Folarin Balogun repays USMNT faith with dream World Cup debut

American fans on social media helped kickstart Balogun’s USMNT career. As he broke out on loan at Reims in the spring of 2023, supporters flooded his Instagram with eagles and flags. A clue in a holiday photo led them to a bar in Orlando where the U.S. team were training, and USMNT players slipped him out to a recruiting dinner.

“That was the first time actually meeting Weston, CP, a lot of the boys were there,” Balogun recalled. “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 he surprised U.S.

Soccer by deciding to commit immediately rather than wait for an England call. Born in New York and raised in London, Balogun came through Arsenal's academy and had represented both the U.S. and England at youth level, and had even considered Nigeria. “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 said.

United States, New York

folarin balogun, usmnt, world cup, reims, arsenal academy, instagram, orlando, us soccer, new york, england