Brooklyn-born striker Folarin Balogun scored two first-half goals for the United States men's national team in their 2026 World Cup opening match against Paraguay on June 13, 2026.
His brace anchored the attack for manager Mauricio Pochettino and marked the first time a United States player scored multiple goals in a single World Cup match since 1930.
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The performance cements Balogun's position as the premier starting forward for the national team squad.
International Career Decision
The AS Monaco attacker chose to represent the United States international team in May 2023, turning down interest from both England and Nigeria.
Balogun previously played for the England youth national setup, scoring 10 goals across 27 combined appearances at the under-17, under-18, under-20, and under-21 levels.
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The decision came after former England manager Gareth Southgate could not promise consistent playing time due to a crowded depth chart featuring Harry Kane, Ivan Toney, and Ollie Watkins.
Choosing the United States allowed Balogun to immediately surpass domestic forwards Haji Wright and Josh Sargent for the starting role.
At the club level, Balogun plays in the French Ligue 1 for AS Monaco, who acquired him from Arsenal for a reported fee of €30 million following a successful loan spell at Reims where he scored 21 goals in 37 matches.
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He has recorded 31 total goals for Monaco since the permanent transfer.
