Folarin Balogun & Ricardo Pepi advised on how to emulate USMNT goal legends Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey & Brian McBride as Tim Howard challenges No.9 rivals

The Monaco and PSV strikers are currently competing for the No.9 spot in the United States national team. Both are proven goalscorers at club level, but are relative newcomers when it comes to the global stage. They have been on target for their country – with efforts recorded during the latest international break – but are also working on unlocking full potential.

Balogun has pledged allegiance to the USMNT following a tug of war with England – with the New York native netting twice through four appearances for his country – while Pepi is up to nine goals from 18 outings.

Former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard has told the Offside with Taylor Twellman: “When you look at the history of the USMNT, our success has always been built on consistent goalscorers – someone who can do it in friendlies, someone who can do in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, someone who can do it on the world stage. Sometimes, in this current team, you can do it by committee because they have so many good wingers and midfielders, but ultimately the USMNT has to have a Clint Dempsey, a Jozy Altidore, a Brian McBride – where in moments, going into a game that might be against an opponent where you might not dominate the ball, you are looking at and saying ‘If in two hours we have won this game, I know he’ll have scored’. We have seen it down the years – Jozy Altidore put five people on his back and scored, Clint Dempsey pulled a rabbit out of the hat, Brian McBride stuck his head in a place that he shouldn’t have. There has always been that down the years for the last two decades. What’s missing from this current group is that, and I think it was missing going into the World Cup. What I do think about Balogun and Pepi is, they can start to sharpen each other. If one scores, then the other is thinking ‘I’ve got to get the bit between my teeth and make sure I keep pushing’. That then sends them back to their clubs and they push harder. A recognised goalscorer, someone who does it consistently, is greedy and hungry and doesn’t want to come off the pitch, is angry when they don’t get the ball, that’s the type of No.9 that the U.S. needs. I think those two can do it. I like the look of them. They both present different options.”

Ex-Sunderland and Toronto FC frontman Altidore scored 42 goals for the USMNT in 115 appearances. Former Fulham and Seattle Sounders star Dempsey hit 57 in 141 games, while McBride – who represented Columbus Crew, Everton and Fulham in his club career – managed 30 in 96 caps.