Reims’ Folarin Balogun confused by lack of respect for Ligue 1

Speaking in an interview with Onze Mondial, Folarin Balogun (21), currently on loan at Stade de Reims from Arsenal, said that he doesn’t understand why the French top flight, Ligue 1, isn’t respected. 

Balogun joined Reims on loan from Arsenal at the beginning of the current season. He has had a massive impact in the French top flight since his arrival, and only Jonathan David and Kylian Mbappé have scored more goals than him in Ligue 1 this season.

The Englishman, who is also eligible to play for the United States national team, is unlikely to stay at the Will Still-led club beyond the end of the season, with the club’s president eschewing a sense of resignation about losing the player. 

Whilst this may ultimately be Balogun’s only season in France, he has stated in an interview with Onze Mondial that he has found the quality of football high, and is seemingly perplexed by the lack of respect shown towards the French division. “Ligue 1 is really very difficult. I am very shocked when I hear people saying that the league is easy,” began the Arsenal loanee.

He continued, “I don’t understand why this league isn’t sometimes respected like it should be, especially on the internet. As a Ligue 1 player, I can say that it’s a very, very difficult division. There are lots of good, aggressive teams, and that’s without saying that the best players in the world are currently playing in this league, and despite that, they don’t win all of their matches.”

Reims are currently on the longest unbeaten strike across Europe’s top five divisions, Still, who replaced Oscar Garcia earlier in the season, as well as Balogun, are central components to making this side so hard to beat. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle