Meet the former Arsenal striker ready to end USA’s World Cup goalscoring woes | OneFootball

Folarin Balogun’s decision to represent the United States rather than England or Nigeria is poised to pay significant dividends as the striker prepares for a home World Cup.

His choice, made three years ago, was driven by the clear opportunity to become a central figure for the American squad, a role he might not have secured with the Three Lions, where he would have contended with established talents like Harry Kane and Ollie Watkins.

Balogun, who came through Arsenal’s academy as he grew up in England and began his international career at the under-21 level for the nation, also considered playing for his parents' Nigeria.

However, the 24-year-old, born in the US, opted to represent his birth country, a move that now places him at the forefront of the American attack.

"I feel like my individual journey is a bit full circle now, approaching the World Cup," Balogun said this week from the US training base in Orange County, California. "Especially with the World Cup being here, the opportunity to represent my nation in front of a home crowd is going to be something special for me, for my family, for my friends and for the team. I’m definitely looking forward to it, and very proud."

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Balogun may have struggled for opportunities in an England team led by Harry Kane (Getty)

His commitment was a significant boost for the US program, not only due to his elite skill — evidenced by his 19 goals for Ligue 1’s Monaco this season — but also because he addresses a long-standing weakness for the American team: the consistent production of a prolific goal-scorer.

For nearly four decades, since the US began to regularly qualify for the World Cup, a persistent problem has hindered their progress: a struggle to score enough goals.

Despite being a nation rich with world-class athletes across various sports, the US has historically failed to consistently develop elite soccer strikers capable of generating goals, excitement, and crucial wins.

This issue was starkly highlighted at the Qatar World Cup four years ago, where the US managed just three goals in four matches, with only one coming from a striker. This generational challenge is further underscored by their record of a paltry 28 goals in 30 matches across their past eight World Cups since 1990.

However, the forwards expected to lead the American formation this month are eager to prove they can reverse this trend, starting with the US opener against Paraguay on Friday night.

Balogun and fellow striker Ricardo Pepi both boast strong credentials from European club play and enter the World Cup in excellent form, with Pepi also coming off a 19-goal season for PSV Eindhoven.

Haji Wright, a Los Angeles native, scored the lone striker’s goal for the US in Qatar — albeit perhaps accidentally — and has since improved, netting 18 goals last season as Coventry earned promotion to the Premier League.

"We see this as a fantastic opportunity to play in front of our country," said Pepi, who wears the No. 9 shirt. "The pressure aside, we see it more as an opportunity."

While the US does not rely solely on its strikers for offense — forward Christian Pulisic remains arguably the most talented attacking player in a US shirt despite his recently ended scoring drought, and Weston McKennie regularly contributes for both club and country — productive strikers are typically vital for sustained success in soccer.

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Haji Wright scored crucial goals as Coventry earned promotion to the Premier League (Reuters)

Midfielder Gio Reyna noted, "I just feel like we're deeper now. We've got a really, really deep squad. I feel like we can be really dangerous in all areas of attack, whether it's build-up, transition, or having the ball in the opponents' half. I think we're more complete now."

All three of the Americans' top options at striker are keen to build on their international success. Pepi has accumulated 13 goals in 37 appearances for the US, while Wright has seven goals in 20 appearances, including the only World Cup experience among the group.

"In certain ways, (this World Cup) feels bigger, being here with our family and friends," Wright said. "It does add a little bit of additional pressure, but I think that's a good thing. It forces us to perform in ways maybe we didn't know we were capable of."

Balogun, the most compelling option, has scored nine goals in 27 appearances since joining the program, including a goal against Paraguay last November and another during the Americans' friendly victory over Senegal two weeks ago.

US captain and defender Tim Ream describes Balogun as perhaps "the most annoying" American forward to defend in practice.

"He is so quick with his movements," Ream said. "He's physically strong and able to seemingly glide past people. He's able to hold the ball up, bringing other people into play.

“His movement in behind, being in position and getting himself into goal-scoring position is something that we've been crying out for for a long time. He brings that."