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The opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup went about as well as you could possibly imagine for the United States Men’s National Team.
The U.S. raced out to a 3-0 lead over Paraguay in the first half, and then cruised home for a comfortable 4-1 victory. While several U.S. players made big impacts in the opening match, none made quite as big an impact as strike Folarin Balogun.
The 24-year-old, who plays for AS Monaco in the French League, scored two goals in the first half, including a fantastic strike on the counterattack to put the USMNT up 3-0 just before the half.
The US has guys like this now. Folarin Balogun holy hell pic.twitter.com/XfKLOsCtFk
— Dave (@davebftv) June 13, 2026
Folarin Balogun Is Only Eligible To Play For United States Thanks To An Airline
Balogun chose to play for the United States in 2023 over powerhouse England and Nigeria, the latter of which missed the World Cup for the second straight time despite being one of the sport’s most accomplished African nations.
Both of his parents are from Nigeria, and he spent his childhood in England, where he joined the legendary Arsenal academy at just eight years old.
So, how did Balogun end up with eligibility to play for the United States? Well, it’s a funny story.
Balogun’s parents visited New York in 2001, at which time his mother was seven months pregnant. When the time came for them to fly back to London, the airline staff banned his mother from boarding the flight because of the risks associated with how far along she was in her pregnancy at the time.
Instead, they remained in the country, and Balogun was born in Brooklyn on July 3, 2001 (unfortunately, she couldn’t wait another day for dramatic effect).
The couple remained in the U.S. until Balogun was two months old, at which point they returned home to England.
Honestly, that airline employee should come forward be hailed as a national hero.
The USMNT is as talented as it’s ever been. But Balogun is the key to making it all work. He’s a dynamic striker who has shown he can score in multiple ways against the world’s top competition.
If the United States is to make a lengthy run in this World Cup, Balogun will likely play a major role, and the country has a brave airline employee to thank.