World Cup 2026: Folarin Balogun shines in his debut, but his citizenship is controversial

Folarin Balogun made his World Cup debut, scoring twice for co-hosts USA in the opening match against Paraguay. However, Balogun represents the US by accident of birth, which is an ironic situation considering former President Donald Trump is trying to limit the possibility of gaining citizenship by birth. On Friday, Balogun prepares for the second group match against Australia in Seattle, in the shadow of controversy over immigration and visas at this championship. Balogun, a 24-year-old graduate of Arsenal's academy, had the option of representing England or Nigeria. His Nigerian parents lived in London when they went to New York in 2001. There, Balogun's mother was unable to return to England because she was heavily pregnant, leading to his birth in Brooklyn. Thanks to this, he automatically received American citizenship under the law based on the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution.  Thanks to his skills, Balogun became a key player of the US national team. After the match against Paraguay, AC Milan midfielder Christian Pulisic emphasized that the USA was "very lucky" to sign Balogun. “He is an incredible talent and extremely effective in the penalty area,” Pulisic said. Kenny Cooper, a former U.S. national team player, says Balogun is an "exceptional talent" and can lead the team to historic success. “His two goals were special,” Cooper said. "His presence gives great confidence to both players and fans." Despite the political controversy, Balogun is one example of an American team as a mix of different identities. Fans such as Tommy Marcos, president of the American Outlaws in New York, emphasize that such a team reflects the multicultural character of the USA.