World Cup 2026 Player of the Day - Day 3: Balogun Inspires Hosts USA to Historic Win

World Cup 2026 co-hosts the USA began their campaign with a bang in the early hours of Saturday morning (UK time), thrashing Paraguay 4-1 in Los Angeles, Folarin Balogun bagging a first-half brace on what must have been one of the greatest days of his career so far – as the USA scored four goals in a World Cup game for the first time.

With his goals to put the USA 2-0 then 3-0 up before the break, Balogun became the first American to find the net more than once in a World Cup match since Bert Patenaude hit a hat-trick – coincidentally, also against Paraguay – at the inaugural tournament way back in 1930.

Coming into the World Cup off the back of one of the best goalscoring seasons of his career so far – netting 19 times for Monaco – Balogun spearheaded the States’ charge superbly, attempting the joint most shots in the game (five) and having more touches in the opposition box than any other player on either side (10).

The 24-year-old doubled Mauricio Pochettino’s team’s lead just after the half-hour mark, receiving Christian Pulisic’s pass and placing a neat side-footed finish beyond Orlando Gill in the Paraguay – having seen a goal ruled out for offside only three minutes earlier.

Balogun – who came through the ranks at Arsenal and played for England up to U21 level but ultimately chose to represent the country of his birth – rounded off a dream first half for the USA in stoppage time, smashing home after getting on the end of Malik Tillman’s through-ball.

Substituted midway through the first half, Balogun’s brace took his international goals tally to 11 in 28 caps – and he’ll be hoping to add to it in his nation’s next group match against Australia in Seattle on Friday (June 19).

READ MORE: World Cup 2026: What Date and Time do the Group Stage Matches Kick Off?