US earns historic win in World Cup opener after beatdown of Paraguay as the legend of Folarin Balogun is born
History was made as the U.S. dropped a 4-bomb on Paraguay.
For the first time in history, the U.S. scored at least four goals in a World Cup game.
On top of that, Folarin Balogun, 24, became the first American player since 1930 to score multiple goals in a World Cup match. The 4-1 victory over Paraguay also marked the first time the United States won a World Cup game by three goals since 1930, when it also beat Paraguay. Team USA secured the historic win in its 2026 FIFA World Cup opener in Southern California on Friday night.
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Balogun's big night marked a historic moment in one of the more fascinating American soccer stories in USMNT history.
The U.S. raced to a 3-0 lead, scoring its first goal within the opening seven minutes, and came within one goal of matching the largest World Cup victory in program history. Even with the three-goal advantage, the Americans continued to press for a fourth goal. But after U.S. captain Christian Pulisic went down with an injury, Paraguay found the back of the net in the 73rd minute.
But then, in the final seconds, 23-year-old Gio Reyna scored the historic fourth goal to ensure the U.S. earned three points in the World Cup standings.
The American scoring barrage started when Paraguay's Damián Bobadilla scored an own goal in the sixth minute, giving the Americans an early lead in the highly anticipated group-stage matchup.
American fans packed in SoFi Stadium roared as the USMNT seized an early advantage.
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Then in the 30th minute, the New York native Balogun scored his first-ever World Cup goal, pushing the lead to two.
Balogun's strike gave the U.S. a two-goal cushion in the 30th minute, the third-fastest the Americans have reached that mark in a World Cup match. The only time Team USA managed to put the ball in the net sooner was in 2002 against Portugal (29th minute) and in a 1930 meeting with Paraguay (15th minute).
Balogun's special night continued just before halftime, when he scored again, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Balogun raced onto a pinpoint pass from teammate Malik Tillman before curling a shot into the top-left corner for a standout goal.
Born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents, but raised in London, Balogun came through the prestigious Arsenal academy. He was discovered at age eight playing in a local "Sunday League" in London and joined the youth academy for Arsenal, one of England's biggest professional clubs.
He had the choice to play for the U.S. or England, and when deciding which national team to commit to, he took a vacation to the U.S. in 2023. He felt so much overwhelming support from American fans on social media that it heavily influenced his decision to pledge his international allegiance to the United States.
Now, he is America's newest star in a strong start to a World Cup that will be played on home soil for the first time in three decades.