‘International soccer is something new’ - Folarin Balogun still adapting to USMNT life as Monaco CEO hails young forward for ‘strong mindset’

The 22-year-old striker enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2022-23 as he hit 22 goals while on loan at Ligue 1 side Reims from Premier League giants Arsenal. Those exploits earned him a permanent transfer to Monaco, while the United States prevailed in an allegiance tug of war with England. Balogun has registered three goals at domestic level this season and is an established part of the U.S. set-up, but the demands of elite competition with club and country is taking some getting used to.

Scuro has told CBS Sports of that process: “Everything is connected to performance, right? If we keep helping Folarin to improve his performances on the field with Monaco, he will be fitter and capable of the same with the USMNT - especially given his position. If he scores goals for us and internationally, for sure it will open up opportunities for him and for us. I see this as a good opportunity for us but performance must be the main driver in this strategy. This is why we are focusing on helping him to adapt as quickly as possible. International soccer is also something new for him with so many hours across different time zones, a different style of soccer in America compared with Europe so it is a challenging process for him. He is young, but mature which helps him facing these steps.”

Monaco splashed out €30 million (£26m/$33m) to lure Balogun away from Arsenal and believe they will see a healthy return on that investment once he feels completely at home in new surroundings. Scuro added: “We were very happy to close the deal for Folarin. It was at the end of the transfer window and I say that because it impacts how he has adapted to the club. He did not get to have a pre-season as he arrived with this campaign already underway. It is challenging for a player to understand the style of play and training methods which he is piecing together week by week. We are working on this and Folarin is understanding what we expect from players in his position. He is very talented with a strong mindset, he works hard and is open to learning and developing. Those skills make us confident that we can build with him for the future and he has already had a positive impact on some games. I am sure that he will develop and progress further here in Monaco.”

Balogun returned to French football over the summer on a five-year contract, taking him through to 2028, and has plenty to look forward to as his club push for Champions League qualification and the United States ready themselves for Copa America and World Cup events that will be staged on home soil in 2024 and 2026 respectively.