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Folarin Balogun’s journey with the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) began with excitement, online detective work, and a dinner in Orlando aimed at winning him over. Against Paraguay, that story reached its perfect conclusion as the forward delivered a dream World Cup debut performance.

INGLEWOOD, California – Moments after the U.S. Men’s National Team’s 4-1 triumph over Paraguay, Weston McKennie was asked about a dinner. It wasn’t a pre-match event or something recent. In fact, it happened years ago, right at the start of this World Cup cycle.

The reason that dinner became a topic again was simple: it changed the course of American football history. That was the night Folarin Balogun first shared a meal with his future teammates — and now, years later, he was dismantling Paraguay’s defence on the biggest stage of all.

“Sh*t, it was like four years later,” McKennie said with a laugh when asked if the dinner had been worth it. “It came at the right time. I’m so happy for him.”

There were plenty of reasons to celebrate on Friday night. The U.S. dismantled Paraguay under the spotlight, scoring freely in their World Cup opener. Their dominance could easily have produced an even greater margin. From start to finish, the USMNT put on what might be the most complete team performance in their World Cup history.

At the heart of it all was Balogun — the undisputed Man of the Match and arguably the standout player of the night. Years ago, over that Orlando dinner, he and his teammates discussed nights like this — what he could bring to the side and whether he could be the missing link to elevate the team ahead of the home World Cup.

On Friday, that moment came — and Balogun didn’t just rise to the occasion; he owned it. Years of expectation, every training session, every match, every shared meal — all built up to this. In his first taste of the World Cup, Balogun made one thing clear: it was all worth it.

“I visualised my debut in the World Cup,” he said. “I imagined scoring, but the reality exceeded that with two goals. The second goal was a fantastic one as well. It was a very dreamy night.”

The path to that magical evening didn’t start in Orlando but hours earlier, when Balogun made his first impression — confident, humorous, and instantly comfortable among players who were eager to see what he could become.

‘They made me feel welcome’

Social media detectives played a huge role in launching Balogun’s USMNT career, which culminated in him making World Cup history on Friday.

In early 2023, the U.S. needed a striker to take over the No. 9 role. Balogun, then on loan at French club Reims, was in brilliant form and looked like that player. Born in New York and raised in London, he came through Arsenal’s academy and had represented both the U.S. and England at youth levels. Not long before, he had even considered playing for Nigeria.

That spring, though, American fans went into overdrive. Balogun’s Instagram posts were flooded with eagle emojis and flag symbols, turning his comment section into a recruitment campaign. Then came the breakthrough moment: after declining an England youth team invite, Balogun posted a “holiday” photo. Fans spotted a clue in the background — he was in Orlando, where the U.S. team happened to be training.

Despite the discovery, USMNT stars managed to take him out for dinner, an evening that doubled as a personal pitch. Balogun remembers it fondly.

“That was the first time I actually met Weston, CP, a lot of the boys were there,” Balogun said in Atlanta last month. “Weston’s energy was intense, but in a good way. They made me feel welcome. I’m more reserved, but it was cool.”

Just weeks later, Balogun shocked many by committing to the U.S. In what was meant to be a routine meeting, he and his agent informed U.S. Soccer that he was ready to pledge his international future. There were valid arguments for holding out for England, but Balogun wanted to start immediately and be part of the USMNT project from the start.

“I think, in life, the most important thing is to have control over your surroundings, your decisions, and the way you live,” he told GOAL last autumn. “I’d rather make a choice than have one made for me. I wanted to make a definitive decision because it gave me peace of mind. I didn’t want a saga or a ‘will he or won’t he?’ situation.”

On Friday night, Balogun reflected on that choice and his journey to Los Angeles for his World Cup debut. He recalled the feelings he had back in Orlando and expressed hope that he’d passed those same feelings on to others.

“When I committed, and throughout this whole cycle, I’ve always said the fans gave me so much motivation,” he said. “They showed me so much support. The most important thing for me has always been repaying that faith. Today was a great opportunity, and I just want to keep proving that I made the right decision. I’m proud, and I want to keep making the fans proud too.”

He certainly did that against Paraguay with a perfect World Cup debut.

The big game

From the opening minutes, the U.S. looked dominant. They controlled play, pressed relentlessly, and played with confidence, fully aware that they had the game in their grasp.

Balogun epitomised that superiority. His first goal was sharp and clinical — a first-time strike from Christian Pulisic’s assist. His second was pure brilliance: running onto a Malik Tillman pass, cutting inside, absorbing contact, and curling a shot into the top corner. It was a true “Welcome to the World Cup” moment for the debutant striker.

“It felt like a statement performance,” he said. “That’s what we wanted. I’m very happy with the overall display, especially the first half.”

While Balogun stayed measured, his teammates were full of praise. They knew what he was capable of, and his performance didn’t surprise those who’ve worked closely with him.

“The kid’s insane,” Pulisic said. “He’s lethal in front of goal right now. We’re lucky to have him, and we hope it keeps coming.”

Sergino Dest added: “He was everywhere. To finish with two goals and be named player of the match — great stuff.”

‘We saw a different side of Flo today’

While most focused on his goals, Pulisic highlighted Balogun’s all-around contribution.

“Everyone will look at the goals,” Pulisic said, “but it’s the way he battles centre-backs, holds up play, and earns fouls.”

He’s right — Balogun has developed into a complete striker. That was evident in the send-off matches. Against Senegal, he created multiple chances and scored once in just 45 minutes. Against Germany, he didn’t score but did plenty of unheralded work off the ball. His pace and timing constantly trouble defenders, even when he’s not directly involved.

Against Paraguay, he was everywhere — registering 10 touches in the opposition box, five shots (two goals and one disallowed), drawing three fouls, and leading the press that kept Paraguay unsettled all evening.

“We saw a different side of Flo today,” said McKennie. “He did the dirty work, put his body on the line, and finished clinically.”

Dest added, “His role isn’t easy. He presses a lot, leads from the front, and we follow his cue.”

With Balogun leading the line, the U.S. look like a more complete team. For now, though, the focus remains on enjoying this moment.

A dream night

Balogun’s family turned up in numbers on Friday — as expected for a World Cup debut. After scoring, he tried to find them in the crowd but admitted the packed Los Angeles stands made it tough to spot anyone.

“I had to sort a lot of tickets,” he joked. “But I’m happy to do it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I have family across the States and back home in London watching. It’s a fantastic evening.”

There was no grand party planned, however. Balogun said recovery was the priority, with more matches ahead. Post-match celebrations would be limited to a quiet night with Netflix, no champagne despite the victory.

Later that night, he planned to reflect — on the goals, the win, the journey to Los Angeles, and the dinner that started it all.

“It’s a dream,” he said. “I haven’t fully taken it in yet, but once I get back to the hotel, I’ll be able to reflect and appreciate just how amazing this night has been.”