‘I want to be inevitable’ – Balogun sends message to Messi, Mbappé, Haaland

United States striker Folarin Balogun has revealed his ambition to reach the level of football's most prolific goalscorers, naming Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland as the standards he hopes to emulate.

Speaking during a training session at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Balogun admitted that the consistency of the game's biggest stars serves as both motivation and inspiration as he looks to elevate his own performances on the international stage.

The former Arsenal academy graduate praised the remarkable scoring records of Messi, Mbappé, and Haaland, joking that their ability to find the net has become almost predictable.

“I think it’s annoying! Seeing players like Messi, Mbappé, and Haaland, they’re so inevitable. I think they’re scoring a goal a game, sometimes more,” he said.

The striker acknowledged that matching such extraordinary standards remains a major challenge, but insisted he possesses the qualities needed to compete at the highest level.

He added, “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.”

Balogun has emerged as one of the United States' key attacking weapons during the tournament and hopes to continue climbing the scoring charts as the knockout rounds approach.

The 24-year-old sees every World Cup goal as a special achievement and is eager to leave a lasting mark on the competition.

“Hopefully, the further we go, the more opportunities I have to score. Any goal in the World Cup is something that’s going to be cherished forever,” he added.