'Able to repay that' - Folarin Balogun rewards USMNT faith with dream World Cup debut as recruitment mission comes full circle

Social media sleuths can achieve special things, and it was American soccer's ability to sleuth that kickstarted the USMNT career of a player that, on Friday, etched his place in World Cup history.

In the spring of 2023, the USMNT needed a striker capable of seizing the No. 9 position, and as he continued to break out while on loan at French side Reims, Balogun looked like he could be that guy. Born in New York, the striker had been raised in London, playing in the Arsenal academy while also representing the U.S. and England on the international level. Months before, he'd flirted with the idea of representing Nigeria, too.

That spring, though, social media took over. Fans flooded Balogun’s Instagram comments with eagles and flags. Every post became a recruiting pitch, one designed to show him just how much American soccer cared. Then, suddenly, all of those emojis had their payoff. After Balogun turned down an invite to an England youth camp, he posted a photo from his “holiday,” and eagle-eyed fans quickly found a clue hiding in the background. The search led them to a bar in Orlando, where, quite conveniently, the U.S. were training at the time.

Even with the covert op someone exposed, the USMNT's top stars were able to sneak Balogun out for a dinner that doubled as a recruiting pitch. He remembers it well.

"That was the first time actually meeting Weston, CP, a lot of the boys were there," Balogun said in Atlanta last month. "I think Weston's character was just intense. It was cool. They made me feel welcome. [Weston was] intense in a good way, though. I'm just more reserved."

A few weeks later, Balogun stunned everyone. In what was supposed to be a routine check-in with U.S. Soccer, Balogun and his agent informed leadership that he was ready to commit immediately. He didn't have to, and there was certainly a real argument for Balogun to try and hold out for an England call. He didn't want it; he wanted to start immediately as a member of the USMNT, and he wanted to be there for every moment he could

"I think, in life, the most important thing is to have control over your surroundings, over your decisions and over the way you live," he told GOAL last fall. "I would always rather be in a position where I make a choice than have a choice be made for me. At that time in my life, I wanted to make a choice, and I wanted to make a definitive choice because that put my own mind to rest as well. I didn't want a saga. I didn't want it to be 'Will he or won't he?'"

On Friday night, Balogun was asked to be introspective about that decision. He was asked if he's thought about it or about that road that brought him to Los Angeles for his World Cup debut. He did think about it, he said. He also thought back to the feelings he had when he first arrived for that trip in Orlando, admitting that he hopes he was able to pass some of those feelings forward.

"When I committed, and throughout the whole cycle and the whole journey to me being in this point, I've always said that the fans gave me so much motivation," he said. "They showed me so much support. For me, the most important thing has always been to be able to repay that. I feel like today's a great opportunity, and I just want to continue to show the fans that I made the right decision. I'm completely proud, and I want to continue to make the fans proud as well."

He did that and more against Paraguay with the perfect World Cup debut.

From the early moments of the USMNT’s clash with Paraguay, dominance felt inevitable. The U.S. ran circles around their opponents and seemed to know it, playing with the kind of freedom that only comes when a team realizes the game is fully in its control.

Balogun embodied that. His first goal was clean and clinical, a first-time finish from Christian Pulisic’s feed. His second was something else entirely: played in by Malik Tillman, he burst down the right, cut inside, rode the contact, waited for his moment, and bent his shot into the top corner. It was a true “Welcome to the World Cup” finish for a striker making the most of his first chance on the biggest stage.

“It felt like it was a real statement,” he said of the USMNT performance, “and that’s what we wanted to do. I’m very, very delighted with the overall performance, but especially the first half.”

While Balogun was more measured, his teammates were full of praise. They knew he was capable of these types of games and, for those who have gotten to know him over these last few years, it wasn't too much of a surprise to see him make the most of it.

"The kid's insane," Pulisic said. "He's lethal right now in front of goal. We're really lucky to have him. We're just hoping it keeps coming like this."

Added Sergino Dest: "He was all over the place... To end the game with two goals and the player of the match is great stuff."

While everyone was so focused on the goals, Pulisic was quick to point to the other things Balogun did.

“Everyone will look at the goals,” the USMNT star said, “but it’s the way he’s fighting against these center backs, holding up the ball, getting fouls.”

Pulisic is right: Balogun has developed into a complete striker, and that was made clear during the two send-off games. Against Senegal, he created chance after chance in his 45-minute runout while ultimately getting a goal of his own. There was no goal against Germany, but rather a large amount of overlooked dirty work that never got rewarded. Balogun's pace and timing make him a handful, even during sequences where he doesn't touch the ball.

He, of course, saw plenty of the ball against Paraguay. He had the most touches, 10, in the Paraguay box. He fired off five shots, two that went in and one bonus one that also hit the back of the net before being called back as the referee blew for offside. In addition, he drew three fouls while also kick-starting the American press that made Paraguay uncomfortable all night.

"I think we saw a different side of Flo today," said McKennie. "The guy who can do the dirty work. The guy who can get stuck in and put his body on the line for the team and be a clinical finisher."

Dest added, "His job is not easy. He has to press a lot, we have to follow, so he kind of has to take the lead."

With Balogun taking the lead, the U.S. can be a much better team. Those thoughts are for the future, though. This weekend is about relishing the moment.

Balogun had plenty of family in the crowd on Friday, as can be expected for a player making his World Cup debut. After scoring, he tried to find them, he said. He knew roughly where they were, but in truth, the Los Angeles crowd was a sea of red and white stripes that made it a bit hard to spot any specific person.

"I had to sort a lot of tickets," he joked, "but I'm happy to do it because this is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. I want everyone to experience it. I have family all over the states watching and back home in London as well. It's a fantastic evening."

There was no grand celebration planned, though. Balogun was already looking ahead, saying that there are obviously more matches to play. This weekend, then, would be about recovery, not celebrating. After the game, he said, he would go back and spend the rest of his night on Netflix. There would be no champagne popped for a group stage win, as good as it was.

At some point during his movie night, though, Balogun said he was going to try and reflect on it all: the goals, the win, the road to Los Angeles and perhaps even the start of a journey that began with a dinner that changed his life for the better.

"It's a dream," he said. "I've not been able to take it all in, but when I get back to my hotel, I'm sure I'm going to really be able to be in the moment and experience how much of an amazing night this is."