Former Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun was the hero for the United States of America after he scored a brace against Paraguay in the Group D opener, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 24-year-old was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Nigerian parents, before the family returned to the United Kingdom when the striker was only two months old.
Growing up, the Monaco forward was caught up in three cultures, and expressed his desire to play for the three nations he had affiliations with.
Balogun played for England at the U-17 Euro tournament eight years ago, before switching to represent the United States later that year. He'd go on to play for England again the following year, representing the Three Lions up until the U-21 level.
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Just before the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Balogun, before his move to French side Reims, revealed he's open to playing for the Super Eagles, but there was no contact from the Nigerian Football Federation.
“I haven't heard anything from Nigeria, but I'm open to anything because Nigeria is very close to my heart,” he told BBC Sport Africa.
“My family's from there. I always have love for Nigeria. Playing for them is a conversation that I need to have with people around me, my agent and obviously my family.
“But if I was asked about the opportunity to play for Nigeria, then I can have that conversation. But first I need to be asked,” Balogun said.
— Balogun (@balogun) June 13, 2026
While he waited for the call, it never came, and in 2023, he committed his international future to the USMNT and has gone on to accrue 28 caps for Mauricio Pochettino's side, scoring eleven goals.
Folarin Balogun reaps rewards of Super Eagles snub in World Cup opener
The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and had the New York-born chosen Nigeria, he simply wouldn't have been able to bench Victor Osimhen.
The ripple effect of that decision would mean he never got to play in a World Cup, and in turn, never got to win over the hearts of the Americans.
Following his double against Paraguay earlier today, Balogun confirmed he made the right choice to represent the United States.
“A real dream, it's a dreamy night,” Balogun said in quotes revealed by ESPN.
“I've not been able to take it all in. I'm sure when I get back to my hotel, I'm going to be able to be in the moment and experience how much of an amazing night this is.”
“When I committed, I've always said the fans gave me so much motivation, showed me so much support,” the striker said, reflecting on the decision he made three years ago.
“For me, the most important thing has always been to repay that.
“I feel like today is a great opportunity, and I just want to continue to show the fans I made the right decision. I'm completely proud, and I want to continue to make the fans proud as well.
“I visualized my debut in the World Cup scoring, but the reality did surpass that of scoring two goals, and the second goal was a fantastic goal as well,” Balogun concluded.
Although the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Balogun joins other Nigerian-blooded talents flying the Green and White flag high at the Copa Mundial.
