Folarin Balogun Scores Twice in USA's World Cup Opening Victory

Folarin Balogun, a forward for the U.S. Men's National Team, contributed two goals to the USA's 4-1 victory against Paraguay in their World Cup 2026 opening game held in Los Angeles.

Balogun's unique journey to the U.S. team began in 2001 when his London-based parents were on holiday in New York. His mother, seven months pregnant, was unable to fly home, leading to his birth in Brooklyn on July 3. This granted him automatic U.S. citizenship under the country's birthright laws, based on the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Despite having options to play for England or Nigeria, Balogun ultimately chose to represent the United States. He stated, "In life, go where you’re appreciated," after being excluded from the England setup three years prior. Following his two-goal performance, Balogun expressed pride, saying, "I feel like today was a great opportunity to continue to show the fans I made the right decision [to choose the US]. I am completely proud, I want to continue to make the fans proud as well."

His teammates have recognized his offensive capabilities. Captain Tim Ream commented on Balogun's playing style, noting, "His movement in behind and getting himself in the goalscoring positions is something that we’ve been crying out for for a long time with the team." Ream also described Balogun as a challenging striker to face in training due to his speed, physical strength, and ability to maneuver past defenders.

Balogun, who started his professional career at Arsenal, has since flourished at Monaco, scoring 19 goals this season and earning the club's Player of the Season award. His recent performance for the national team is seen as a significant boost for the USA's World Cup campaign.

According to Yahoo Sports Soccer, Balogun's emergence highlights the U.S. Soccer Federation's strategy of recruiting players with American connections from around the world.