The USA men’s soccer team’s 2026 World Cup hopes might hinge on star striker Folarin Balogun, who already scored multiple goals for Team USA in its opening match against Paraguay on June 12.
However, Balogun was never supposed to be eligible to play for Team USA in the first place.
The USA striker’s wild story began when his mother, Florence, visited her sister-in-law in the United States (Brooklyn, N.Y., to be exact) when she was seven months pregnant with Folarin.
Florence and Folarin’s father, Ben, were both Nigerian but lived in London. The plan was for Florence to make the visit, return to England and then have her baby. But when it came time for her to return to London, the airline didn’t let her go because she needed a note from her doctor in London saying she was safe to fly.
She wasn’t able to obtain the note in time, which meant that she had to stay in New York to deliver Folarin. She ultimately gave birth to him on July 3, 2001, and they were back in London by the end of August.
Therefore, Folarin (who grew up in England) had the option to play internationally for England, the United States and Nigeria.
His ultimate decision to commit to the USA came after longtime U.S. men’s team standouts Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah all went to Monaco (where Balogun plays his club soccer) to recruit him.
Their attempt was clearly a success, as Balogun is now balling out for Team USA in the 2026 World Cup. But his mother staying in the USA to give birth to him back in 2001 is what made this decision possible.
