Folarin Balogun’s emergence as one of the standout performers for the United States at the FIFA World Cup is no coincidence, according to his personal coach, Saul Isaksson-Hurst, who says years of focused development helped shape the striker’s rise.
Balogun grabbed global attention after scoring twice in the USA’s convincing win over Paraguay, becoming the first American player in nearly a century to net a brace in a World Cup fixture.
The 24-year-old’s path to success was not straightforward. After progressing through Arsenal’s youth ranks, he found first-team opportunities limited and struggled to make a significant impact during a loan spell at Middlesbrough.
Seeking to elevate his game, Balogun turned to Isaksson-Hurst for specialised training. The coach explained that they carefully assessed the striker’s strengths and weaknesses before designing a programme aimed at sharpening his attacking qualities.
“Flo came to me in 2022 after an unsuccessful loan period at Middlesbrough. I wanted to obviously do some extra work to take his career further. We focused on his profile as a striker, read what his strengths are and the areas he could improve.
“So we did a big pre-season intensive camp, and he got his loan moved to France. He came back regularly on the Eurostar. We would work on all these things in the lead-up to his move to Monaco.”
The additional work paid off during Balogun’s loan spell at Reims, where his goalscoring exploits transformed his career and paved the way for a big-money transfer to Monaco.
Ahead of the World Cup, the striker reportedly underwent another demanding pre-season programme designed to ensure he arrived at the tournament in peak condition.
“The real work came in the pre-season last summer, because he was going to have one this year and head straight to the USA camp. We put in a lot of work within that period to have a big season leading up to the FIFA World Cup,” he said.
Balogun has continued to justify the investment, delivering goals and strong performances for both club and country. His displays have also earned praise from USA captain Tim Ream, who highlighted the forward’s movement and finishing ability.
Born in New York to Nigerian parents and raised in England, Balogun chose to represent the United States internationally. With the Americans already through to the knockout stage, he is expected to remain a key figure as their World Cup campaign continues.
