Timothy Weah

Timothy Tarpeh Weah (born February 22, 2000) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for French Ligue 1 club Lille and the United States national team.

Timothy Weah
Personal information
Full name Timothy Tarpeh Weah
Date of birth (2000-02-22) February 22, 2000
Place of birth Brooklyn, New York, United States
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Lille
Number 22
Youth career
0000–2010 West Pines United
2010–2013 Blau-Weiss Gottschee
2013–2014 New York Red Bulls
2014–2017 Paris Saint-Germain
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2018 Paris Saint-Germain B 15 (4)
2018–2019 Paris Saint-Germain 5 (1)
2019 → Celtic (loan) 13 (3)
2019– Lille 21 (3)
National team‡
2015 United States U15 6 (1)
2015–2017 United States U17 14 (6)
2019 United States U20 6 (2)
2019– United States U23 2 (0)
2018– United States 10 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of February 7, 2021
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of November 16, 2020

He is the son of former professional soccer player, Ballon d'Or winner, and President of Liberia, George Weah. In March 2018, he made his senior debut for Paris Saint-Germain and earned his first senior international cap for the United States.

Early and personal life

Weah was born on February 22, 2000, in Brooklyn, New York, to Liberian former professional soccer player George Weah and his Jamaican wife Clar. He has two older siblings, George Jr. and Tita. He spent his early life in Brooklyn, Valley Stream, New York and Pembroke Pines, Florida. Weah is fluent in English and French and enjoys producing trap soul music.[2] He is close friends with fellow soccer player Tyler Adams.[3] His cousin, Kyle Duncan, is also a professional soccer player for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.[4]

Youth career

Weah was taught soccer by his father and played soccer while in Florida for West Pines United,[5] before moving back to New York and joining the Rosedale Soccer Club in Queens, New York, owned by his uncle.[2] Weah played three seasons with BW Gottschee, a team in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy system, and transferred to the New York Red Bulls Academy in 2013.[2] He had a trial with Chelsea at the age of 13.[6] Weah relocated to France in 2014 to join the Paris Saint-Germain Academy. In his first start with the academy team, he scored a hat-trick in an 8–1 victory for PSG over Bulgarian side Ludogorets Razgrad in the UEFA Youth League.[7][8]

Professional career

Paris Saint-Germain

On July 3, 2017, Weah signed a three-year professional contract with French club Paris Saint-Germain, joining the club that his father had played for in the 1990s.[9][10] He spent most of the season with the reserves in the Championnat National 2 and the under-19 squad in the UEFA Youth League.[11][12]

Weah was named to the first-team squad for a Ligue 1 fixture against Troyes AC on March 3, 2018, while the club's starting forwards were rested for an upcoming Champions League match.[13] He came on as a substitute in the 79th minute of the match and had a goal-scoring opportunity in stoppage time that was saved by the Troyes goalkeeper.[14][15] Weah made his first start for Paris Saint-Germain in a 0–0 draw against SM Caen on the last day of the Ligue 1 season.[16] Weah scored his first competitive goal for PSG during a 4–0 win against Monaco in the Trophée des Champions on August 4, 2018.[17] He scored his first league goal a week later in the club's season opener, a 3–0 win over Caen.[18]

2018–2019 season: Loan to Celtic

He joined Celtic on a six-month loan deal on January 7, 2019,[19][20] and said that he was "in love" with the club.[21] He made his debut on January 19 as a 69th-minute substitute for Scott Sinclair in a Scottish Cup fourth round match at home to Airdrieonians and scored in a 3–0 win.[22] Weah's second goal for Celtic, and his first in the league, came in a 4–0 victory over St. Mirren on January 23, 2019.[23] In February 2019 he was added to Celtic's Europa League squad.[24] With Celtic, he won the Scottish Premiership and the team advanced to the Scottish Cup final.[25] Weah's loan spell at Celtic was terminated early by the club in May 2019 after he was selected to the US squad for the Under-20 World Cup, causing him to miss the Scottish Cup final.[26][27]

2019–2020 season: Marred by injuries

On June 29, 2019, Weah signed a five-year deal with Lille, starting on July 1.[28] He made his debut on August 11, starting in a 2–1 home win over Nantes. He played 68 minutes before being substituted for Yusuf Yazıcı.[29] Weah made three appearances for Lille throughout the 2019–20 season,[30] however, he missed most of the season due to injury; Weah suffered two hamstring injuries that kept him out of the bulk of the Ligue 1 season. The first injury occurred in a game against Amiens SC, keeping him out for six months, then the second occurred during his first match back with the team in a game against Olympique de Marseille.[31]

2020–2021 season: Comeback

Weah made his return from injury during the 2020–21 Ligue 1 season, during Lille's second match of the season. He came on in the 79th minute of the game against Stade de Reims for Burak Yılmaz and played 16 minutes.[32] On the next Europa League matchday, Weah started and scored his first goal for Lille in a 3–2 loss against his former club Celtic.[33] On December 16, he came on as a substitute against Dijon FCO and scored his first Ligue 1 goal for Lille, capping off a 2–0 victory.[34]

International career

In addition to the United States, Weah was eligible to represent France, Jamaica, and Liberia, through residency and his parents' citizenships.[35] Weah stated that his decision to represent the United States "wasn't hard at all" and was based on his love of the country and his teammates.[36] He reportedly turned down offers from the French Football Federation to join the French program.[37]

Youth

Weah has represented the United States on several youth national teams, beginning with a call-up to train with the under-14 team in 2012.[38] Weah was selected to join the under-15 team at the Tournament delle Nazioni in Italy, scoring the winning goal in the final against Austria.[39]

