Monaco Wiretap

Folarin Balogun has spent his career defying the obvious path. Born in New York, raised in London, developed at Arsenal, broken out on loan at Reims, and sold to Monaco for €30 million in 2023, the 23-year-old striker arrives at his first World Cup as one of the United States men's national team's most important attacking threats.

Last season at Monaco, Balogun recorded 13 goals and four assists in Ligue 1 while adding five goals across 10 Champions League appearances. That form has positioned him as a decisive weapon for Mauricio Pochettino's side as the tournament opens on home soil.

Balogun embraces the weight of that expectation.

"My role is to finish games, to deliver in high-pressure moments," he said. "In any card game, there's always that one card that can decide everything. I see myself like that."

The striker said pressure has been a constant throughout his career and that he has learned to treat it as fuel rather than burden.

"I wouldn't want it any other way," Balogun said of the scrutiny strikers face. "It's high pressure, but also high reward. I want to be remembered as someone who was decisive in big moments, and to do that you have to embrace the pressure."

That composure, he said, was forged through experience rather than natural ease.

"It comes from experiencing both good and bad times," he said. "I've learned to stay neutral, not get too high or too low."

Balogun said the most significant lesson his career in Europe has delivered is adaptability, a quality he now considers central to his identity both on and off the pitch.

"Living abroad for the last few years, being around different cultures, and putting yourself in uncomfortable situations teaches you to adjust," he said. "Now I feel comfortable with that."

When asked what emotion surfaces first when he imagines the World Cup stage, his answer was immediate.

"Excitement," said Balogun. "It's about doing well, making people proud, and making myself proud."

United States men's national team striker Folarin Balogun will fulfill a career dream on Tuesday when Monaco face Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the Champions League. The 24-year-old forward has eight goals and two assists in 22 appearances across all competitions this season for the Ligue 1 side.

Balogun became the first American to score in three consecutive Champions League appearances this past December, converting from close range in the 68th minute against Galatasaray for a 1-0 Monaco victory. He also found the net in Monaco's previous Champions League matches against Pafos and Bodo/Glimt.

"Playing Real Madrid in the Champions League is special. It will be a first time for me and I am sure it will be a first time for a lot of my teammates," Balogun said. "It is important that we go there to qualify though. We have our own objectives."

Monaco need one point from their final two matches against Real Madrid and Juventus to advance to the Champions League playoffs. The team has performed significantly better in European competition than domestic play, losing seven of their last eight league games while excelling in Champions League action.

"It is a paradox," Balogun said. "There is frustration sometimes for the coach and the staff because we can beat these teams, we can dominate these teams as well and then in Ligue 1 we are struggling for that consistency."

Monaco manager Sebastien Pocognoli's squad is looking to rebound after a 3-1 defeat to Lorient on Friday, their fourth straight loss in the French championship. The Brooklyn-born forward scored his first career Champions League goal in November during Monaco's 1-0 win over Bodo/Glimt.

"The best thing I can do is have a good season with Monaco and when I see the U.S. team in March, I have to perform," Balogun said. "I have to remind myself to embrace it all. Be in the moment. You don't want to look back on your career and think: I was so focused that I didn't realize I was achieving my dreams."

"It is an accomplishment to be at the World Cup or at the Bernabéu in the Champions League. At this level, you have to be ruthless," he said.

"There is more I want to do. I have high expectations for myself at the half way point of the season. I am happy to be healthy and playing week in week out but I want to achieve more."

USMNT striker Folarin Balogun is determined to prove himself as the team's go-to scorer before next summer's World Cup. The Monaco forward has scored seven goals in 20 appearances since committing to the United States in 2023.

Balogun's decision to represent the USMNT over England shocked many observers. The 24-year-old chose America after scoring 22 goals on loan with Reims in Ligue 1. He cited a desire for control over his career and a sense of belonging with the United States.

"I would always rather be in a position where I make a choice than have a choice be made for me," Balogun told GOAL. "At that time in my life, I wanted to make a choice, and I wanted to make a definitive choice because that put my own mind to rest as well."

