Some strikers are larger-than-life figures who command attention, even in challenging moments. Folarin Balogun, however, opts for a quieter approach while consistently maintaining an impressive scoring record. The 24-year-old, who was born in New York but raised in London, has made his mark by choosing to represent the United States over England and Nigeria. Last season, he ranked fourth in Ligue 1 scoring with 13 goals, positioning himself well for an upcoming World Cup on home soil.
Fans of the USMNT have closely followed Balogun’s journey, eager for a reliable goalscorer.
“What we would say in England is how sharp he is,” said USMNT captain Tim Ream. “Just with his movement: left, right, being able to hold the ball up and bring other players in, and then 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 and this group. He’s probably the most annoying striker for me to have to deal with in training because he is so quick with his movements, physically strong and able to seemingly glide past people.”
Since last summer’s Gold Cup, Balogun has participated in six of the United States’ ten friendlies, all against teams that qualified for the World Cup. Across these matches, he has accumulated 423 minutes, with five appearances lasting between 71 and 81 minutes. He averages 26.4 touches per 90 minutes, following a tactical shift implemented by Mauricio Pochettino. Notably, 24.1% of his touches occurred within the opponent’s penalty area, with impressive counts of nine touches against Japan, eight against Ecuador, and six during a 45-minute outing against Senegal.
In particular, the US’s final pre-tournament friendlies against Senegal and Germany served as significant tests for evaluating system readiness for the World Cup, revealing areas that need improvement. The match against Germany highlighted a tendency to build up play down the left flank, driven by Ream’s connections with fellow Fulham alum Antonee Robinson. While this strategy allows for more involvement from Christian Pulisic, it risks leaving Balogun isolated as teammates attempt to return the ball to the more crowded central area.
Nonetheless, this isolation may not be overly detrimental. Balogun’s agility remains a crucial factor, keeping him at the forefront of opponents’ minds, even when service is lacking. His ability to stretch center-backs by moving laterally creates opportunities for teammates to exploit gaps for counter-attacks. Balogun embodies the archetype of an advanced striker, contributing less to buildup play and rarely dropping deep into midfield or backline areas.
For the high-stakes matches approaching, it is essential to ensure that the team’s most in-form forward gets his chances to shoot.
“I think in the game against Senegal, I had a good amount of opportunities. I felt involved in a short amount of time. As a striker, that’s what you want to do. That’s how you want to feel. The game against Germany was a bit more difficult. Of course, they’re a better opposition, so that’s to be expected.” Balogun commented on the left-heavy buildup against Germany. “I’m just trying to go into these games, you know: every game’s going to be a completely new game,”
Paraguay, the US’s initial opponent in the group stage, will pose a distinct yet familiar challenge. The US faced La Albirroja in a friendly last November, where Balogun contributed the second goal in a 2-1 victory.
The squad in that match was missing several expected World Cup starters, including Pulisic, Robinson, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, and Sergiño Dest, which became evident as Balogun had limited opportunities. Having his preferred attacking midfielders, wide defenders, and defensive midfield could facilitate quicker service to Balogun compared to a more rotated lineup.
Still, Balogun’s performance against Paraguay’s defensive setup demonstrated that he doesn’t require numerous chances to leave his mark. In that match, he registered just 15 touches in 75 minutes, marking his least involved performance across his six extended outings post-Gold Cup. Only one of those touches occurred within the Paraguayan penalty area.
In theory, Paraguay aimed to minimize his impact. However, Balogun capitalized on the opportunity.
After the US forced a turnover near the edge of the final third in the 71st minute, Balogun surged forward. He connected with Gio Reyna to reach the edge of the box, where Reyna attempted to cross back to Balogun. The ball deflected but still rolled towards him. Aware that he couldn’t afford to squander this chance after 70 minutes of limited involvement, Balogun fired the ball into the near post with his only touch in the box.
Paraguay will likely scrutinize this footage alongside Germany’s strategies to limit Balogun’s service. The US may still be refining their central approach, but Balogun is confident in his ability to capitalize on the opportunities presented to him.
“Every game’s going to be a fight. Players need to be hungry, stay focused. I have faith in my teammates and myself that we can definitely create opportunities and finish them off.” Balogun said. “Every game’s going to be a fight. Players need to be hungry, stay focused. I have faith in my teammates and myself that we can definitely create opportunities and finish them off.”
