When Folarin Balogun decided in 2023 to switch allegiances from England, where he grew up competing for youth teams on the international level, to the United States, it was for this very reason: a chance to stand out for the home team at the most-watched sporting event on the planet.
After scoring a pair of goals—a one-timer off a beautiful Christian Pulisic pass, and a stunning 62 mph left-footed fastball from eight feet out, drilled into the top corner of the net—in the first half of Team USA’s rousing 4-1 win over Paraguay in its World Cup opener on Friday night, the 24-year-old striker was the toast of the 70,492 charged fans in Los Angeles Stadium, as well as millions of Americans who combusted in their homes and at watch parties in Minneapolis; Columbus, Ohio; and elsewhere across the country.
Read more: 'I Plan on Scoring Goals.' How Christian Pulisic Is Facing the World Cup Pressure
Balogun’s second goal put the U.S. up 3-0 before the break. “It was a real statement,” says Balogun. “It’s a dream. It’s a dreamy night.”
Forgive American soccer nuts for dreaming pretty big themselves. The U.S. men have never before scored four goals in a World Cup game. Before Balogun’s brace on Friday, the last American man to score more than one goal in a World Cup game was Bert Patenaude, who had a hat trick, against Paraguay, in 1930 (the Americans reached their only World Cup semifinal that year). And Paraguay is no pushover. La Albirroja beat both Argentina and Brazil in World Cup qualifying.
George Lucas, Tom Cruise, Hilary Duff, David Beckham, Katy Perry, and Jamie Foxx were among the celebrities in the stands Friday. Since the last U.S. World Cup, in 1994, soccer has grown into a mainstream spectator sport: This was the largest crowd to watch the U.S. men’s team play since ‘94. Why shouldn't the sport’s ascendance spark a memorable moment? America’s 250th birthday, the USMNT clicking: It’s shaping up to be a fun summe
