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Folarin Balogun, the promising USMNT striker, is at a crossroads as he contemplates his summer tournament commitments.
The talented 22-year-old faces a crucial decision that could shape his international career and his future with his club, Monaco.
The countdown to both the Copa America and the Olympic Games is underway, and the striker’s choices will be pivotal.
Balogun has earned 10 senior caps for the United States.
Thus, he is eager to make a significant impact on the international stage.
So, this summer presents two major opportunities: the Copa America, hosted by the United States, and the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The player is in Gregg Berhalter’s preliminary roster for the Copa America tournament. However, his playing time is far from certain.
But players who may not get much playing time will get the consolation reward to feature at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. However, Monaco’s CEO, Thiago Scuro, has set strict guidelines that could limit Balogun’s participation in both tournaments.
Balogun chose to represent the USA in 2023.
What did Monaco say?
Scuro outlined Monaco’s stance, emphasizing the need to balance the player’s international aspirations with the club’s requirements. “It’s quite clear, we want to respect the wishes of our players and at the same time meet the needs of the club”, he said.
“To do this, we shared with those concerned our two conditions for accepting participation in the Olympics. Firstly, go on vacation before the Games, because they finish very late and we cannot afford to see them leave. Here, we will fortunately not compete in the play-offs for the Champions League, which could have conflicted with the Olympic Games.
“Then the rules are strict: the selection must include 18 players, including a maximum of three players over 23 years old. We will see if the case arises. For Folarin Balogun, if he is also selected for…
Source link : https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/olympics-or-copa-america-tough-choice-awaits-balogun/
Author : Martina Alcheva
Publish date : 2024-05-25 20:53:32
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