Balogun chases ‘inevitable’ Messi in wild Golden Boot race

United States striker Folarin Balogun has set his sights on joining the elite ranks of "inevitable" goalscorers like Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, aiming to win the World Cup Golden Boot. Balogun has already scored twice in the tournament, fueling the host nation's hopes.

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I think it’s annoying! Seeing players like Messi, Mbappe, Haaland, they’re so inevitable. I think they’re scoring a goal a game, sometimes more.

Speaking at the US training camp, Balogun admitted the difficulty of tracking the prolific scoring of the world's best players. "I think it’s annoying!" he joked, referring to stars like Messi, Mbappe, and Erling Haaland who consistently score at a high rate. "For me, it’s just about trying to get to that level, to be inevitable as well, to be consistent. And I’m sure I’ve got the potential in me to do that."

Balogun, who was born in New York but developed his career in England, including at Arsenal's academy, now plays for Monaco. He was the top scorer in France's Ligue 1 last season with 19 goals. His form continued into the World Cup, where he scored two goals in the US's opening win against Paraguay.

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For me, it’s just about trying to get to that level, to be inevitable as well, to be consistent. And I’m sure I’ve got the potential in me to do that.

However, Balogun's pursuit of the Golden Boot might be complicated. With the US already securing the top spot in Group D, coach Mauricio Pochettino may opt to rest key players against Turkey. Adding to the pressure, Balogun received a yellow card in the match against Australia, meaning another booking would rule him out of the first knockout match. While Balogun expressed his desire to play every game, he acknowledged the need for caution: "But it’s also important to be smart. I wouldn’t want to pick up a yellow card and miss the round of 32."

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But it’s also important to be smart. I wouldn’t want to pick up a yellow card and miss the round of 32.

Balogun also expressed his ambition to break Landon Donovan's record as the all-time leading US World Cup goal scorer. "Hopefully the further we go, the more opportunities I have to score," he said. "I mean, any goal in the World Cup is something that’s going to be cherished forever."

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Hopefully the further we go, the more opportunities I have to score. I mean, any goal in the World Cup is something that’s going to be cherished forever.