Balogun: No USA player feels their place is guaranteed
Folarin Balogun speaks to FIFA about the World Cup draw, scoring against Paraguay and how Mauricio Pochettino keeps the squad on their toes.
Balogun is in excellent form for both club and country
Frontman scored the winner against Paraguay in November
Monaco star dreams of causing a major World Cup upset
USA will face familiar foes at the FIFA World Cup 2026™, having been drawn against Australia and Paraguay, two teams they played — and defeated — in recent months. The favourites to emerge from UEFA Play-Off C for the fourth place in Group D, meanwhile, are Türkiye, whom Mauricio Pochettino's men met in June.
This sense of familiarity will enable the Stars and Stripes to have a greater understanding of the strength and weaknesses of their opponents, although the reverse is also true, ensuring that no false sense of security will be allowed to creep in.
One player who is particularly excited about USA's group-stage draw is frontman Folarin Balogun, who scored the winner against Paraguay in Chester, Pennsylvania, in November. The 24-year-old forward is also in the form of his life for Monaco, recently becoming the first American male to score in three consecutive UEFA Champions League appearances.
Balogun, a former England youth-team international, spoke to FIFA about his earliest World Cup memories, USA's recent improvement in form, and his dream opponents at the upcoming global showpiece.
Folarin Balogun: When you're playing teams that you played recently, it makes the opposition analysis a bit easier. The memories in the players' minds will be a bit more familiar... playing Paraguay, I knew how difficult and physical that game was. I think that will be helpful for us and we need to use that as an advantage.
I think the biggest psychological advantage is that against Australia and Paraguay we won. We know we can win and if the tactics and intensity and commitment — which I'm sure it will be for the World Cup — are spot-on then there's no reason why we shouldn't win again.
It was good. I was on a streak of scoring in big games consecutively, taking that form from my club into the national team was something was good for me. They were a really difficult side and I think the most important aspect for us with the national team is to start picking up these wins. So to contribute to that against Paraguay was something I was happy with.
They are an exceptional national team. I played against Galatasaray recently in the Champions League and the Turkish fans and atmosphere was really intense and can be overwhelming. They have a fantastic support base and as we know they have some quality players that we'll have to look out for.
I'm sure it's going to be another crazy experience. I've had the privilege of playing for the national team for a few years now and I definitely saw in the Copa America, for example, we were in Atlanta playing in front of 60,000 fans who were willing and pushing you forward... that was something that was really special and I can only expect more energy and more atmosphere and more pressure at the World Cup. I've been told by numerous people that it's going to be the biggest sporting event of all time and when a country like America is behind it, it's going to be spectacular.
I think you have to give credit to Pochettino and his staff. They have created an atmosphere where nobody feels like their place is guaranteed. I think that is the most important thing you can do when you have such a big pool of players like the USA does. It was easy for maybe some guys who didn't get previously called up to almost psychologically go into a place where you don't feel like you can get picked, you don't feel like your domestic league warrants you getting picked for the national team because that's what you've been shown before.
But Pochettino has come in with a completely new philosophy and if he thinks someone is playing well and is playing in a division like Major League Soccer then he will pick them. That is a wake-up call for everybody and naturally that will get a reaction, but he's also been able to add the smartness and the tactician side to it and I think both sides are gelling together.
I'm content. I'm still looking to be a lot more decisive in those games. I know I have the opportunity to make a bigger impact in those types of games. But I've scored three in the last three and this is my first year playing in the Champions League being a starter consistently. I'm able to contribute with important goals that are helping us win games and help us potentially progress to the next round. I'm definitely content but I definitely want to strive for more.
My earliest memories was the South African World Cup (in 2010). I remember Shakira making that song that went viral and, from a football aspect, it had all the superstars being there — (Lionel) Messi, (Cristiano) Ronaldo as per usual. I think the thing I liked the most about the World Cup is that you can get inspiration from anybody, a team you can connect with... underdogs who go all the way... or a player who ends up scoring five or six goals and that puts him on the world stage.
I like the surprise element — you are always going to have someone who is going to steal the show but you are also going to have underdogs who are going to have upsets. So there is a storyline for everyone at the World Cup and that is what appeals to me.
I do like the idea of us causing an upset, us really having a strong performance against a strong side - whether that's Portugal, Argentina, France... to shock people. There are pivotal moments in football when sides beat a top side and it changes the global opinion of how they are perceived. So I'm definitely keen to face a top team, hopefully in the latter stages of the tournament and you win that and then you're hopefully winning the whole tournament. France, Argentina, Portugal, Spain... these are the kinds of teams I'd love to cause a big upset against.