Folarin Balogun announced himself on football’s biggest stage in spectacular fashion on Friday night, scoring twice as the United States opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Paraguay before a sold-out crowd at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
The 24-year-old striker, who was born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents before moving to England as an infant, delivered a dream World Cup debut on home soil, helping the co-hosts make a statement in front of 70,492 fans and a host of celebrities, including former England captain David Beckham.
Balogun’s brace etched his name into American football history, making him the first United States player to score multiple goals in a World Cup match since Bert Patenaude netted a hat-trick against Paraguay at the inaugural tournament in 1930.
Reflecting on the memorable night, Balogun admitted the occasion exceeded even his own expectations.
“I visualized my debut in the World Cup scoring, but the reality did surpass that,” he said. “A very dreamy night.”
The victory marked another significant chapter in Balogun’s remarkable international journey. Eligible to represent the United States, England and Nigeria, the Arsenal academy graduate ultimately committed his international future to the United States three years ago, a decision that is already paying dividends on the biggest stage.
The striker, who represented England at youth level and also featured for the United States Under-18 side before switching allegiance, said he remains motivated by the support he has received from American fans.
“I’ve always said the fans gave me so much motivation and showed me so much support. The most important thing has always been to be able to repay that,” Balogun said. “I just want to continue to show the fans I made the right decision.”
The Americans opened the scoring through an own goal by Paraguay’s Damian Bobadilla before Balogun took centre stage. Christian Pulisic supplied the assist for the striker’s first goal, a contribution that marked Pulisic’s 21st career assist for the national team and moved him into a tie for fourth place on the all-time U.S. list.
Balogun almost added another moments earlier, only for an offside flag to deny him. He remained undeterred and doubled his tally before halftime, firing into the upper-left corner to give the United States a commanding 3-0 lead heading into the break.
The performance earned glowing praise from captain Pulisic, who highlighted Balogun’s all-round contribution beyond his goals.
“The kid’s insane,” Pulisic said. “He’s lethal right now. We’re really lucky to have him.”
Pulisic added: “Everyone will look at the goals, but the way he’s fighting against these center backs, holding up the ball, getting fouls, I really like it.”
For Balogun, the occasion carried extra significance as family members travelled from across the United States and England to witness his World Cup debut.
“I was able to spot them out in the crowd, but it was tough because so many fans were wearing red and white,” he said. “I had to sort a lot of tickets, but I’m happy to do it because this is a once in a lifetime occasion and I want everyone to experience it.”
The striker admitted he was still struggling to process the magnitude of the moment after the final whistle.
“I’ve not been able to take it all in,” he said.
Asked how he planned to celebrate one of the biggest nights of his career, Balogun offered a surprisingly simple answer.
“To be honest, I think I’ll just watch some Netflix,” he said with a smile.
With Nigeria absent from the tournament and England’s squad packed with established stars, Balogun’s decision to represent the United States is increasingly looking inspired. If his World Cup debut is any indication, the Brooklyn-born forward could become one of the defining stars of the tournament as the Americans pursue a deep run on home soil.
AP
