Folarin Balogun

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Folarin Balogun
Personal information
Full name Folarin Jerry Balogun[1]
Date of birth (2001-07-03) 3 July 2001 (age 20)
Place of birth New York City, New York, United States
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Arsenal
Number 26
Youth career
Aldersbrook
2008–2020 Arsenal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Arsenal 2 (0)
National team‡
2018 England U17
2018 United States U18 4 (2)
2018–2019 England U18
2020– England U20 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:27, 22 August 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11:32, 20 April 2021 (UTC)

Folarin Jerry Balogun (born 3 July 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for Arsenal. Born in the United States, he represents England at youth international level.

Early life[]

Balogun was born in New York City and migrated to England when he was two years old,[3][4] growing up in London.[5] His parents were born in Nigeria.[6]

Club career[]

Balogun joined Arsenal at the age of eight after being scouted while playing for his previous Sunday League side, Aldersbrook.[7][8] Before trialling with Arsenal, he had trialled with North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and nearly signed for them.[8]

He signed a professional contract in February 2019.[9]

In July 2020, after failing to agree a new contract with Arsenal, he was linked with a transfer away from the club, including a proposed £8 million sale to Brentford.[10][11]

He made his senior debut in the Europa League on 29 October 2020, coming on as a substitute in the 74th minute in a group stage match against Dundalk.[12][13]

He scored his first senior goal on 26 November 2020, in a Europa League match against Molde.[14][13]

On 26 April 2021, Balogun signed a new long-term contract with the club.[15] Balogun made his Premier League debut in a 2-0 loss against newly promoted Brentford on 13 August 2021.[16]

International career[]

Born in the United States to Nigerian parents and raised in England, Balogun is eligible to represent all three nations at the international level. After playing for England at the under-17 level and appearing in the 2018 UEFA European Under-17 Championship,[17] he accepted a call up from the United States U18 national team in August 2018 for a training camp and a tournament in the Czech Republic.[5][18] He played in all four of the United States' games in the Václav Ježek Youth Tournament and scored twice.[19] 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".[20][21]

In 2019 he appeared and scored for the England U18 national team in a tournament in Dubai.[22] In October 2020 he made an appearance for the England U20 against Wales.[23][24]

Style of play[]

Martin Keown has compared Balogun to Arsenal's legendary striker, Ian Wright, due to his speed and intelligent movement.[25]

Career statistics[]

As of match played 22 August 2021
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Arsenal U21 2018–19[26] — — — — 1[a] 0 1 0
2019–20[27] — — — — 1[a] 0 1 0
2020–21[13] — — — — 2[a] 1 2 1
Total — — — — 4 1 4 1
Arsenal 2020–21[13] Premier League 0 0 0 0 1 0 5[b] 2 0 0 6 2
2021–22[28] Premier League 2 0 0 0 0 0 — — 2 0
Total 2 0 0 0 1 0 5 2 0 0 8 2
Career total 2 0 0 0 1 0 5 2 4 1 12 3
  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy.
  2. ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League.

References[]

  1. ^ "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/07/2018 and 31/07/2018". The Football Association. p. 4. Archived from the original on 24 October 2019.
  2. ^ Folarin Balogun at Soccerway. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  3. ^ Okeleji, Oluwashina (21 March 2019). "Nigeria yet to approach Arsenal's Folarin Balogun". BBC News. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Mikel Arteta sends message to Arsenal contract rebel Folarin Balogun". Metro. London. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Karen, Mattias (20 August 2018). "U.S. under-18s call up promising Arsenal prospect Folarin Balogun". ESPN. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  6. ^ Critchlow, Dan (15 March 2019). "Folarin Balogun admits he hasn't decided international allegiance: England, USA or Nigeria". Daily Cannon. Belfast. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  7. ^ Wheatley, Chris (4 September 2018). "Arsenal academy update: Smith-Rowe, Willock & Balogun set for breakthrough campaign". Goal.com. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b "YOUNG GUN: FOLARIN BALOGUN". Arsenal F.C. 12 July 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Nigerian born Folarin Balogun signs professional contract with Arsenal". Pulse. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  10. ^ "Folarin Balogun appears to confirm Arsenal decision on Instagram". 3 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Folarin Balogun: Arsenal demand £8m for Brentford target". Sky Sports.
  12. ^ Smith, Geroge (29 October 2020). "'Better than Firmino!' – Arsenal fans go nuts after Mikel Arteta's Folarin Balogun decision". football.London. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Games played by Folarin Balogun in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  14. ^ "Arsenal into last 32 with win at Molde" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  15. ^ "Folarin Balogun signs new long-term contract". www.arsenal.com. 26 April 2021.
  16. ^ "Arsenal Team News:Folarin Balogun starts vs Brentford". theathletic.com. 13 August 2021.
  17. ^ "European Under-17 Championships: England lose 6-5 on penalties to Netherlands". BBC Sport. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  18. ^ Emmanuel, Ifeanyi (20 August 2018). "Arsenal's Nigerian Whizkid Provisionally Cap-Tied To England Selected To Represent USA". All Nigeria soccer. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  19. ^ Henry Jr., Larry (25 August 2018). "USMNT U-18s win Vaclav Jezek Tournament". SBI Soccer. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  20. ^ "' Don't Play For Nigeria ' – English FA To Meet With Parents Of Arsenal Nigeria U20 Target Folarin Balogun". Own Goal Nigeria. 23 March 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  21. ^ "Young Gun: Folarin Balogun". www.arsenal.com. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  22. ^ "The young lions were victorious in their opening game in Dubai with a 4–1 over Japan". The FA. The Football Association. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  23. ^ "Two quickfire goals in the first half seal seal win for Lee Carsley's Young Lions at SGP". FA. The Football Association. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  24. ^ "Lewis Webb of Wales saves from Folarin Balogun of England". Shutterstock. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  25. ^ Wheatley, Chris (11 December 2020). "Arsenal's 'next Ian Wright' who has shown Arteta what he can do in 60 minutes". Football.London. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  26. ^ "Games played by Folarin Balogun in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  27. ^ "Games played by Folarin Balogun in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  28. ^ "Games played by Folarin Balogun in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
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