Folarin Balogun delivered a decisive performance as the United States opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 4-1 win over Paraguay in Los Angeles, scoring twice in the first half to secure a dominant start for the co-hosts.
The striker’s movement and clinical finishing proved too much for Paraguay, with the USA taking full control of the game early at SoFi Stadium and never relinquishing momentum.
His performance earned him the Man of the Match award and reinforced his growing role as a key figure in Mauricio Pochettino’s attacking system.
Akor Adams and Moffi show approval
Attention from Nigerian football quickly followed the performance, with Super Eagles forwards Akor Adams and Terem Moffi reacting publicly to Balogun’s standout showing on social media.
Adams acknowledged the performance by posting a star and love heart emoji reaction on his Instagram story. Moffi also reacted, posting “Balo!!!!” alongside fire and praise emojis, showing his excitement for the player.
Balogun, who previously played for England youth teams before switching allegiance to the USA, has long been a player of interest in Nigerian football discussions due to his heritage and past eligibility for the Super Eagles.
His latest World Cup performance further strengthens his profile as one of the tournament’s emerging attacking figures.
The United States now turn attention to their next group fixtures against Australia and Türkiye on June 19 and 26 respectively.