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History was made when the United States dropped four bombs on Paraguay.
For the first time in history, the United States scored at least four goals in a World Cup match.
Additionally, Folarin Balogun, 24, became the first American player since 1930 to score multiple goals in a World Cup match. The 4-1 victory over Paraguay also marked the first time the United States won a World Cup match by three goals since 1930, when it also beat Paraguay. Team USA scored a historic victory Friday night in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Southern California.
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Folarin Balogun scored two goals in his first World Cup match for the United States. (Getty Images)
Balogun’s big night marked a historic moment in one of the most fascinating American soccer stories in USMNT history.
The United States took a 3-0 lead, scoring its first goal in the first seven minutes, and came within a goal of tying the largest World Cup victory in program history. Even with a three-goal advantage, the Americans continued to press for a fourth goal. But after U.S. captain Christian Pulisic was injured, Paraguay found the net in the 73rd minute.
But then, in the final seconds, 23-year-old Gio Reyna scored the historic fourth goal to secure the United States three points in the World Cup standings.
The barrage of American goals began when Paraguay’s Damián Bobadilla scored an own goal in the sixth minute, giving the Americans an early lead in the highly anticipated group stage match.
The American fans gathered in SoFi Stadium roared as the USMNT took an early advantage.
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American Folarin Balogun celebrates scoring the second goal with his teammates in Inglewood, California, June 12, 2026, during the FIFA World Cup Group D match against Paraguay. (Gary Vasquez/Imagn Images)
Then, in the 30th minute, New York native Balogun scored his first-ever World Cup goal, extending the lead to two.
Balogun’s goal gave the United States a two-goal lead in the 30th minute, the third fastest the Americans have reached that mark in a World Cup match. The only time the American team managed to put the ball in the net earlier was in 2002 against Portugal (29th minute) and in a 1930 meeting against Paraguay (15th minute).
Balogun’s special night continued just before half-time, when he scored again, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Balogun ran onto a precise pass from teammate Malik Tillman before firing a shot into the top left corner for a remarkable goal.
Born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents, but raised in London, Balogun attended the prestigious Arsenal academy. He was discovered at the age of eight playing in a local “Sunday League” in London and joined the youth academy of Arsenal, one of England’s biggest professional clubs.
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American Christian Pulisic celebrates with his teammates after an own goal by Paraguayan Damian Bobadilla during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D match in Inglewood, California, June 12, 2026. (Kiyoshi Mio/Imagn Images)
He had the choice of playing for the United States or England, and when deciding which national team to commit to, he took a vacation to the United States in 2023. He felt such overwhelming support from American fans on social media that it heavily influenced his decision to pledge international allegiance to the United States.
He is now the new American star in a good start to the World Cup which will be played at home for the first time in three decades.
