EXCLUSIVE: With a unique career trajectory, Balogun just might be the player to define the USMNT run to the World Cup
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Folarin Balogun isn't particularly comfortable talking about the spotlight. Strikers are loud, by nature, but Balogun is quiet. He's introverted, he says. His hobbies include sleeping, relaxing and enjoying the comforts of his own home. The spotlight he's now under with the USMNT? In many ways, it's foreign to him.
He's not desperate for attention. He prefers peace and quiet over braggadocio and brazen behavior.
In certain ways, though, Balogun has always sought that attention, even if it does go against his nature. Capturing it has been such a driving force behind everything he's done. As a kid, he didn't dream of scoring goals in front of dozens of people – he dreamed of doing it in front of millions. Balogun may be private off the field but, to get where he's always wanted to be, he's always known that he'd have to make some noise.
Balogun's arrival on the USMNT scene several years ago was loud. He was perhaps the most discussed dual-national prospect in American soccer history. Over the course of just a few months, he went from prospect to savior to – in the blink of an eye – a USMNT player. Throughout that process, that spotlight fixed on him and, even since, it hasn't dimmed.
Despite his injuries and the overall chaos of the USMNT post-2022 World Cup, Balogun has remained the man in focus. Just as much as he was two-and-a-half years ago, Balogun may be the player who will define this USMNT's run to the 2026 World Cup.
"I think the hardest part is that we all work our whole lives for something," Balogun tells GOAL, "but I always have a slightly different outlook. You do that work your whole life, and it is a constant pursuit of greatness. At the end of the day, I think it all comes down to definitive moments. Each of those moments makes a great career. There are certain moments that allow other moments to happen. You get to do something you've dreamed of as a kid and, if you keep scoring, you allow yourself to get that opportunity again and again."
The last two-and-a-half years have been opportunities. Balogun integrated himself with his team, performed under several coaches and grown as a striker amid success, failure and injury issues with his club at Monaco. In some ways, all of that matters. In other ways, none of it does. Everything leading up to the World Cup is great but, ultimately, players make their marks on those stages.
Goals against Japan and Ecuador in pre-World Cup friendlies are nice, of course, but they only really matter if they lead to goals next summer. From the moment U.S. Soccer unveiled him as the next star, that was the target. The World Cup has, and will always be, the measuring stick.
The question, then: can Balogun be the guy for the USMNT? American soccer is eager to find out. So is Balogun himself.
"It's changed as I've gotten older," he says. "I feel like playing in front of big crowds with huge expectations, naturally, brings out the best in me. I'm not someone who would ever, physically or mentally, want to fold under big circumstances. I wouldn't want to fold on myself. I can't let that cross my mind. It's why I enjoy those scenarios. Big games, big rewards, so that's not something I would ever need to be scared of."
No fear as he approaches his next big moment. The road has been winding, and it began with a social media post a few years ago.
Getty Images'Make a choice, not have a choice made for me'
For those who weren't tuned in through the great Balogun chase of 2023, it is hard to explain. On the heels of the World Cup in Qatar, a young USMNT group seemingly needed a star striker. As it happens, there was one, a rising dual-national on loan in France. The goals flowed. So did the attention. And then the tipping point: an innocent picture in Orlando that accidentally hinted at American soccer's worst-kept secret.
Shortly after that, Balogun officially arrived.
The decision, for many, was shocking. Balogun was 21, and seemingly had the world at his feet. His 22-goal season while on loan with Ligue 1 side Reims opened countless doors to the young striker. Born and raised in England, the Three Lions seemed within reach. And then they weren't because Balogun didn't want it – he wanted to play for the USMNT.
There were many reasons for that decision, and Balogun has explained them often since first wearing the USMNT jersey in June of 2023. There was a sense of comfort and a sense of belonging. There was that feeling of being wanted. There was a belief in the opportunity of it all. More than anything, there was a sense of finality. This was something he could commit to being a part of for his career. Balogun liked that. Even at the young age of 21, he wanted that sense of closure.
"I think, in life, the most important thing is to have control over your surroundings, over your decisions and over the way you live," he says. "I would always rather be in a position where I make a choice than have a choice be made for me. At that time in my life, I wanted to make a choice, and I wanted to make a definitive choice because that put my own mind to rest as well. I didn't want a saga. I didn't want it to be 'Will he or won't he?'"
The pressure was unique. There's always expectations of strikers – such is the nature of the position. Balogun, though, was under a different weight. He was brought in as, at the very least, the missing piece. For some, he was a savior, the player who would finally take the USMNT over the top.
It was a lot for a 21-year-old kid with only one real season of professional experience. He had to prove the world right. In addition, he had to prove himself right, too. He had to show that he knew what he was doing by committing to something long before he actually had to.
"I was a young kid at the time, and I'm still young, but that was new – playing in front of the public eye at the highest level for the men's national team," he says. "I knew there would be expectations and pressure that came with it. I wouldn't say it was ever too much. Nothing anyone asked of me was unrealistic. I put a lot of pressure on myself, as well. I'd like to have scored more goals and I'm still competing, but I just always wanted to help the team get the results we all want."
Balogun was enticed by that concept. At the core, he wanted to be a part of a team, one that would build, grow and learn together as they chased their dreams. His contributions started early. In just his second USMNT appearance, Balogun announced himself to American soccer with a goal in the CONCACAF Nations League final, helping the USMNT win a trophy against rivals Mexico.
"I would say that game felt like, not that I necessarily arrived," he said, "but that made me feel like I was here and that I was a part of something."
That was still just a beginning. There were layers to peel back before the USMNT met the real Balogun.
