Folarin Balogun could debut for USMNT vs. Mexico in Concacaf Nations League: What you need to know about the American striker

As the United States prepares for confrontation Mexico in the Concacaf Nations League (watch all the action on Paramount+ only), there is a growing sense of anticipation as the 21-year-old is expected to Folarin Balogun will make his debut after committing to represent the Red, White and Blue. Although he has only had training sessions, the hype is not limited to the fans, like many of his new teammates repeat the same idea. No one can wait to see America’s new striker on the pitch.

While that could only raise expectations for his performance as the team is desperate for a number nine to take the lead, hearing Balogun’s teammates is exactly what you’re looking for at this stage for a player whose development is quite unique is in the global game. . After by the Arsenal academy Yunus Musahto various loans and represent England at the youth level, Balogun managed to find consistency in a breakaway season with Reims in Ligue 1 in which he scored 21 goals and became the first American men’s international to score 20 or more goals in a top five competition. Let’s break down what you need to know about America’s new star striker.

Balogun’s early development in London

By: James Benge

That Balogun was a prospect of real talent was indisputable from the moment he joined Arsenal’s academy as an eight-year-old, when the Gunners beat their North London rivals Tottenham to his services. However, a path to regular football at the Emirates Stadium seemed shrouded in uncertainty for a long time. It was never a question of talent, the problem was that Arsenal had too much in that one position. Eddie Nketiah, three years older, had taken his big chance under Arsène Wenger and looked set to establish himself as the depth option penalty box poacher that Balogun could have been. Tyreece John-Jules also looked ahead of him in the race for a team role, more of an all-round striker who could link play and drift wide, although he would struggle with injuries on loan spells in the English lower leagues before falling. out of rhythm.

Balogun won titles – the Liam Brady Cup for Bayern Munich and Juventus in 2016, the Under-18 Premier League in 2018/19 – and scoring goals by boatloads, modeling his game on heroes like Edinson Cavani And Robert Lewandowski. However, that much was almost self-evident for a top striker at youth level. At the age of 16, he was challenged by his coaches to improve his attitude and broaden his game. “I’m not one to be told two or three times,” he later remarked. “After that conversation I just went with my head down and thankfully I turned things around very quickly.”

He did, and by the time he turned 20 he was dominating the Premier League 2 youth competition, scoring 13 goals in 11 games at the start of the 2021-22 season, having already enjoyed some impressive runs with the first team in the Europa League Group Stage. For a moment, the path opened for Balogun in the Arsenal first team, positive COVID-19 tests before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang And Alexandre Lacazette and an illness for Nketiah that forced Mikel Arteta to throw him in the deep end on the opening day of the season to Brentford. That was a step too far for Balogun, but it brought renewed attention to his role with the Gunners at a time when his contract was about to expire. For a while it looked like the youngster was heading for the exit door, Brentford and Sheffield United had bids rejected and European clubs included Stuttgart in line to make a pre-contractual agreement with him. It took a four-year deal worth more than £30,000 a week, an amazing deal for a player who has only made two Premier League appearances, to sign Balogun on the dotted line.

From then on, Balogun and Arsenal set out to get the playing time he would need if he ever challenged gabriel jesus and Nketiah for a spot in Arteta’s XI. A challenging loan spell with Championship side Middlesbrough produced three goals and three assists in 21 appearances. At youth level, Balogun could have held his own against smaller defenders, dropping down the England pyramid, he had to learn how to score when centre-backs could just bully you off the ball. In the summer of 2022, the striker took his development into his own hands by attracting individual skills coaches who would constantly train him in one facet above all else, rushing in behind the opposition backline and converting. He could have demonstrated those skills on another second-tier loan or even if Ivan Tonybackup on loan at Brentford. Instead, he chose to look further afield and crossed the Channel to Reims.

Balogun makes its mark in France

By: Jonathan Johnson

It’s safe to say few people expected Balogun to burst onto the scene while on loan in the way he did as part of a Reims side that defied odds under Will Still in 2022-23. With 21 goals and two assists in Ligue 1 and an additional goal in the Coupe de France, the 21-year-old was one of the revelations of the French season, so it was no surprise that his international loyalty became a hot topic. subject. Five goals and one assist from his first six appearances immediately put Balogun on the radar and he rarely slowed more than two games at a time. The Brooklyn-born talent’s supply is high in the French game and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him join one of the bigger Championnat squads.

UEFA football could be on offer for 2023-24, given the reputation he’s built for himself as a sharpshooter with unerring accuracy in the Champagne region. That ability to get the ball into the back of the net may be what impressed the USMNT enough to push to the front of the line to sign it up. His time in Ligue 1 so far has shown us that he is a pure finisher above anything else. Balogun can occasionally assist a teammate, but he thrives as the main center of attack, focusing on finding scoring positions and getting things done. Positioning and constructive play have not been his forte, while there are even elements of his attacking play such as his air skills, positional awareness and work rate that still need some work. The US has been clamoring for a predatory lone attacker leading up to 2026 and the evidence of Balogun’s time in France so far is that they may have finally found him.

Any way you slice it, Balogun’s numbers have been impressive this year. His 21 goals tied for fourth in Ligue 1, but while six of those were penalties, it still underestimates his threat level. At least he could have had more – his 15 non-penalty kicks were slightly lower than his 21 non-penalty expected goals, which was the second-best total in the league, behind only PSG talisman Kylian Mbappé. On a 90 minute basis, Mbappé was the only player in France’s top flight to beat Balogun’s 0.63. These numbers all suggest a player who is not a flash in the pan and, if anything, is likely to improve quickly as his finishing catches up to the power of the chances he creates.

Ready to shine for the USMNT

If all goes well, it won’t be long before Balogun wins his first trophy with the USMNT as they need just two wins to secure a second consecutive Nations League title. Hopefully he can get his first goal out of the way for the national team during the games, but even if Balogun doesn’t, his presence in the penalty area will make it easier for those around him to make the difference. It is important to note that while strikers like Richard Pepi, Jesus FerreiraAnd Jose Sargent have scored for their clubs but struggled when called up to the national team, none of them had the pedigree that Balogun carries.

Like Musah’s midfield capture, Balogun is someone trained in a top technical configuration at Arsenal, and his development is likely to continue. The areas where he struggled in France probably won’t be a problem with this USMNT team who really only need him to score goals but his work rate will be a question mark because this is a squad that presses aggressively, an environment that does not exist at the clubs where he has played in recent years. Since then, the United States has not had a true striker Jozy Altidore, and make no mistake, the hope for Balogun is that he far surpasses Altidore, and right now he can bring some of the imposing presence that has been missing from the box as of late. A poacher who can find the back of the net can let Balogun Christian Pulisic‘s playing skills shine.

Due to Balogun’s presence in the penalty area, this is also one of the biggest winners of this move gio rena. Although Reyna’s Dortmund was unable to win the Bundesliga title, his goals were a big reason why they were in contention until the final day. With a good nine in the lead, that not only creates more room for Reyna to shoot, but also gives him an outlet for his impressive playing skills. Without Tyler Adams for these games, Reyna could get a chance to play as number 10 Weston McKennie and Musah causing this team to attack Mexico. It is the start of a bright new era for the team.