United States striker Folarin Balogun’s impressive FIFA World Cup performances are the result of months of intensive preparation, according to his private coach, Saul Isaksson-Hurst.
Balogun announced himself on the global stage with a brace in the USA’s 4-1 victory over Paraguay, becoming the first American player since Bert Patenaude in 1930 to score two goals in a World Cup match.
The 24-year-old’s rise has been far from straightforward. Born in Brooklyn, New York, to parents of Nigerian descent from London, Balogun developed through Arsenal’s academy but struggled to establish himself in the club’s senior team.
After limited opportunities at Arsenal and a modest loan spell at Middlesbrough, where he scored three goals in 18 appearances, Balogun’s career took a major turn during a loan move to French club Reims in the 2022/23 season, where he scored 21 goals.
According to Isaksson-Hurst, who worked closely with the striker before and
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