World Cup 2026: I can rival Messi, Mbappe, Haaland for Golden Boot Award – Folarin Balogun

United States striker Folarin Balogun has disclosed that he takes inspiration from elite players like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland, whose consistent scoring ability he describes as inevitable. 

Speaking to reporters during a training session, Balogun admitted that he finds the prolific goal-scoring rate of the game’s top players both annoying and deeply motivating.
 

The forward stated that he is eager to continue climbing the tournament scoring charts and establish himself among the top goal scorers at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
 

“I think it’s annoying!” Balogun joked. “Seeing players like Messi, Mbappe, Haaland — they’re so inevitable. I think they’re scoring a goal a game, sometimes more. For me, it’s just about trying to get to that level — to be inevitable as well, to be consistent. And I’m sure I’ve got the potential in me to do that.”
 

While looking to chase down top scorers like Messi, who recently broke the all-time tournament scoring record, Balogun also faces tactical decisions, as he is currently sitting on a yellow card ahead of the knockout rounds.
 

“That is the sort of player I am,” he said. “I think the most important thing for a professional athlete in any sport is to be available. I’m no different, so, of course, I want to play. But it’s also important to be smart. I wouldn’t want to pick up a yellow card and miss the round of 32.”
 

Balogun concluded by expressing his long-term ambitions for the remainder of the competition, noting that the further the team advances, the more opportunities he will have to find the back of the net. He added that any goal scored on the World Cup stage is an achievement that will be cherished forever.