Folarin Balogun, 21, will be immediately eligible to represent the USMNT, and could play for the country of his birth as soon as next month, in either the Nations League semifinals or Gold Cup.
Balogun was born in New York to Nigerian parents, then spent most of his childhood in England. He therefore could have played for any of the three countries internationally. He represented England in official youth competitions, and as he rose through Arsenal’s academy, he seemed destined for the England senior team.
But, as he broke out with 19 goals this season on loan at French club Reims, an England call-up never came — and U.S. Soccer accelerated its recruitment. In March, Balogun pulled out of an England U-21 squad and traveled to Florida, where the USMNT was training. He left without publicly committing, but over the weeks and months after that visit, he made his decision.
