Key events1h agoMexican protesters block road to stadium2h agoReferee Artan gets hero's welcome in Somalia3h agoPreambleFurther to the Dear England ruminations an hour or so ago, Michael Hogan has assembled a handy guide to the best telly and film to get you in the mood for the World Cup. Particular shouts for This is England 86, The Game Of Their Lives and An Evening With Gary Lineker, written at a time when football and theatre were very much estranged culturally.The USA now, and Jeff Rueter has profiled the London-raised Folarin Balogun, who is set to be a focal point for the co-hosts:
double quotation markSome strikers are gregarious personalities who ensure attention even when they struggle. Folarin Balogun prefers to speak softly and maintain a healthy goalscoring record. The 24-year-old has still been making himself known to his country of birth – he was born in New York but raised in London – after committing to the US over England and Nigeria. This past season, he finished fourth in Ligue 1 scoring with 13 goals, priming him for an emergent World Cup on home soil.
Balogun’s recruitment was closely monitored by US fans, desperate for a dependable goalscorer.
“What we would say in England is how sharp he is,” the USMNT captain, Tim Ream, said. “Just with his movement: left, right, being able to hold the ball up and bring other players in, and then his movement in behind and getting himself in the goalscoring positions is something that we’ve been crying out for for a long time with the team and this group. He’s probably the most annoying striker for me to have to deal with in training because he is so quick with his movements, physically strong and able to seemingly glide past people.”
