Before there was a chance for any controversy to emerge surrounding Folarin Balogun’s omission from Mauricio Pochettino’s latest U.S. men’s national team (USMNT) roster, the Monaco forward was belatedly called up.
Balogun earned his chance to face South Korea and Japan in a series of friendlies after Vancouver Whitecaps forward Brian White pulled out through injury. The 29-year-old sustained a hamstring strain during last weekend’s victory over St. Louis, creating a gap in the roster which many already expected to be filled by Balogun.
Injury hampered much of the 2024–25 campaign for the former Arsenal striker, who was sidelined for the best part of six months with a dislocated shoulder and the surgery required to fix it. After getting back on the pitch in spring, Balogun was initially included in this summer’s Gold Cup roster only for an ankle injury to force him out.
Balogun’s most recent international appearance came back in September 2024, before Pochettino’s reign even began. His last international win and goal was the opening game of the 2024 Copa América against Bolivia.
The 24-year-old had previously been considered to be USMNT’s first-choice No. 9 and will be competing for a starting spot in September with Southampton’s Damion Downs and Norwich City frontman Josh Sargent.
Pochettino’s initial choice of Vancouver’s White over Balogun may have been a consequence of his lofty opinion of MLS. The top flight of North American soccer is widely considered to be inferior to Europe’s elite divisions, yet the Argentine coach offered an impassioned counter-view at his squad announcement.
“We need to give MLS the value, because I think competing there, I think players can show that they can perform in the national team,” Pochettino told assembled media this week. “I think it’s not necessary to move from MLS to Europe. Because sometimes MLS, under my assessment, maybe is more competitive than some leagues in Europe.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mauricio Pochettino Rows Back on Surprise USMNT Omission After Injury Withdrawal.