Folarin Balogun shone in AS Monaco's 2-1 victory over Rennes, scoring the decisive goal in the 22nd minute. However, the celebration was short-lived as Balogun suffered an apparent shoulder injury around the hour mark, forcing him to leave the pitch. This injury has ruled him out of Mauricio Pochettino's first squad selection with the U.S. Men's National Team, where Balogun was expected to lead the attack.

The forward, who has had a stellar start to the season with Monaco, now faces uncertainty regarding his participation in upcoming international fixtures, including friendlies against Panama and Mexico. His absence is a significant setback for Pochettino, who had planned to rely on Balogun as a key component in his offensive strategy.

Having scored in three consecutive matches, Balogun was in excellent form, and his goal against Rennes further solidified his status as one of Monaco's standout players. The American striker has shown great finishing ability, and his injury could impact both Monaco and the U.S. national team's performance in their upcoming games.

While there is concern about the severity of the injury, the exact recovery time has not yet been determined. Medical updates from both the club and the national team are expected in the coming days. In the meantime, Pochettino will need to turn to other options, such as Ricardo Pepi, Josh Sargent, and Haji Wright, to fill the void left by Balogun's absence.