Balogun stays relaxed after netting brace for USA
USA striker Folarin Balogun scored twice on his World Cup debut but said he had no plans for a lavish celebration after helping the co-hosts to a 4-1 win over Paraguay.
"A real dream, you know? It's a dream, it's a dreamy night," Balogun told reporters after the match.
"I've not been able to take it all in afterwards. I'm sure when I get back to my hotel and I rest, I'm sure I'm going to really be able to be in the moment and experience how much of an amazing night this is."
Asked how he planned to celebrate, the 24-year-old joked that he would likely spend the evening watching Netflix.
"To be honest, I think I'll probably just, you know, watch some Netflix."
Balogun, who was born in New York before moving to England as an infant and growing up in London, said many family members from both countries were in attendance.
"Too many, you know!" he joked when asked how many relatives were at the match.
"But I'm happy to do it, because this is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion."
The former Arsenal academy player represented both England and the United States at youth level before committing his international future to the United States in 2023.
After a successful spell at Reims, Balogun joined Monaco, where he finished as the club's leading scorer last season.
He said the support he has received from USA fans since switching allegiance has helped drive him forward.
"When I committed, and throughout the whole cycle, and the whole journey to me being at this point, I've always said the fans gave me so much motivation and showed me so much support," he said.
"For me the most important thing has always been to be able to repay that, so I feel like today's a great opportunity. I just want to continue to show the fans I made the right decision."
USA captain Christian Pulisic praised Balogun's impact after the victory.
"The kid's insane. He's lethal right now in front of goal. Let's just hope it keeps going like this."
