Folarin Balogun
Folarin Balogun is a professional football player who has made 13 U21 appearances in England ,4 U18 appearances for US and for Nigeria. Balogun has cemented his position as one of the top young player in English football.He was born on July 3, 2001, in the United States . His parents are Nigerian but he grew up and is raised in Brooklyn,New York(US). Balogun has proven to be an exceptional talent with a natural ability & has represented both England and the United States at very young age.
| Full Name | Folarin Jerry Balogun |
| Nickname | Balogunner |
| Age | 21 (as of 2023) |
| Place of Birth | Brooklyn,New York (U.S) |
| Sibling | Tolani Balogun |
| Net Worth | $3 Million |
| Zodiac | Cancer |
| Height | 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) |
| Family Origins | Nigerian |
| Parents | Jerry Brentford ( Father ) & Mrs.Brentford (Mother) |
Career
Folarin Balogun’s passion for football ignited at a very young age, and he has since remained unwavering in his pursuit of excellence. He has been rising through the ranks to become a true football sensation!
At the age of 8, Balogun signed with the biggest club ,Arsenal after being seen by scout member in a game of his former Sunday League team, Aldersbrook.
He had previously trialed with Arsenal’s North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and was on the verge of signing with them.
However, in February 2019, he signed a professional deal with Arsenal.
In 2017 he was in the line up of Arsenal U16 team which beat Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and Juventus respectively and ultimately win the Liam Brady Cup.
In February 2019, Balogun signed a professional contract with Arsenal and made his senior debut in the Europa League on 29 October 2020.
He got to play in a group-stage match against Dundalk and eventually won the match making it 3-0 .
He scored his first goal in the senior match on 26th November 2020.The game was a Europa League group stage match against Molde.
On April 26, 2021, Balogun signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal.
After few months of rigorous training he made his Premier League debut on August 13, 2021
On January 12, 2022, Middlesbrough bought him in a loan and he joined EFL Championship club until the end of the season.
During the 2022-23 season, Balogun moved on loan to French club Reims in August 2022 and scored on his debut for the club in the same month (August 7).
For his international, career, Balogun was born in the United States to Nigerian parents and raised in England and therefore eligible to represent all three nations at the international level.
What a lucky player he is !
Balogun played for England at the under-17 level and appeared in the 2018 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.
Later, he accepted a call-up from the United States under-18 national team in August 2018 for a training camp and a tournament which was happening in the Czech Republic.
He has also expressed interest in playing for Nigeria, although he has stated that he enjoys England’s “style of play” which is “similar to Arsenal’s”.
In August 2021, he received his first call-up to the England under-21 team but made his debut in September 2021 during the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification.
In October 2022 he said he was open to playing for Nigeria.
But International Debut from Nigeria? England? USA?
FIFA and U.S. Soccer confirmed that Folarin Balogun has committed to playing for the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT), ending a recruiting battle with England and Nigeria.
Balogun, who was born in New York to Nigerian parents and raised in England, made the decision based on his personal preference and the clear path to success that the USMNT offered.
He might make his team debut as early as next summer.
USMNT may keep him as a striker to prepare for 2026 world cup
In May 2023, he hit major headlines after receiving, a one-time-switch waiver from FIFA. On Tuesday, May 16, 2023, the football governing body, FIFA approved Balogun’s application for one-time switch to represent the United States national team.
He is currently playing as a striker for Ligue 1 club Reims on loan from Premier League club ‘Arsenal’.
Career Timeline
| Career Timeline | Details |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Joined Arsenal at 8 years old |
| 2017 | Became the Part of the Arsenal U16 side |
| February 2019 | Signed a professional contract with Arsenal |
| October 29, 2020 | Made his senior debut in the Europa League |
| November 26, 2020 | Scored his first senior goal in a Europa League |
| April 26, 2021 | Signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal |
| August 13, 2021 | Made his Premier League debut |
| January 12, 2022 | Joined Middlesbrough on loan until end of the season |
| August 2022 | Moved to French club Stade de Reims on loan |
| August 7, 2022 (at Reims) | Scored on his debut for Reims in a Ligue 1 match |
| October 8, 2022 | Named in the 40-man shortlist for the 2022 Golden Boy award |
| November 2, 2022 | Scored first goal for Middlesbrough in a Championship match against Nottingham Forest |
| November 9, 2022 | Named Middlesbrough Player of the Month for October 2022 |
| May 16, 2023 | Received a one-time switch waiver from FIFA to represent the United States national team |
Folarin Balogun Networth
As an Arsenal Club player, he earns £32,000 per week and £1,664,000 annually.
He is one of the highest-paid young players for Arsenal FC.
Folarin Balogun Stats
| Season | Team | Tournament | Apps | Mins | Goals | Assists | Yel | Red | SpG | PS% | AerialsWon | MotM | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022/2023 | Reims | FL1 | 31(3) | 2743 | 19 | 2 | 5 | – | 3.4 | 71.1 | 0.4 | 4 | 6.92 |
| 2021/2022 | Arsenal | EFLC | 1(1) | 63 | – | – | 1 | – | 2 | 80 | – | – | 6.31 |
| 2021/2022 | Middlesbrough | EC | 9(9) | 890 | 3 | 3 | – | – | 1.4 | 80.7 | 0.2 | – | 6.59 |
| 2021/2022 | Arsenal | EPL | 1(1) | 70 | – | – | – | – | 1.5 | 44.4 | 0.5 | – | 5.95 |
| 2020/2021 | Arsenal | UEL | 0(5) | 63 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 80 | 0.4 | – | 6.46 |
| Total | 61 | 3829 | 24 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 2.5 | 74.1 | 0.3 | 4 | 6.73 |
Family Background
Folarin Balogun Parents
His father name is Jerry Brentford & mother’s name is Mrs.Brentford.
He is not married and obviously does not have a wife. Apart from his professional life,he hardly opens up about his private affairs hence there’s also no information regarding his relationships and affairs.
Folarin Balogun Wife and Children
He is not married so he doesn’t have a wife. Apart from his professional life,he hardly opens up about his private affairs hence there’s also no information regarding his relationships and affairs.
The 21-year-old professional player is not yet a father. He does not have any biological or adopted children (2023).
Folarin Balogun Height & Weight
Balogun has a height of 1.78 m & he weighs around 66 kg.
Folarin Balogun Social Media
We discovered many social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram that go by the name Folarin Balogun as a result of our checks. But only these seems legit.
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