Balogun scores twice as US beats Paraguay 4-1 in World Cup

Folarin Balogun scored two goals to lead the United States to a 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday, June 12, 2026, in Los Angeles. The 24-year-old striker’s performance made him the first U.S. men’s player to score more than once in a World Cup match since the inaugural tournament in 1930.

Balogun’s path to representing the United States stems from an unexpected birth in Brooklyn, New York, in July 2001. His mother, Florence, traveling from London while seven months pregnant, was denied boarding for her return flight by an airline due to her pregnancy. She subsequently gave birth to Balogun in the United States. The family returned to London within weeks, where Balogun was raised. Under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which grants citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil, Balogun was an American citizen from birth.

Eligible to play for England, Nigeria, or the United States, Balogun progressed through Arsenal’s academy in England and represented England at youth levels. In 2023, after a prolific club season in France, he committed to the U.S. Men’s National Team. He cited conversations with U.S. players and a meeting...