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The beginning of November appears to have marked a turning point for previously out-of-favor U.S. men's national team forward Folarin Balogun, who has now been officially registered to feature for Monaco in the UEFA Conference League.
Monaco had left Balogun out of their Conference League roster at the beginning of the campaign because the American appeared set to depart the club. A return to the Premier League with Everton looked virtually certain heading into the closing days of the summer transfer window—until it fell apart.
The Everton deal collapsed twice in the dying hours of Deadline Day on Sept. 1, with Balogun ultimately turning down the move after the Toffees raised concerns about his medical examination just hours beforehand. The turbulent failed transfer created enormous chaos and had a notable ripple effect on other deals during the window's final hours.
Monaco still needed to offload a player, so they attempted to move Balogun in the following days to a club in a league where the transfer window was still active—which is why he was absent from the initial Conference League squad. Ultimately, finding a new destination proved impossible and Balogun remained at the Principality.
Jumping to the present, following his return to action over the past month, Balogun is now eligible to participate in Europe's third-tier club competition for Monaco, stepping into the slot vacated by Ansu Fati after the latter suffered a hamstring injury that will keep him sidelined for an extended period.
Balogun is now set for increased playing time that should help him rediscover his best form, something that has already been acknowledged by Mauricio Pochettino.
Balogun Returns to USMNT After First Goal of the Season
Even after his future at Monaco was secured, it took some time for Balogun to make his seasonal debut.
Following his contentious appearance in the USMNT's disappointing World Cup round of 16 loss to Belgium—after FIFA's widely criticized decision to overturn his red card suspension—Balogun went without a match appearance for more than two months.
The 25-year-old has made only five appearances for Monaco this season, all of them as a substitute. Nevertheless, there are signs that the USMNT striker is finally beginning to see brighter days ahead.
Balogun played 45 minutes over the weekend—his most substantial contribution of the season—and netted his first goal of the campaign in a 3–1 loss to Paris FC. While the result was far from encouraging as Monaco dropped to seventh in the Ligue 1 table, getting on the scoresheet will undoubtedly provide Balogun with a much-needed confidence boost.
Two days later, he was added to the Conference League squad, and the following day, Mauricio Pochettino named him in his 25-man USMNT roster for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals against Haiti.
After a challenging stretch, it took just four days into the new month for Balogun's fortunes to shift dramatically. With the off-field controversies seemingly behind him, Balogun can now focus on performing on the pitch.
Time for Balogun to Prove His Worth
It feels like a lifetime ago that Balogun won over American fans by scoring twice in the USMNT's memorable 2026 World Cup opener. He then added another goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32 victory before his red card controversy.
Coming off a 19-goal campaign for Monaco, Balogun appeared to be at the peak of his powers—then the controversies arrived.
Due to his lack of fitness and limited playing time at the start of the season, Balogun was left out of the USMNT's September-October squad. Instead, Pochettino turned to a group of young attackers who made a tremendous impression during the four international friendlies of that window.
Justin Ellis, Julian Hall, and Cavan Sullivan combined for seven goal contributions across those four matches, including five goals. Hall and Ellis are teenage center forwards who are also making waves in MLS this season, and given their impressive maiden USMNT outings, they are well-positioned to challenge Balogun's status as Pochettino's preferred striker for the Stars and Stripes.
All three young forwards are back in the USMNT squad alongside Balogun. With competition intensifying internally, Balogun must deliver in the two-legged tie against Haiti to reassert himself at the top of the striking hierarchy.
The Arsenal academy product has the ability to do exactly that, and at 25, he also possesses the experience and composure to win the striker battle. Like Christian Pulisic, who is also returning to the USMNT for the first time since the World Cup, Balogun must make a strong impression during the November window to demonstrate that the exciting young talents still have significant ground to cover before they can claim his starting berth.