Folarin Balogun, who is eligible to represent the U.S. men's national soccer team through birthright citizenship, has spent most of his life in Europe but is experiencing the United States with fresh eyes during the World Cup. Teammates have noted his unique perspective, with defender Mark McKenzie sharing that Balogun often describes America as a "simulation," reacting with surprise to everyday sights and cultural elements.
"He says America’s a simulation quite often," McKenzie said. "We’ll be driving down the road and he’ll see something and be like, ‘What is that? Why is an individual dressed like that or why are they throwing a sign up in the air on the corner? What is Bojangles?’ It’s stuff like that where he’s like, ‘Bro, America, what is going on?’ "
Balogun, alongside other European-raised starters like Malik Tillman, Sergiño Dest, and Antonee Robinson, has embraced playing for the U.S. His unfamiliarity extends to cultural touchstones, with teammate Chris Richards recounting Balogun's surprise when John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" played after a win. Balogun also expressed bemusement at American portion sizes and restaurant chains.
The striker's journey to the U.S. national team began with his birth in Brooklyn, an event that occurred because his mother was prevented from boarding a plane back to Europe while heavily pregnant. This background, coupled with his performance in the group stage, has significantly raised his profile.
Despite missing the group-stage finale against Turkey due to a yellow card, Balogun scored twice against Paraguay and was instrumental in creating two own goals in matches against Paraguay and Australia. His play has solidified a striker position that was previously a weakness for the U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT).
Goalkeeper Matt Freese described Balogun's shot as "strong," while McKenzie, who faces Balogun in France's Ligue 1, highlighted his versatility. "He can hurt you on the dribble, hurt you in behind, he’s a clinical finisher," McKenzie said. Christian Pulisic simply referred to him as "a killer."
Balogun himself appears modest about the attention, projecting quiet confidence. "I think the team has always been diverse. No different from America," Balogun stated. "An extremely diverse place. I think the most important thing for us is to stay focused on what we’re doing. We’re here to play football, we’re here to compete at the highest level, we’re here to make the country proud. I think if we do it at the level I know we can, we’ll inspire the nation."
The striker is expected to secure a move from his current club, AS Monaco, according to The Athletic. His decision to represent his nation of birth has transformed a long-standing deficiency into a newfound strength for the USMNT.