Folarin Balogun, the striker the US has long awaited, could have played for Nigeria or England

Folarin Balogun delivered a standout performance, scoring twice and earning MVP honors in the United States' dominant 4-1 victory over Paraguay on Friday at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The 24-year-old Monaco forward also had a goal disallowed and was instrumental in the team's strong showing, which included a disallowed goal and a penalty.

Balogun's brace made him the first US player to score more than one goal in a World Cup match since 1930. Bert Patenaude achieved this feat with a hat-trick against Paraguay in the inaugural World Cup. The match saw former England captain David Beckham in attendance. The USMNT's victory was particularly impressive given Paraguay's strong defensive record under coach Gustavo Alfaro, who had led the team to seven clean sheets and only one loss in their previous 12 matches.

Despite having the option to play for Nigeria or England, Balogun chose to represent the United States. His decision appears to have paid off, as he seems to be the prolific striker the US has sought since the era of Landon Donovan. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Balogun was raised in London after his family returned to England when he was two months old. He developed his football career in England, joining Arsenal's academy at age 8 and eventually playing for their first team. He also had successful loan spells at Middlesbrough and Stade Reims, where he scored 22 goals in the 2022-23 season, marking him as one of France's most promising young forwards.