USMNT star Folarin Balogun has named the players he takes inspiration from, with it no surprise to find Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe on that list.
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American forward now at MonacoImpressed in France last seasonHas set himself a goal targetWHAT HAPPENED?
The 22-year-old striker is very much still at the learning stage of his career, with only one full season spent playing on a regular basis at senior level. That campaign did deliver 21 goals during a loan spell at Reims, and earned him a permanent transfer from Arsenal to Monaco, with a stint in Ligue 1 allowing Balogun to rub shoulders with superstars of the world game.
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Balogun has told the podcast when asked to pick out those that he tries to take important lessons from: “There are loads of great players that I take inspiration from. I remember when I was on loan and we played against PSG and I had the opportunity to play against Messi, Neymar, Mbappe. For me personally, the player that stuck out the most in terms of when we were analysing them is Messi – and what he’s done in the game is undeniably. But also Mbappe, he’s somebody that I really look at and admire in terms of the way he has gone about his work and is so efficient and so effective at a young age.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Balogun is likely to line up against Mbappe again this season, with the World Cup winner still on the books at Paris Saint-German for now, and the United States international has explained why he returned to France when severing ties with Arsenal. He said: “I felt it was important to me to go to a side that is competing to win stuff. They are a really big team in the French league. At the same time I want to play games and improve, prove to myself and people around that I am capable of playing and being the main striker for a team. In the end when Monaco were interested, it was an easy decision for me. I told my agent this was the only place I wanted to go, and luckily for me he made it happen.”
Photos AS MonacoWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Balogun has made just one appearance for Monaco so far, and is waiting to open his goal account for the club, but admits to setting lofty targets for 2023-24. He said when asked if he puts goals in place at the start of any given campaign: “Last year, I did have a goal total that I wanted. I went into the season with an aim. My aim was 10 goals, with that being my first professional season in a different country – I felt that was an appropriate goal to give myself at the time. Obviously I was able to do better than that. Going into this year, I have set myself a goal again. I think it’s a good way to keep you focused because not everyday is positive. There are some days when you need added motivation. I have set higher goals that will test me more.”