Folarin Balogun Scores Brace for USA in World Cup Victory Against Paraguay

Folarin Balogun, a former Arsenal academy striker, contributed two goals to the USA's 4-1 win over Paraguay in their 2026 World Cup opening match on Friday night. The tournament hosts secured a decisive victory with Balogun playing a key role.

Balogun initially had a goal disallowed for offside in the 28th minute. However, he quickly found the net three minutes later, converting a low deflected cross with a first-time finish to make the score 2-0. He added his second goal later in the first half, curling home another finish to extend the lead to 3-0.

Arsenal sold Balogun to AS Monaco for approximately £35 million in August 2023, with £26 million guaranteed and the remainder in potential add-ons. The deal included a 17.5% sell-on clause for the North London club.

Following his transfer, Balogun scored eight goals in the 2023/24 season, which was followed by an injury-affected 2024/25 campaign where he scored four goals. Since the beginning of 2026, he has scored 12 goals and provided three assists in 24 matches for Monaco, alongside scoring three goals in five appearances for the USA national team. He also achieved an eight-game scoring streak in Ligue 1.

Monaco finished seventh in their league during the relevant season, securing a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifiers. The team had been in contention for a Champions League spot as late as April, but ultimately fell short.

According to Yahoo Sports Soccer, Balogun's continued performance at the World Cup could attract interest from potential buyers, which would benefit Arsenal due to their sell-on clause.