INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Folarin Balogun left no room for doubt as to why he is currently the most anticipated and talked-about star in the United States Men's National Team (USMNT) setup.
On June 13, the USMNT secured a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their opening Group D match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held at the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. With this dominant performance, the United States captured three crucial points to climb to the top of Group D. Conversely, Paraguay—a team that had not conceded a single goal in their previous ten World Cup matches leading up to this fixture—suffered a devastating blow, sliding to the bottom of the group standings.
The Flawless Night of Folarin Balogun
The undisputed Man of the Match was none other than the 2001-born marksman, Folarin Balogun. The striker broke the game wide open in the 31st minute when team captain Christian Pulisic made a brilliant driving run down the left flank. Pulisic delivered a precise, low cutback into the penalty box, finding a surging Balogun, who calmly slotted the ball home with his right foot to make it 2-0.
Balogun was far from finished. Deep into first-half stoppage time (45+5'), he collected the ball inside the box, showcased immense composure to bypass a Paraguayan defender, and unleashed a ferocious left-footed strike into the back of the net. Balogun's brace allowed the U.S. to head into the tunnel with a comfortable 3-0 cushion. This first-half onslaught proved decisive, allowing the USMNT to absorb a late second-half push from Paraguay and ultimately wrap up a comprehensive 4-1 victory.
Football statistics website FotMob awarded Balogun a staggering match rating of 8.9, the highest among all players on the pitch. Starting as the lone striker, Balogun played 72 high-intensity minutes before being subbed off to a standing ovation. Despite his limited time, he completely dominated the attacking third, scoring two goals and registering the most touches inside the opponent's penalty box (11) of any player.
Solving America's Historic 'No. 9' Conundrum
For years, American soccer has struggled to find a reliable, world-class center-forward—a traditional "No. 9" capable of converting half-chances at the highest level. Balogun is proving to be the definitive answer to that long-standing problem.
Balogun is not a forward who demands high volume or constant possession. Instead, he specializes in ghosting behind defensive lines, using quick, intelligent off-the-ball movements to punish opponents with lethal efficiency. This specific profile makes him a perfect tactical match for Pulisic. By combining elite space penetration with reliable link-up play, Balogun has arguably cemented himself as the most complete and dangerous attacking threat in the American arsenal.
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