Weah has been inconsistent under Mauricio Pochettino, but the move to Marseille meant to create opportunities
Tim Weah did everything right. He started his run from deep, drew an extra man away from the ball. As Mason Greenwood surged through the middle, Weah peeled off to the right – creating the narrowest of passing lanes for his teammate. Greenwood obliged.
The pass was weighted nicely, the finish was even better – Weah smashing Thibaut Courtois with such ferocity that the Belgian goalkeeper couldn't react.
Weah's only fault, in fact, was a brief slip on the Santiago Bernabeu turf as he careened off in celebration. But even that had a certain charm to it. The goal seemed significant – and it significant. It gave Marseille an unlikely 1-0 lead against European giants Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday (a result that would harshly be overturned due to a dubious refereeing decision).
But it also made Weah the first American to score at the Bernabeu – and just might have ignited a season that had sputtered to start. The U.S. international's story has been interesting of late. Weah was rather frozen out, even misused at Juventus. He followed that by impressing only in brief moments for the USMNT.
And now, with one goal and a starring performance to boot, Weah has shown a glimpse of what could yet happen, an opportunity for a talent once full of promise to realize his potential.
GettyLeaving Juventus
Weah probably had to leave Juventus. There was honor, it seemed, in fighting for his spot, and trying to crack into the XI at his preferred position. But the couldn't offer it. What didn't help is that Weah might not have even known himself.
Originally, he was a winger. Then we were told he could play through the middle. For long stretches, Max Allegri used him as a fullback. Piece it all together, and Weah played in four different positions last season, and wasn't markedly effective in any of them.
Sure, there is something to be said for finding a role – and being entrusted with plugging gaps that others could not. But Weah wasn't a guaranteed starter. He needed to go somewhere that would let him do just that. Enter Roberto de Zerbi's Marseille. The French side had become an island of misfits of sorts, picking up scraps from all over Europe to form a solid side.
Weah, forced out of the picture at Juve and all, seemed to fit that mold. Thus far, it has been an overwhelming success.
"It's super intense," Weah said. "I mean, just the group alone, we get into so many fights together, in trainings, in the locker rooms, that people think we're crazy at times. But it's just because everyone is so passionate."
And perhaps Weah needed that. There was a sense of a footballer going through the motions at Juve. Weah was 25, the memories of the much-hyped kid at PSG fading away.
AdvertisementGettyUSMNT chances (at first)
Still, there were a few skeptics. Seven career goals for Juve didn't exactly inspire confidence. And even if Marseille wonderfully recreated George Weah's photoshoot from when Tim's father was at the club in 2000, he still had a point to prove.
Weah had been left at home as Juventus traveled to the United States for the Club World Cup. A Premier League move to Nottingham Forest was reportedly available. Weah turned it down. Meanwhile, his agent and Juve clashed in the media, with allegations of dishonesty about the player's future slung on both sides.
But the early signs with Marseille were good. Fans met Weah at the airport, and recreated the chant they used to bellow for his father 25 years before. The opportunity to play Champions League football was a draw. That meant high-profile games, but also extra minutes to go around.
And even if De Zerbi had developed a reputation as a difficult character, his tactical acumen simply could not be questioned.
"He's a players coach. He was one of the main reasons I came to the club," Weah said.
ImagnStruggling to impress Pochettino
The USMNT, though, was different. Mauricio Pochettino, appointed in September 2024, was handed less than two years to prepare the team for a home World Cup. The early returns were good, as he played it mostly safe with his squad. Weah was among the selections, and a wonderful goal against Jamaica – after a tactical switch saw him moved to the left wing – showed promise.
But he also played both fixtures as the U.S. lost to first Panama, and then Canada in the Nations League finals – and was remarkably ineffective in 180 minutes of play. A Gold Cup omission – brought about by conflicts in his Juve future and the Club World Cup – delayed any sort of renaissance that might have been on the cards.
It was also immensely frustrating, Weah admitted.
"Being back after not being with them in the summer is just an amazing feeling," he said of the recent USMNT camp. "And you know, anytime I'm here, I try to keep that vibe. I'm trying to keep the positivity in there."
Backing that up with performances on the pitch, though, wasn't so simple. The USMNT as a whole struggled against South Korea earlier this month, outcoached and outplayed by a superior side. And Weah could do little to affect the outcome. He managed just 62 minutes before leaving with a hamstring issue. Weah didn't appear in the next game, a 2-0 win over Japan.
Getty Images SportA new era?
It all leaves his USMNT future slightly uncertain. Sure, Weah will certainly get more chances to impress under Pochettino (he has only played three games for the manager, who has admitted that he will now look to fine tune his squads for the World Cup). But now, the real competition begins.
If Pochettino is to stick with the 3-4-3 formation that was successful against Japan, it might require a different approach from Weah. After all, he is a winger, and that formation, quite simply, doesn't utilize them. Perhaps, then, he could be used as a wing back. It's a position, ironically, that he was rather misused at during his time at Juve.
Pochettino, in fact, admitted that he was somewhat frustrated to see Weah play at that spot.
"He's a player that can be very aggressive in an offensive way," he said. "But we need to create the habit again, because he loses this habit a little bit when he plays fullback. It's another focus in your game, another demand. And then you need to change in few days and to transform that player whose main mindset is defensive into an offensive player."
Versatility, for the USMNT, might be a good thing.