The United States men’s national team will play its first game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in 100 days, and the debate over who should start at striker for Mauricio Pochettino against Paraguay isn’t close to being settled with Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi trading goals every week.
But for USA Soccer legend Brian McBride, the choice is clear.
“I would start Flo, especially with the way that he’s been playing this year,” McBride said on Alexi Lalas’ “State of the Union.”
“Form is a big thing, and if you’re playing, and you’re in-form, you just have that flow on the field. You’re not necessarily thinking, ‘Oh should I make that run?’ It’s a general thing that you get and you know. He’s got more of what we need than, say, Ricardo Pepi.”
Balogun is in the midst of a bounce-back season with French club AS Monaco, recording 12 goals and four assists in all competitions this season, including five goals in the UEFA Champions League. The 24-year-old hasn’t had a season with more than 10 goals since the 2022-23 season, when he finished as one of the top scorers in Ligue 1 with 21 goals.
(Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP via Getty Images)
Balogun has also started regularly contributing to the national team. After missing an entire year of international call-ups due to injuries, Balogun returned for the USA in September and made an instant impact, scoring three goals in his last five matches.
The only reason Balogun isn’t a penciled-in starter for Pochettino is the person right on his tail: Ricardo Pepi.
[WHEN AND WHERE: Full Schedule for 2026 FIFA World Cup]
“Pepi is a great goalscorer and his movement is really good, and he’s been playing at a higher level,” McBride said. “It may hurt him that he comes off of the bench and scores goals. As a coach, you see that, and you’re like, ‘Wait a second, I can keep this as sort of a secret weapon.’”
Only Pepi’s goal-scoring ability is not so much of a secret anymore.
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Coming off of yet another double-digit goal-scoring campaign for Dutch side PSV, Pepi has been linked with a move to the Premier League. Fulham made a $38 million transfer bid for Pepi during the January transfer window, but the deal ultimately didn’t come to fruition due to Fulham not being able to find a replacement striker in time.
Fulham are still the heavy favorites to bring in Pepi this summer, and McBride sees the 23-year-old striker as a great fit for his former club.
“I think it would be a good spot for him, I really do,” McBride said. “I know the club, and people there are amazing. The way that Fulham plays, you don’t ask a lot of your center forward. You have to hold the ball up every once in a while; definitely, if you can run in behind, that’s very helpful; teams tend to play a higher line against Fulham because sometimes we didn’t have that pace.
“I think we’re getting there and turning the players around, and I think Ricardo can do that. He’s a willing runner, and he’s a great finisher.”
Balogun and Pepi are both expected to be called up for the USA’s upcoming friendlies against Belgium and Portugal, which will be the final tuneups before Pochettino’s World Cup roster is set in May.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup starts on June 11.