AdvertisementGetty Images'You've got to learn where you fit'
Balogun says that, particularly on USMNT duty, he doesn't do much off the pitch. He spends bus rides staring out the window, getting a look at American cities that he never got to visit during his childhood in England. During downtime at a hotel, he's a big fan of sleeping. Recovery comes first, after all. When he is awake, he's quiet, but that isn't a USMNT-specific thing.
"I'm extremely introverted," he admits. "I have a beautiful home in Monaco and one in London. When I finish training, I'm at home. I'm resting, chilling, talking to friends. I'm happy for people to visit me in my space, but I'm not really ever going to leave my space."
For many of the USMNT's leaders, one of the first orders of business when Balogun arrived was making him leave his space, even just a little bit. Here was the USMNT's new star striker and, despite his desire to stay quiet, he was joining a pretty loud group. Yes, there were more toned-down personalities such as Christian Pulisic and former Arsenal teammate Yunus Musah. There were also some very loud ones and, from the start, they wanted to suss out where Balogun stood.
"That's a thing for everybody – you've got to learn where you fit," USMNT defender Chris Richards told GOAL. "He's done that. He missed out on a lot of the opportunities with the youth national teams that many of us had together. He missed those experiences, but he came right into this group. He's soft spoken, and we knew we had to get him out of that shell a little bit.
"Once we did, he was accepted. He's really integrated himself and you can see it on the pitch, too."
That initial feeling-out period, Balogun says, was crucial – and it's now paying off. He's not rushing to become a part of the USMNT with a World Cup on the horizon – he's already a regular within the team. He already has friends and memories with his teammates, and he hopes to create plenty more.
Including Friday's goal against Ecuador, Balogun has seven finishes in 20 caps. Injuries have prevented him from getting more, but even with that missed time, Balogun says the process has paid off.
"It gave me the opportunity to be integrated with the team," he says. "That's the benefit of making a decision – it allows you the opportunity to build deep chemistry with your teammates. That's going to benefit me going into a World Cup. With each game I play, I build a closer relationship with CP, Weston [McKennie], the guys around me, the attackers, the people who are going to play me through balls. The longer they know me, the more they know me. They all have the quality to look for me, too.
"That's the benefit of making decisions rather than having decisions made for you."
The only thing left is to confirm the belief that was the defining part of his recruitment – that Balogun is the guy who can make a difference in the biggest moments.
Getty'Strikers need to score goals'
Mauricio Pochettino didn't mince words when asked what he expects of his strikers. The details may be a bit more complicated, but the instructions are clear: get us goals.
"Strikers need to score goals," Pochettino said. "Then, of course, there are the qualities that we expect can balance a team, depending on the characteristics of the players and who is next to you. But for me, it's simple and straightforward – score goals. I think the most important quality of a striker is, if they touch one ball in the right area to score, they score. Two, three, they score.
"That is the principal quality… What we ask is to be in the right place at the right moment. And when that arrives, be there and score. That is what we expect. That is my first demand."
Pochettino wants difference-makers up top. Balogun is fighting to prove he can be one. He's not the only striker seeking minutes, of course. Joining him are the likes of Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright, Patrick Agyemang and Josh Sargent. All will feel that a few goals can get them into the mix. All will also feel that a few quiet moments can take them out.
"If I keep doing my thing, I'll be fine," Balogun says. "The most important thing is getting to the World Cup the right way. It's not even necessarily about the World Cup, it's about entering the tournament with the right state of mind. You need to have confidence in your output over the months building up to the World Cup throughout your season. Because of that, I'm more focused on what I can do in the present. I control what I can control going into the World Cup. That's what will make me better.
"When you score, you'll get another chance. I'm at a stage and in an industry where I know what I need to do and keep doing. If I play this season and score 30 goals, no surprise, good things will follow."
The USMNT would be thrilled to see more good things. Balogun was fantastic against Japan last month, routinely stretching the field before getting the second goal in the 2-0 win. Against Ecuador on Friday, he was even better. From the opening whistle, he gave the South American side fits.
Ecuador hadn't conceded in five matches prior to the USMNT friendly, including games against Argentina and Brazil. They were powerless, though, against Balogun, who scored the equalizer and, in truth, could have had a few more if things had bounced his way.
"He works really well with the guys up top," Richards said. "Every time he's had his chance, he's taken it and done the most with it, and that's the name of the game with the national team. I'm really happy to see him score goals. And I'm hoping he can score a lot more for us."
Getty'Football's like chess'
Balogun's favorite part about scoring isn't the moment the ball hits the net. It's not the anticipation of the ball at his feet or the celebration. No, Balogun's favorite feeling comes in that brief time period – those 10 or 15 minutes afterward – when you learn what that goal meant. In that span, Balogun hopes that feeling never ends.
"It feels the same each time," he says. "It's a release and joy at the same time. For me, the thing I actually enjoy most about scoring is how it shifts the momentum of a game. Football's like chess, where you try to gain an advantage. I just love that feeling when you walk back to the halfway line and you see your team riled up and the other one deflated. I love that feeling because it makes it feel like scoring again will be easier."
Pochettino and the USMNT, too, will hope for more. Balogun has now scored twice in as many starts under the USMNT coach, offering a good glimpse into what next summer could look like. When the U.S. kicks off the World Cup next June before some 70,000 fans at SoFi Stadium, Balogun could very well be the man leading the line.
Not that he's nervous about that, mind you. In fact, it's everything he's been working for.
"I scored in the Copa America in that second game," Balogun says. "I scored with my left foot, and it was one of the nicer goals of my career, off the post and in. I remember just looking around the stadium, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and there were 60,000 to 70,000 fans cheering. That's why I wanted to be a part of this. That's why I wanted to represent the USA."
Those definitive moments? They're coming. They're the ones he's always dreamed of. And it's why he's wearing a USMNT jersey. Balogun has always known that. Now, it's just about doing it, again and again and again.
