Key facts
- Folarin Balogun scored two goals in the USMNT's 4-1 victory over Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup opener.
- Balogun's brace made him the first USMNT player since Bert Patenaude in 1930 to score two goals in a World Cup match.
- Born in Brooklyn, Balogun was eligible to represent the United States, England, and Nigeria.
- He switched his international allegiance to the United States in 2023.
- Balogun previously played for England's youth teams and the U.S. U-18 side.
Folarin Balogun starred in the United States' 4-1 FIFA World Cup 2026 opening victory over Paraguay, scoring two goals. The Brooklyn-born striker, who switched his international allegiance to the U.S. in 2023, became the first American player since 1930 to score multiple goals in a World Cup match.
Balogun's second goal was a highlight, where he used feints and footwork to deceive his marker before firing a shot into the top-left corner. This performance capped a dominant first-half display by the United States.
Born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents, Balogun moved to England at age two and was eligible to represent the United States, England, and Nigeria. He played for England's youth teams and the U.S. U-18 team before opting to switch his international allegiance to the United States in 2023 after a recruitment effort by U.S. Soccer.
Balogun began his club career in Arsenal FC's academy, with loan spells at Middlesbrough FC and a breakthrough at Stade de Reims in France, where he scored 19 goals in the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season.