The Union’s Nathan Harriel played with star USMNT prospect Folarin Balogun, and remembers it well

Balogun, a 21-year-old striker, is lighting up the French league with 17 goals this season. Harriel played with him on a U.S. youth national team in 2018, and saw Balogun's potential firsthand.

Union right back Nathan Harriel (right) played with U.S. national team prospect Folarin Balogun in a tournament in 2018.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

by Jonathan Tannenwald

Published Mar. 30, 2023, 3:53 p.m. ET

The biggest name in American soccer’s headlines these days is one who doesn’t even play for an American team.

At least, not yet.

Folarin Balogun is a 21-year-old striker who has scored 17 goals for Reims in France’s Ligue 1 this season and drawn the U.S. men’s national team’s attention. He was born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents, raised in London, and grew up in the youth academy of famed English club Arsenal. His diverse roots make him eligible for the U.S., Nigeria, and England, and he has often played with English youth teams.

But Balogun hasn’t made a long-term commitment yet. So it got lots of attention when he flew to Orlando while the U.S. was there for its recent Concacaf Nations League camp. U.S. Soccer treated him like a Penn State football prospect, setting up trips to New York Yankees spring training and an Orlando Magic game amid talks behind the scenes.

There were photos, lots of questions to interim U.S. manager Anthony Hudson, and piles of comments from U.S. fans on Balogun’s social media posts. They even brought signs encouraging him to the Americans’ home game against El Salvador on Monday.

A few hundred miles north, one of Balogun’s former teammates watched it all unfold from Chester. Union right back Nathan Harriel played with Balogun in 2018 on a U.S. under-18 team that went to an exhibition tournament in Czechia (then called the Czech Republic). The U.S. won the event with two wins and two ties, and Balogun had two goals.

“He was a really dynamic, good forward — fast, strong,” Harriel recalled in an interview Thursday after the Union’s morning practice. “It’s obvious, he’s [near] leading Ligue 1 in scoring right now, and he’s only 21. So he’s definitely a big-time player.”

Harriel admitted that he hasn’t talked with Balogun since back then, and he doesn’t know how many of his old teammates have. But he does know what the U.S. would get if Balogun says yes.

“If the U.S. can get him, that would be a great addition for a 9 [striker] that we’re looking for,” he said.

Harriel was one of three players on that team who passed through the Union academy. The Tampa, Fla.-area native joined the program a few months later, reuniting with goalkeeper Kris Shakes and midfielder Axel Picazo.

It turned out that Harriel would be the only one of the trio to turn pro here. Shakes is a senior at Penn State, and Picazo is on the Los Angeles Galaxy’s reserves.

But teammates from that squad have gone on to fame. Julián Araujo rose through the Galaxy’s academy, played well in MLS, picked the Mexican national team over the U.S., and, in February, made a dream move to Spanish superpower Barcelona. Indiana Vassilev, Justin Haak, and Aidan Morris are regulars in MLS, with Morris earning his senior U.S. debut in January.

Two others made the American A-team for the recent Concacaf Nations League games — the squad fans hoped Balogun would say yes to.

Right back Bryan Reynolds went from FC Dallas to Italy’s AS Roma to Belgium’s Westerlo, where he has settled in well. Midfielder Taylor Booth went from Real Salt Lake’s academy to Germany’s Bayern Munich II to the Netherlands’ Utrecht, where he has turned quite a few heads with strong play.

“I always thought Taylor was special,” Harriel said. “Both left- and right-footed. Maybe one of the best players I’ve ever played with. … He’s really special, what he’s doing overseas with his club team right now, and a big congrats to him [for] making his debut.”

The coach was a big deal too: legendary former U.S. player Tab Ramos. He spent many years as a U.S. youth team head coach and senior team assistant, then went to MLS’ Houston Dynamo and now leads second-tier Hartford Athletic in the USL Championship.

Harriel is one of many people who’d like to see Ramos get a major job with the U.S. men’s team leading up to the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

“Tab’s a great coach,” Harriel said. “You see what he’s done any time [he’s been] with the youth national teams. If he gets an opportunity with the senior team, if it ever occurs, it’d be a great opportunity for him.”