Left Chasing Messi, Mbappé And Haaland, USA’s Folarin Balogun Eyes History

U.S. World Cup Team Training Base (Irvine, Calif.) — As he walked to his spot in front of the microphones and cameras before the USA’s Monday morning practice session, Folarin Balogun trailed the incomparable Lionel Messi and two other players by a single goal as the top scorer at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. By the time the Stars and Stripes striker was done speaking to the assembled media, Messi had increased his lead by another goal. And then the GOAT added another before the U.S. squad’s practice had even finished. Things change quickly at World Cups. It’s a lesson that 24-year-old Balogun — who jumped out to an early lead in the Golden Boot race with two beautiful strikes in the Americans’ tournament-opening win over Paraguay — has learned just two games into his maiden trip to global soccer’s marquee quadrennial event. “It’s annoying,” Balogun joked with reporters before Messi scored both of defending champion Argentina’s goals in Monday’s 2-0 stroll against Austria. Messi had a hat trick against Algeria the game before. Kylian Mbappé — whose eight goals led all players four years ago in Qatar — scored twice against Senegal in France’s curtain raiser; he added two more in Les Blues’ second match, a 3-0 win over Iraq. Norway’s Erling Haaland, possibly the most lethal striker on the planet, also kicked off the tournament with a brace and added another pair Monday against Senegal. “Seeing players like Messi and Mbappé, Haaland — they’re so inevitable,” Balogun said. “They’re scoring a goal a game. Sometimes more.” To keep up, the prolific New York-born, London-raised forward — who told me last week that claiming the Golden Boot is among his aspirations this summer — must keep pace. Yet while the hard-working Monaco forward has been named Player of the Match in each of the USA’s first two games — and though he created the own-goal that ended up being the game-winner over Australia Friday in Seattle — he didn’t find the net against the Socceroos. And he’s unlikely to during the World Cup co-hosts’ final group stage game Thursday vs. Türkiye in Los Angeles. With Mauricio Pochettino’s team having already clinched first place in Group D, the U.S. coach is expected to rest most or all his usual starters. Because Balogun was one of four Americans to be shown a yellow card in one of the first two group contests, Pochettino would risk losing his go-to goalscorer for the single-elimination round of 32 on July 1 in Santa Clara, California, if Balogun was cautioned against the Turks. As such, he’s almost certain not to play — even if that means sliding further down the World Cup scoring chart. Balogun understands this. Were it up to him, though, he’d be in the lineup on Thursday. “I want to play,” he said. “But it’s also important to be smart. I wouldn’t want to pick up a yellow card and miss the round of 32.” Considered possibly the most complete striker the U.S. program has ever had, Balogun will have a chance to make history in the knockout round. Landon Donovan is the only American to score three times at the same World Cup since the inaugural edition in 1930, when Bert Patenaude managed four. Donovan’s all-time U.S. record of five World Cup goals could also be in reach if Pochettino’s team can make a deep run on home soil. “For sure,” Balogun said when asked if he’s eying Donovan’s mark. “I want to continue to score goals.” He’s not ruling out the Golden Boot yet, either. For Balogun, scoring as consistently as the likes of Messi, Mbappé and Haaland remains the ultimate personal goal. “For me, it’s just about trying to get to that level,” he said. “I’m sure I’ve got the potential in me to do that.”