IRVINE, Calif. — Folarin Balogun wants to play and he wants to score. By nature, this is how the best center forwards operate.Particularly ones with optimistic designs on a high finish in the World Cup’s Golden Boot race, like Balogun.The United States face a pleasantly unexpected quandary this week, preparing for a final group stage game at the World Cup that is inconsequential to the team’s standing and path. It’s the chance for Mauricio Pochettino to rotate if he so chooses and protect players facing the risk of a yellow card suspension, including Balogun.That makes the United States’ match against Turkey (Thursday, 10 p.m. ET) difficult for the team’s star No. 9. With two goals in the U.S. opener, he is tied for fifth on the scoring charts, albeit alongside 17 others. But the chance to add to that tally comes with the risk of knowing another yellow card would see him suspended for the round of 32 knockout match.“I want to play every game, that’s the sort of player I am,” Balogun said. “It’s also important to be smart not to pick up a yellow card and miss the round of 32.”Wins over Paraguay and Australia earned the United States top spot in Group D and a berth to the Round of 32. The result against Turkey can have no impact on either team’s fortunes. The United States is in first and playing the round of 32 in Santa Clara on July 1. Turkey will head home after Thursday’s match, finishing bottom of the group.Meanwhile, a narrative has quickly emerged that this is a World Cup where elite scorers come to shine.Balogun finds himself on the same list as Lionel Messi, whose pair of goals on Monday put him alone on top spot with five. Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane have all found scoring form, while Mo Salah scored a crucial strike to give Egypt its first World Cup win on Sunday.“It’s annoying,” Balogun said with a laugh. “To see players like Messi, Mbappe, Haaland, they’re so inevitable. They score a goal a game or sometimes more. For me, it’s trying to get to that level, to be inevitable. To be consistent. I’ve got the potential in me to do that.”Winning the Golden Boot is a longshot for Balogun, but as long as the U.S. remains in the tournament and the forward keeps up this form, nothing is off the table.The American-born former England youth international — who filed a one-time switch in 2023 to join the United States — is key to the United States’ hopes of continuing to advance. His goals are most important but his movement, defensive work rate and hold up play is proving crucial.Sitting on a yellow card, though, it may be best to hold Balogun out of the match against Turkey. The same is true for the team’s other three players carrying a yellow card: Chris Richards, Tyler Adams and Antonee Robinson.Yellow cards reset after the group stage.It remains to be seen how Pochettino will approach the dead-rubber to close out the group stage. Twelve days separate the U.S.’s win over Australia and their first knockout round game. Players no doubt will want to keep the momentum going, but the rest of the squad who has been out of the starting lineup will be desperate for a chance to play with qualification sealed.Christian Pulisic returns to USMNT training Tom BogertWhen asked if one eye is already on the knockout rounds, which is likely to be against the winner of Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar in Group B, Balogun’s mindset became clear.“Not me personally,” he said. “I’m sure some of the staff or other players might be looking. To be honest, I don’t understand mathematically (who we’d play). Whoever I get told to prepare for, I go out and prepare for.“I just focus on the present.”The USMNT received a boost on Monday, as Christian Pulisic participated in full U.S. men’s national team training for the 15 minutes open to the media on Monday for the first time since picking up a calf injury against Paraguay on June 12. It’s a sign that the U.S. star is on his way to being fully cleared, no matter if he features in the match at SoFi Stadium or not to close the group stage.Balogun scored both of his goals with Pulisic on the field, the first of which assisted by Pulisic. While Balogun didn’t score against Australia, it was his movement and pressure that created the opening goal (own goal) and he battled Australian defenders much bigger than him all game.Strikers make their careers on goals, Balogun knows that. He is desperate to help the team win but he wants to play against Turkey, maybe keeping up with the game’s biggest stars in the Golden Boot race. But the team’s chances in this tournament are much better whenever he’s in the lineup and not risking a suspension.Jun 22, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms