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The recruiting pitch is done; Folarin Balogun is here. After months of speculation and hype, Balogun is less than one week away from his potential U.S. men's national team debut. It could, quite fittingly, come against Mexico: a big game introduction for a big game player hoping to make an instant impact."It's a fantastic opportunity, not just for me, but for the team," Balogun said on Friday. "Mexico and the U.S. is the big rivalry and I'm looking forward to it. There's no better way to introduce myself than playing against a big opposition when it matters."Balogun will hope to make it a grand introduction, one, perhaps, with a trophy at the end of it. There are few better ways to kickstart a national team career than with some silverware, and the USMNT are just two wins away from lifting the Nations League for the second consecutive cycle.Before taking the field, Balogun spoke to the media about his expectations, his thoughts on the USMNT and what went through his mind during that now-famous Orlando Trip.This page contains affiliate links. When you subscribe through the links provided, we may earn a commission.<a href="https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=goal_mls&amp;itscg=30200&amp;at=1010l39UY" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">Sign up here for MLS Season Pass through Apple TV and watch every MLS match, including the playoffs!</a><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

'No better way to introduce myself' - Folarin Balogun on USMNT decision, first impressions against Mexico and his expectations for himself

The USMNT has had <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/dual-nationals-usmnt-must-secure/blt245924c83d715284#cs9b8424045015eff0" target="_blank">many dual nationals commit to the cause</a>, but there have been few like Balogun.The Reims striker legitimately had the opportunity to someday play for England, something Gareth Southgate had admitted in the midst of the recruiting battle. That tussle went into overdrive this season as Balogun scored 21 goals while on loan at Reims, putting him into the spotlight on both the club and international level.As those goals continued to pour in, Southgate simply told the striker to be patient and that his time would eventually come down the line. There were other, more experienced options ahead of him, for the time being and, if Balogun was patient, his chance would come.Balogun, meanwhile, decided otherwise, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/usmnt-arsenal-loan-folarin-balogun-missing-piece-stars-and-stripes-new-levels/bltd297a7a0b8cbf579" target="_blank">opting for the USMNT</a>. However, he said he wasn't necessarily put off by Southgate's comments, saying instead that he felt his heart was with the USMNT at the end of the day.“In terms of my decision to come here, it was just really, it was an internal decision between myself, my family and my agent,” Balogun said. “It wasn’t anything to do with the comments of Gareth Southgate or anything to do with noise that I heard from outside. It was something I wanted to do, something my family supported and at the end of the day, I just went with my heart and went with what I thought was best.”

'I just went with my heart'

It's been three months since Balogun set social media ablaze with one picture captioned by four simple words: "Here to chase tail". That photo has since become part of USMNT lore. Social media sleuths tracked that background mural to Orlando, where the USMNT were holding their training camp, deducing that Balogun was, in fact, meeting with his now-future teammates.The social media onslaught soon followed, with American fans overwhelming every post made by Balogun with American flags and eagle emojis. He has since admitted that the love shown to him by USMNT fans was one key factor in his choice to commit to the program.All these months later, Balogun admits the hysteria he caused was unintentional. He thought he was simply posting a picture, not realizing the chain of events that would soon follow."I posted the picture and I even showed my agent to see if it was okay," he said. "The picture, I couldn't make out that I was in America! When the comments started coming in that I was here, I was just kind of surprised and kind of overwhelmed."Balogun also reflected on that all-important trip, which saw him meet many of his new teammates for the first time while hearing the U.S. Soccer recruiting pitch."I was out in Orlando, just to do some training, and the squad was there as well," Balogun said. "The manager [Anthony Hudson] reached out to me to come in, have some food, sit down and talk. I was with my agent as well at the time. We spoke about a lot of things and he just explained the vision for U.S. Soccer. After the discussion I just went back home.&nbsp;I still had some time to obviously think and take in what he was saying and then I came to my conclusion.”

That infamous picture

While USMNT fans are dying for a chance to see Balogun in action, it remains to be seen just how quickly he'll be integrated into the full team.Fellow striker Ricardo Pepi is fresh off an important season himself as he rebuilt his career with a big campaign on loan at Groningen. It remains to be seen what BJ Callaghan does for that Mexico match, even if Balogun is the favorite to start in Las Vegas that night."It's still very early," Balogun admitted, having only had four days of training with the U.S. so far. "I'm still getting to know my teammates, on the pitch and off the pitch. Of course, this is not something that will come overnight, so it's an element of patience that we all need to have in order to get the right relationships but we're definitely working towards that."In terms of my expectations and stuff like that, I know that I'm coming in with a mindset that I need to earn my place. I'm not assuming I'm going to come in and start. That's not really my mentality in life. I'm looking to just impress the manager, and if he feels that it's right for me to play, then that's great. If not, if he wants me to come on and try to make an impact, and that's what I'll do."

'I need to earn my place'

Yunus Musah has a lot in common with Balogun, and the two have been friends since their days as young players in the Arsenal academy.Both experienced their breakthroughs away from Arsenal, Musah with Valencia and Balogun with Reims, and both, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/usmnt-folarin-balogun-jones-pepi-dest-musah-dual-national/blt3097e1dcf39a5869" target="_blank">after plenty of effort</a>, opted to represent the U.S. rather than England.That makes Musah one of the most qualified members of the USMNT to speak on Balogun's unique situation. When it comes to actually playing with the striker, though, Musah says it's all pretty easy."You just have to give him the ball and he'll put it in the goal," Musah said. "That's pretty much it."Much has changed, obviously, since the two played together, with both now senior stars with <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/usmnt-folarin-balogun-must-leave-arsenal-permanently/blt4aa4258cb2f7db0a" target="_blank">uncertain club futures</a>. But, all these years later, Musah says the Balogun that has arrived at USMNT camp is very much the same guy he played with back when they were working their way up the ladder in north London."The way I remember him from the academy, he's doing the same stuff now just at a higher level," Musah said. "We're happy that he's with us now."

'Give him the ball and he'll put it in the goal!'

Like many outside observers, Balogun was left impressed by the USMNT's performance at the World Cup in Qatar.After a tough draw against Wales, the U.S. earned another point against England, arguably having the better of the play against the Three Lions. A win over Iran sent the U.S. through, but their run was halted in the round-of-16 with a loss to the Netherlands.Stylistically, the U.S. impressed many outsiders with their play, and you can count Balogun among those that saw a new-look side."From watching the U.S. play the World Cup, I saw a young, hungry team, a team with a lot of ambition," he said. "I thought the boys competed well. Truthfully, it didn't really impact my decision-making to join the team, but it was good to see how far they've come and I really, really believe in the way U.S. Soccer is headed."

'I believe in where U.S. Soccer is headed'

'No better way to introduce myself' - Folarin Balogun on USMNT decision, first impressions against Mexico and his expectations for himself | Goal.com India

The new USMNT striker met with the media ahead of his potential USMNT debut in the Nations League.

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