The striker's arrival generated significant expectations. He was viewed as a potential savior for a team lacking a proven goalscorer. Injuries have limited his impact since joining the national team setup.

Balogun has worked to integrate himself into the USMNT culture. The introverted forward acknowledges he needed time to adjust to a vocal group. Teammates like Chris Richards helped draw him out of his shell.

"He's soft spoken, and we knew we had to get him out of that shell a little bit," Richards said. "Once we did, he was accepted."

The 24-year-old believes his extended time with the team will pay dividends. He has developed chemistry with Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and other key players. That familiarity should benefit the Americans at the World Cup.

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino has made his expectations straightforward. He wants his strikers to score goals when opportunities arise.

"Strikers need to score goals," Pochettino said. "The most important quality of a striker is, if they touch one ball in the right area to score, they score."

Balogun faces competition from Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright, Patrick Agyemang and Josh Sargent. He scored against Ecuador on Friday after netting against Japan last month. Ecuador had not conceded in five matches prior to facing the United States.

"If I play this season and score 30 goals, no surprise, good things will follow," Balogun said.

The striker views the World Cup as the ultimate measuring stick. He believes definitive moments in major tournaments define great careers. His focus remains on consistent output to build confidence heading into next summer.

Ansu Fati has signed a contract extension with Barcelona through the end of the 2027-28 season, but will go to Monaco on a season-long loan to kickstart his career. Monaco will have the opportunity to make the loan permanent next summer.

Fati has dealt with a number of injuries since emerging with Barcelona at the age of 16 in 2019. Fati made 11 appearances in all competitions under Hansi Flick, although just three of them were starts and he only clocked 297 minutes in total.

Fati joined Brighton on loan in 2023, scoring four times in 27 outings for the Premier League side, before returning to Barça last summer.

Ansu Fati will join Monaco from Barcelona on a loan. Fati made just 11 appearances with Barcelona last season after spending the previous season with Brighton on loan.

Monaco believe they can revive Fati's career that has been derailed by injuries.

Chelsea will sign Benoit Badiashile from Monaco for €37 million.

Badiashile will strengthen the Blues' center-back options and he represents a cheaper alternative to RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol.

It remains to be seen whether this will be Thiago Silva's final season with Chelsea. 

Real Madrid and Liverpool are the two clubs best placed to sign Aurelien Tchouameni.

Kylian Mbappe, who is a personal friend of Tchouameni, requested Paris Saint-Germain attempt to sign him. But Tchouameni is expected to end up with one of the two Champions League finalists. 

Real Madrid view the signing of a defensive midfielder as a priority. 

Jesse Marsch is one of the leading candidates in the running to become the new manager of AS Monaco.

Monaco recently fired Niko Kovac.

Marsch, 48, is a free agent after leaving RB Leipzig earlier this season. 

Manchester United has interest in Wissam Ben Yedder of Monaco.

Ben Yedder turns 30 in August and scored 18 goals this season.

Monaco are struggling financially at the moment and could be forced to sell their best player. Monaco paid €30 million for Ben Yedder last summer from Sevilla.

United are looking for a striker this summer to bolster their squad.

Several Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 sides could declare bankruptcy within the next 6 months if matches are canceled due to COVID-19.

"I am very, very, very worried for all the clubs," he said. "Without state aid, within six months, half of professional clubs will have to file for bankruptcy. The five major leagues have already lost €4 billion and the French league between €500m and €600m," said the president of Saint-Etienne's supervisory board, Bernard Caiazzo.

Lyon were the first Ligue 1 side to adopt the policy of partial employment which funds a portion of the staff's salaries.

Caiazzo adds that the funds are not enough to cover a functioning side.

He added that there will hardly be a transfer window due to an overall lack of funds.

"There will also be no transfer window. Our neighbours will not have the resources to buy players this summer. However, some Ligue 1 clubs are banking on sales by the end of June. Not to mention the €170m less in TV rights money, as well as a box office shortfall."