The time has finally come. The 2026 World Cup is set to commence on Thursday afternoon in the United States.
The US Men's National Team (USMNT) was given a rather favorable draw, placed in Group D alongside Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey.
Team USA sits at +140 to reign supreme in Group D, with Turkey not far behind at +175. Mauricio Pochettino’s bunch is set to square off with Paraguay on Friday morning in their first football match of the 2026 World Cup.
Below, I will offer a betting angle that you can take when wagering on the ‘Top American Goal Scorer’ prop market prior to the start of the World Cup.
The Favorite – Christian Pulisic (+340)
It is no surprise to see the USMNT’s top player, Christian Pulisic, sitting atop the futures market regarding which American will lead the team in scoring throughout the World Cup.
The former Chelsea star has performed at the highest level of global club football and quickly established himself as the most productive American attacker.
While with Chelsea, Pulisic led “The Blues” to a victory in the ‘UEFA Champions League’ final, having become the first American player to both have played in a Champions League final and to have reigned supreme.
Pulisic boasts exceptional speed and an elite technical skill set that has enabled the 27-year-old to dominate at top European clubs for an extended period. Since joining Italy’s Serie A, the USMNT superstar continues to thrive.
The former Chelsea star is undoubtedly the most influential player on the pitch for Team USA, but I favor looking elsewhere to reign supreme as the club’s top goal scorer.
Folarin Balogun (+380)
There is no doubt that Pulisic’s place as the favorite to prevail as the Americans’ top goal scorer is well deserved, but I personally prefer backing the second-favorite in 23-year-old Folarin Balogun.
The former Arsenal academy product has staked his claim as the premier center-forward on the USMNT, which largely results in a superior expected-goals (xG) mark compared to other strikers.
The American youngster is remarkably gifted athletically and is renowned for his lightning quickness and ability to finish in transition.
Balogun boasts tremendous off-ball movement and a calculated spatial awareness that results in him getting several great looks near the box.
The 23-year-old has a knack for finding gaps in the opposing team’s defensive lines and shows unbelievable composure and efficiency from a finishing stance. Balogun has phenomenal vision across the pitch, which should surely give the Americans several scoring chances in this year’s World Cup.
The USMNT star is amongst the best players in the world for efficiency and poise, and for his ability to find the back of the net.
USA Top Goal Scorer Pick
While Pulisic will be taking PKs for the Americans, which should naturally give him the edge, I still favor targeting Folarin Balogun as the team’s top scorer ahead of the 2026 World Cup, in what should offer us far more value than that of Team USA’s captain, Christian Pulisic.
In a pretty favorable Group D draw, I think Balogun could fly under the radar as the vital piece to the Americans’ success at the 2026 rendition of the World Cup.
Pick: Folarin (USA) ‘Top Goal Scorer’ (+380)
