Folarin Balogun of the United States men's national team is quickly becoming a fan favorite in this year's FIFA World Cup.
Balogun started off his 2026 World Cup campaign with a brace against Paraguay. As you'd imagine, the Brooklyn native was thrilled about playing a huge role in the USMNT's 4-1 win.
"Yeah, it was definitely a statement, three goals in the first half opening game," Balogun said. "I felt like it was a real statement, and that's what you wanted to do. So I'm very, very delighted with the overall performance, especially the first half."
Even though Balogun didn't score on Friday against Australia, he applied plenty of pressure in the first 45 minutes. As for the second half in Seattle, his best assist came during a break in the action.
© Blake Dahlin-Imagn Images.
After one of the referees fell down due to cramping, Balogun ran over and helped the ref stretch out his calf. It was a nice gesture from the AS Monaco striker.
"Balogun staying by the ref’s side while he recovers is pure class," one fan declared.
"Fo Balogun helping the ref stretch," a second fan commented. "What a guy."
"Balogun helping the referee after an injury is awesome," another fan said.
Representing the USMNT.
Balogun was born in Brooklyn, New York, but he moved to the United Kingdom just months later. Despite his upbringing in England, he felt it was a "no-brainer" to represent the USMNT in the World Cup.
"When I broke the news to my family they were all just over the moon, especially my mom," Balogun said. "She said, 'What took you so long?' To represent the United States means a lot, more than people would know. I'm very proud and honored to have this opportunity, and I want to give everything I have to make our team successful."
There's no doubt Balogun has made his family proud during this year's World Cup.
