How will Folarin Balogun fit into the USMNT after allegiance switch?!
d that’s that’s a real shame. Definitely a lot of focus on this upcoming game, though. Let’s move on, though. Valerian Balogun makes the one time switch to the US Natiol team. He has pledged his allegiance to the US men’s national team with multiple reports confirming that Balogun has had a one time change of association approved by FIFA to secure the stch from England to the United States. Balogun will be eligible to represent the US men’s national team at the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League Finals after having his one time switch approved, he is enjoying a breakout
season on loan with Leagueneannde s d th option to play for US England and Nigeria ultimately chose the United States. He recently spoke about the decision to choose the US of a Yeah. So my decision to represent the United States, we came together with my family. We and we decided it would be the right thing for me, the country I was born in. So, I mean, in the end it became a no brainer. But for sure it’s just something that I wanted to do and it feels it feels like I’m at home here. Yeah. For
me to represent the United States, it means a lot more than people know across all sports. When I was growing up, I just knew the United States
they need? Oh, I certainly hope he is. I really do. I’ve watched this guy play consistently well this season for ramps in Liga F and he’s banging out the goals 19 goals from 34 games for ramps. And you would expect Arsenal to hold out for a nice price tag for someone like him. He’s a young boy, only 21 years old now. He has the opportunity to play a select his national team, which I think he has chosen incredibly well to play for the USA because it opens up so many different doors for him . And
if you’re playing week in and week out and you’re scoring goals week in and week out in a top five league like he has done in France, he serves to get himself a real big move to a nice club. But choosing to play for the Unit States of America is a massive moment in his life and his family’s life, and it’s going to give confidence for him going forward. The next move is going to be key, though, where does he go from here? Ramps, obviously has been a great place. He’s playing for an excellent manager,
which is unusual, but it’s been great to see him have success in that league. But now it’s time for him to te that next step in his development. Don’t think he’s going to get into Arsenal’s team. You would expect Arsenal to hold out for a 30, 40, $50 million price tag when they get that he’s gone. But he’s got to play If he plays, he plays well . The USA have got a great chance of having a lotf success and that makes me happy. Those reps are so important. The morning footy crew also weighed in
on the news earlier today. It’s been a very long time. I think it has a lot to do. I agree with you, Charlie, but I think it has a lot to do with the fact that he sees an opening on the United States roster. Like, oh, I can literally step in and be that guy right away. He is going to get minutes and he’s going to have a massive, massive opportunity. I agree with you. When you talk about what is being built in on the US men’s National team and their ambitions that they have in
2026. But I think this has a lot more to do with, hey, this is an opportunity for me to be the guy . Well, he also could have played with Nigeria two and a partnership with Victor Osimhen would have been also. So yeah, that’s not too shabby. He might not get on that pitch though. Osimhen over Osimhen thoug I don’t know. Would they have him? Would they have him as a partnership though? You could either play him in a in a front three or in a two. Well, I guess we’ll never find out. No. Welcome
to America. I just. I know in terms of what it can do for this US group because now you have a nine who is just out as as dangerous running in the channels and playing in hind as someone who can check and beat people on the dribble. We haven’t we don’t have that now. We do I mean hype train is real. Oh, my God. I’m the conductor. But like we said earlier, I don’t want to we got we got a massive Pepe hype train. We thought he was a guy we got. Did cibatu Park We
got him. That’s a big difference when you’re scoring. Okay. 17 goals Plus, I really. I don’t want to. I don’t want to get too hyped myself. I’m excited that he’s there. Let’s go. Nations League first test. I don’t want to be like we found our nine for 2026. I feel like it’s very easy to just get into that mentality and out of the gates be like a proven striker in Europe. In France, he’s our guy. He’s going to be the solution to all of our problems. Speaking of that, nations League, here’s your projected starting 11
for that tournament. What do you like about what you see on the pitch there? First and foremost, Nico, he is going to be the solution to all of our prlems. We have a goal scorer now. I would play him in every single position if I could separate him to 11 different players here. I mean, this in my good friend Soccer by Ives. We came up with this projected 11 for the Nations league and of course we expect it to be complicated with where on the right hand side we could put potential. Gio Reyna We were
discussing whether it would be the right idea to play him there, whether where could drop back in dest drops out. Dest needs to play, but there’s no doubt that Christen Pulisic needs time. Weston McKinney. He needs to continue to play alongside Yunus Musah so we can build up that relationship. I expect to Tyler take some time to recover and get ready for next season. Which division is that going to be in, by the way? And then De La Torre would probably slot in. But this is a this is a top 11. You look at this
11 right here that gets me excited. That gets me tuned in to watch every single game. And one reason why it’s not necessarily just because Christen Pulisic is in my opinion, the best player that we find for such a long time by
