The United States Men's National Team didn't have the finish to the 2026 FIFA World Cup that they would have liked, but that won't take away from how much of a household name forward Flo Balogun became.
The Monaco standout opted to play for the United States over England and Nigeria in 2023, and while he was known by those in the soccer community, wasn't widely known to the average fan.
That changed in a big way during the USMNT's run to the Round of 16, as he led the team in scoring and greatly outplayed the face of the program, Christian Pulisic. As a result of his stellar tournament, not only did Balogun increase his popularity, but he also increased his status within the sports world.
On Monday, Balogun announced via his Instagram Story that he had signed with Klutch Sports Group.
Founded by LeBron James' agent Rich Paul in 2012, Klutch Sports Group represents some of the biggest names in the sports and entertainment world.
Balogun joins a roster of athletic talent such as NBA star Draymond Green, WNBA and Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson and Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback Jalen Hurts, among countless others.
Photo by John Dorton/USSF/Getty Images
The move comes after a June report by The Athletic revealed that there had been no talks between the forward and Monaco, which could lead to a high-profile transfer.
"It is anticipated that Monaco will seek a fee in the region of €50million (£43.2m; $57.1m) for Balogun, which would represent a €20m profit on the deal that brought him to the south of France in 2023," David Ornstein of The Athletic reported.
With one of the most aggressive agencies in the world doing his bidding now, Balogun could make the jump to a better league and receive a massive payday as well.
