Last season was almost a complete write-off for Folarin Balogun. The USMNT forward suffered a shoulder dislocation at the start of October and he would eventually be forced to undergo surgery in December. He would only return at the end of March and would then finish the season on the treatment table with an ankle injury. It meant that he played just 16 games in all competitions, scoring four goals. It was touted as the season in which he would step out of the shadow of Wissam Ben Yedder, the club captain, who departed in the summer of 2024. In his first season at Monaco, Balogun rotated with Ben Yedder, putting up unspectacular figures (32 games, eight goals), especially compared to his explosive season on loan at Reims, where he netted 22 in 39.

But in this World Cup year, Balogun is now starting to come into his own. He already has seven goals in 19 games, including three in the UEFA Champions League, but beyond that, he has clearly improved his overall game over the summer. He is better in hold-up, he is making better runs, he is feeding his teammates better, is more effective in his pressing… His progress is not lost on new Monaco manager Sébastien Pocognoli. “He is growing every match. He is the symbol of a guy who works for the team,” said the Monaco manager back in November.

Balogun rises up the Monaco hierarchy

It is clear that Balogun believes injuries have held him back since joining Monaco back in 2023. “The most important thing for me is staying healthy […] that is my personal goal; it is the only goal that I have. It will allow me to help the team,” said the Arsenal academy product in November. Avoiding injury setbacks, he believes, will be the key to delivering on the high expectations that naturally came with the €40m price tag. 

He still has a way to go to fulfil those expectations; he knows that, too. But he has clearly curried favour with the new manager and amid Mika Biereth’s struggles, this is perhaps the first time where Balgoun feels like the go-to first-choice, at least in big games. He looks to be feeding off that confidence. It is an important season for Balogun, not just because of the World Cup, which will be played on home turf at the end of it; this is also the time to deliver for Monaco.