development timeline. In others, it's all been according to plan.
In Stewart's eyes, it's the latter. PSV signed Pepi because they knew he was a very good striker. This recent run is him making good on his talent, albeit in ways that few could have expected. Pepi, who has largely served as De Jong's backup, wants more chances and opportunities, and understandably so. Stewart insists it's coming soon.
With that in mind, Stewart says the club is unwilling to sell Pepi this winter despite interest from abroad. The club still sees brighter days ahead with him leading the way.
"There's not going to be a transfer," Stewart told GOAL. "That's one thing that's for sure. The way I look at Ricardo, and the way that we look at Ricardo, he has been fantastic in the way that he's developed himself as a player.
"He has, I guess you can say, been unfortunate, because we also have Luuk de Jong, one of the best center-forwards certainly from a heading standpoint that there is. They have been fighting for playing time, both of them, which has raised their levels to a certain extent. At some point, Luuk is, I'd say, not the youngest, still going strong for us at this moment, and hopefully for a little bit longer, but at the same time, we also see that Ricardo, at some point, is going to be the No. 1 for PSV."
gettyTillman finds his voice
Tillman is the first to admit it: he's a bit shy. He told GOAL all about it in October. Don't mistake his shyness for passiveness, though. Tillman is hungry and still feels he has so much to prove.
He arrived at PSV on loan initially. After a spell with Rangers where he shined in the rough-and-tumble Scottish league, Bayern Munich shipped him to PSV. For an attacking midfielder such as Tillman, the Eredivisie is a great place to grow. It's an attacking league and, at PSV, Tillman would have the ball at his feet a whole lot. In that initial loan spell, it worked perfectly. He had nine goals and 11 assists in what was a breakout campaign.
"The move to PSV has been a great move for me," he says. "Last season, we had a great season as a team. Me individually? I would say it was my best season so far. To be fair, I haven't played a lot of seasons, but it was definitely a standout season for me. I think, more or less, it felt like a breakthrough season for me. "
Still, when he went back to Bayern, he received the bad news: the club didn't have a place for him.
"It's just a business," he says. "Sometimes clubs have to care about the money or they want to make money, make profit, and that's more or less what they did."
PSV jumped on the opportunity. They brought Tillman right on back for a fee of around $12 million and it's paid off already. He's already eclipsed last season's goal total, with three of his 11 goals coming in the Champions League.
Tillman has a big believer in Stewart, who sees only upside in the USMNT midfielder.
"All the qualities were always there, so I'd say that with Malik, his development has been more from a personal standpoint than anything else," Stewart says. "That development as a person, as a human being, has helped him bring his qualities to the forefront even more because he already had everything. In my opinion, he's probably the best central midfielder that the United States has at this moment. It's unbelievable. I think this guy is so extremely talented.
"I understand why he was at Bayern Munich, and I can also understand why he didn't make it yet, but if I see where he was a year and a half ago, from the first conversations that we had with Malik, to where he is today as a person, it's huge. It's amazing. That's why I also think that all of those qualities that he has as a player have really, really come forward. There's a lot more to be seen from him that he's not even showing now, which is pretty scary."