How Folarin Balogun Went from Global Controversy to International Fame in One Crazy Summer
The controversy surrounding him this summer as the World Cup didn’t particularly bother Monaco striker Folarin Balogun. In fact, it actually helped to boost his profile and made him a major athlete in the United States.
What will we, collectively, remember about the 2026 World Cup in twenty years? Spain’s won the competition, undoubtedly; the honorable run of Les Bleus, eliminated in the semi-finals by the eventual winners (0-2); and perhaps the farewells of Messi and CR7, or even the Viking-esque Norwegian celebrations, if there’s any room left. But one thing is almost certain: we shouldn’t forget the Folarin Balogun affair, when political interference in the world of football perhaps reached its peak.
