Folarin Balogun, a talented young footballer, an indigene of Nigeria, has enjoyed a remarkable season with the renowned Ligue 1 team Reims. In a surprising turn , Balogun has made the decision to represent the United States, one of the co-hosts of the eagerly anticipated 2026 World Cup.
FIFA has officially approved a request by the U.S. Soccer Federation to change Balogun’s national eligibility from England. He was born in New York and is also eligible to play for Nigeria; the 21-year-old player has made a name for himself in France’s top tier while on loan from Arsenal, scoring an impressive 19 goals.
Throughout the season, he even competed with Kylian Mbappe for the position of the league’s top scorer, with Mbappe currently leading the charts with 26 goals for Paris Saint-Germain
Why he chose USA
According to an interview Balogun had with the French league website earlier this season, he clarified that although he was born in Brooklyn, his Nigerian parents had been residing in London. He mentioned that his parents were on holiday in New York for a few months due to having family there. However, shortly after his birth, they all relocated back to London.
Just five weeks before the U21 European Championship, which will be hosted by Romania and Georgia, Balogun made the decision to represent the United States. The change of eligibility required consent from the English Football Association (FA). FIFA regulations permit players to switch national eligibility as long as they have not played in a competitive game at the senior level.
Balogun joins the list of footballers with a Nigerian heritage who have opted to represent the United States.
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Netizens react to claims Napoli won league because of Osimhen
In another news, A Nigerian man @Lerry praised Victor Osimhen for his significant contribution in helping Napoli win their first league title since 1990 and claimed that they won the league because of Nigeria professional footballer Victor Osimhen.
However, some Netizens do not agree with his point of view as some feel it is just an overhype for the football star.
Victor Osimhen scored the crucial goal that sealed the championship for Napoli; some people found his statement placing all the honour on since and avoiding the contribution of others.
