After choosing to represent the USA ahead of Nigeria and England, Folarin Balogun is playing at the World Cup with the USMNT, and he is eager to make an impact on American soil. ABIODUN ADEWALE explores the player’s American dream in this interview with Get French Football
Lots of people are kind of looking at you now, even maybe more so than, say, Pulisic, as almost the leader of the attack at this year’s World Cup. Would you say that you have a very pivotal role to play for the US this summer?
Yeah, definitely. I think it’s an opportunity, as I said, but it’s also the biggest sporting event in the world. There are going to be millions, if not billions, of eyes watching it. This is a great opportunity for me to showcase my talent. It’s what you want as a child.
I think with great pressure also comes great responsibility. But overall, I’m very excited, and it’s important to take my club form into the international stage and be a pivotal player.
What do you do to ensure that this pressure a good feeling, a good pressure, not a bad pressure?
Yeah, I think it’s down to the work you do every day. I think if you train hard and you work hard when this opportunity comes, there’s nothing to be scared of. But if you’re not having maybe a good season and then you go into the World Cup, there’s going to be a lot of pressure. So this is why, at the beginning of the season, I said the most important thing is to focus on what I’m doing here in Monaco. And then, in the summer, when the World Cup comes, if I have a good season in Monaco (43 games, 19 goals, five assists), then it will be easier to go into the World Cup.
The fact that you play at home, you are one of the most important players on the international team; this moment can change your life. Do you agree with that?
Yeah, I agree. If you score a lot of goals in the World Cup and you take your country far in this competition, it can change the direction of your career. So this is something to excite you. I don’t think it’s something to be nervous about. So I’m looking forward to this.
What are your biggest memories of the World Cup?
I would say the biggest is the most recent, France v Argentina. Of course, there are more. But the last final was one of the most amazing football matches I’ve ever watched. So it just shows the magnitude of how important the World Cup is. And I think it’s not just me, but I’m sure my teammates as well are very excited.
