Being spoiled for choice is not always a fun experience. I personally hate looking at a menu and being inspired by a large cadre of dishes that I must ultimately narrow down to one. The same premise on a much greater, more impactful level, exists when it comes to the international careers of footballers who are eligible for multiple national team programs. And that same choice is rapidly approaching 21-year-old Folarin Balogun.
Born in New York City to Nigerian parents before moving to England at the age of two, ‘Flo’ has risen to prominence on the back of a sensational 2022-23 Ligue 1 season with former French giants Stade de Reims during his developmental loan away from Premier League leaders Arsenal.
The Hale End Academy graduate has long been billed as a player with immense potential, but perhaps few expected Balogun to take his chance in the manner that he has under 30-year-old Belgian managerial wizard Will Still in the northeast of France at Stade Auguste-Delaune.
Reims have a 30-year-old manager in Will Still who costs the club $23,000 each time he manages due to lack of UEFA License. 😳
Their leading goal scorer is Arsenal-loanee (and USMNT-eligible) Folarin Balogun with 16 goals. 👀
The club haven’t lost in Ligue 1 since SEPTEMBER. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/6YlQjSt2XG
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 12, 2023
At the time of writing, Balogun sits on 16 goals in 26 appearances in the French top flight, behind only Kylian Mbappé and Jonathan David (both on 19) while also being level in the goalscoring chart with Alexander Lacazette and Wissam Ben Yedder.
Such has been his rise at club level that Balogun has a real chance to feature prominently in the upcoming international cycle for any of the three nations that he is eligible to represent. On the surface, it appears an easy choice if history is to be the sole defining factor. But just like the serious consideration that needs to be given to the next step of his club career, the same due diligence must be applied to his international path if he is to be given the best possible chance at cementing his own footballing legacy for both club and country.
Already a key England youth international with the U21′s where he has bagged seven goals in 13 caps under former Premier League midfielder Lee Carsley, there is a real chance England could lose a player who is arguably their brightest young talent in the number 9 role on account of various factors at hand.
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England’s Harry Kane-sized barrier
It is hard to argue against the chance to build your international profile among a reinvigorated England who is once again one of the powerhouses in Europe after reaching the semi-finals at the 2018 World Cup before quickly following up that performance with a finals appearance at Euro 2020.
Though the Three Lions fell short of the mark this winter in Qatar, there are few pundits that expect one of the deepest talent pools anywhere in the world to continue to miss out on its first major international honor since 1966, especially after the rapid rise of the likes of Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham.
But the question for Balogun regarding a future with England begins and ends with Harry Kane. Still only 29 and continuing to perform in front of goal for club and country, the Tottenham star has shown no signs of slowing down amidst his prime years and surely will be leading the line at both Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup. While three years as an understudy would place Balogun as a 24-year-old ready to take the reigns post-2026, it is indeed a long wait in a queue that also could include Ivan Toney, Tammy Abraham, and even Marcus Rashford.
Nigeria & the undisputed talent of Victor Osimhen
Though neither born nor bred in Nigeria, Balogun’s parents both hail from the west African nation, thus giving him license to declare for the Super Eagles should he see fit. And on the surface, it would hardly be an awkward choice to make given the country’s track record of fielding gifted players that ply their trade at the very top of the footballing ladder in Europe.
With a legacy that includes Nwankwo Kanu, Jay-Jay Okocha, John Obi Mikel, and Obafemi Martins, Balogun could certainly write his own name into Naja lore while being talented enough to guide the nation to, at the very least, its first AFCON title since 2013. But there is just one problem, and it’s a big one; Victor Osimhen.
The SSC Napoli frontman is currently one of the top strikers in Europe while producing a heroic season in southern Italy that is all but guaranteed to end in the club’s first Serie A title since the Diego Maradona era, while also being a dark horse candidate for a dream run in the Champions League. Osimhen’s strike rate for Nigeria is equally impressive and currently sits at 15 in 22 caps at the time of writing. Additionally, the rise of other young Nigerians in Europe this season, like 20-year-old GAA Gent striker Gift Orban, offers other considerations to take into account.
United States; Balogun has entered the chat
MLS and USMNT insider Tom Bogert confirmed earlier today that interim head coach Anthony Hudson admitted to an ongoing dialogue between the United States and Balogun’s camp; a fact that was met with due excitement in the American fanbase.
Even if many fans are not necessarily keeping in-depth tabs on Balogun, it would be hard to look past what a quick googling of his current season at Reims would yield, and the notion that Balogun is one of the highest-scoring strikers anywhere in Europe’s top-five leagues. Though the Stars & Stripes do not have the gravitas of England, or even Nigeria to some extent, what the US does offer is an undeniable pathway to huge minutes right through the door.
Gregg Berhalter was somewhat spoiled for choice (from an American talent pool perspective) when it came to the forwards he put faith in for Qatar, which included a decision to leave out Union Berlin striker Jordan Siebatcheu. However, none of the options taken hold a candle to Balogun on the current landscape. And, to be blunt, Balogun waltz’s his way into the starting XI the minute he accepts a proposal from the US should he go down that avenue. A chance to lead the line for the nation of his birth, which is set to host the 2026 World Cup, while settling into a talented young squad that boats credible potential, could also be too appetizing to ignore. But will the United States ever have a real chance at true international success?
