Balogun scores hat trick in Monaco friendly match

Folarin Balogun, the United States striker, returned to football on Tuesday after shoulder surgery. He played in a friendly match for Monaco's reserve team against Brighton's under-23 squad. Balogun made a strong comeback, scoring three goals in the first half. This performance marks his first match of 2025 after undergoing surgery in December for a dislocated shoulder. He had been sidelined for about two months due to the injury. It is uncertain if Balogun will be fit to play in Monaco's next match on Saturday against local rival Nice. He previously returned to action in late November but re-injured his shoulder during a league match against Marseille. While Balogun was recovering, he missed the U.S. team’s participation in last week's Concacaf Nations League Finals. Under coach Mauricio Pochettino, the U.S. finished fourth after losing to Panama and Canada. Balogun has not yet played for the national team since Pochettino took over in October.