He was called up to the under-17 team, under the management of former under-15 coach John Hackworth, in December 2015 for a series of friendlies in Florida.[40] Weah joined the team for the Montaigu Tournament, which the U.S. won after he scored in the final against hosts France.[41][42] At another set of friendlies in Florida, Weah made three substitute appearances and scored twice.[43] He was part of the under-17 squad that finished second in the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, scoring two goals.[44]

He was selected to represent the U.S. at the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in India.[45] In the team's first knockout stage match, Weah scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 victory over Paraguay.[46][47] The hat-trick was the first one recorded by a U.S. men's national team player at any level during the knockout stages of a World Cup and the fifth overall for any American male player at a World Cup.[48]

Weah was named in the United States squad for the 2019 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Poland.[26] He scored twice during the tournament, against Qatar in the group stage to qualify for the knockout stage,[49] and against Ecuador in their quarterfinal defeat.[50]

Senior

Weah made his full debut for the senior national team in a 1–0 friendly win against Paraguay on March 27, 2018, entering the match as a substitute for fellow debutant Marky Delgado in the 86th minute. He was the first player born in the 2000s to earn a senior cap for the United States.[51][52] During a friendly against Bolivia on May 28, 2018, his first international start, Weah scored his first international goal and became the fourth-youngest player to score for the United States, ahead of Josh Sargent, who scored his first earlier in the match.[53][54]

Career statistics

Club
As of February 7, 2021
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Paris Saint-Germain II 2017–18[30] CFA 122000000122
2018–19[30] 3200000032
Total 154000000154
Paris Saint-Germain 2017–18[30] Ligue 1 3000000030
2018–19[30] 2100001[lower-alpha 1]132
Total 5100001162
Celtic (loan) 2018–19[55] Scottish Premiership 13331001[lower-alpha 2]0174
Lille 2019–20[30] Ligue 1 3000000030
2020–21[30] 18300004[lower-alpha 2]1224
Total 213000041254
Career total 54113100626214
  1. Appearance in the 2018 Trophée des Champions.
  2. Appearance(s) in the UEFA Europa League.

International
As of November 16, 2020[56]
National teamYearAppsGoals
United States
201881
201900
202020
Total101

International goals
Scores and results list the United States' goal tally first.[56]
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.May 28, 2018Talen Energy Stadium, Chester, United States Bolivia3–03–0Friendly

Honors

Paris Saint-Germain

Celtic

United States U17

References
  1. "Tim Weah | USMNT | U.S. Soccer Official Site". www.ussoccer.com.
  2. "Five Things to Know About U-17 MNT Striker Tim Weah". U.S. Soccer. October 16, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  3. "Timothy Weah: USA teammate backs 'dynamic' PSG forward at Celtic". BBC Sport. January 13, 2019.
  4. Showell, Alex (August 18, 2016). "U.S. U-20 defender Kyle Duncan promoted to Valenciennes first team". Stars and Stripes FC. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  5. Woitalla, Mike (April 14, 2015). "George Weah's son progresses in U.S. national team program". Soccer America. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  6. "Son of Weah having Chelsea trial". ESPN. March 29, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  7. Johnson, Jonathan (July 3, 2017). "PSG sign Timothy Weah, son of former Ballon d'Or winner, to first pro contract". ESPN. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  8. "Hat-trick for Weah as Paris score eight". UEFA. September 28, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  9. Kay, Stanley (July 3, 2017). "USA U-17 forward Timothy Weah signs first professional contract with PSG". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  10. Johnson, Jonathan (July 3, 2017). "Big things expected of Weah at PSG and by the United States". ESPN. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  11. "8312 jours après le dernier match de son père, Timothy Weah a débuté avec le PSG" [8,312 days after his father's last match, Timothy Weah starts for PSG] (in French). Eurosport. Agence France-Presse. March 3, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  12. Kennedy, Paul (March 3, 2018). "U.S. Abroad Tracker (25 and younger): Tim Weah called up for French leader PSG's game at Troyes". Soccer America. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  13. Johnson, Jonathan (March 2, 2018). "PSG rest starters, name U.S.'s Timothy Weah in first-team squad". ESPN. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  14. "U.S.'s Timothy Weah, son of George, makes debut for PSG". ESPN. March 3, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  15. Valentine, Ben (March 5, 2018). "Americans Abroad: Weah's nearly perfect debut while Johannsson saves Bremen". Goal.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  16. Johnson, Jonathan (May 19, 2018). "Timothy Weah handed first Paris Saint-Germain senior team start". ESPN. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  17. Bushnell, Henry (August 4, 2018). "USMNT's Tim Weah scores first pro goal for PSG in French super cup". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
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  20. "Timothy Weah: Celtic secure 'hungry' PSG forward on six-month loan". BBC Sport. January 7, 2019.
  21. "Timothy Weah: Striker 'in love with Celtic' after loan move from PSG". BBC Sport. January 8, 2019.
  22. Southwick, Andrew (January 19, 2019). "Celtic 3–0 Airdrieonians". BBC Sport. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  23. "Celtic 4-0 St Mirren: Oliver Burke, Scott Sinclair & Timothy Weah score". BBC Sport. January 23, 2019.
  24. "Celtic: No place for Vakoun Issouf Bayo in Europa League squad". BBC Sport. February 5, 2019.
  25. Paulina Maupome, Ana (May 5, 2019). "Tim Weah wins Scottish Premiership with Celtic". AS. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
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  27. McConnell, Alison (May 10, 2019). "Celtic boss Neil Lennon gives loan ace Timo Weah boot after Scottish Cup final snub". The Scotsman. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
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  32. "Stade de Reims vs. Lille - Football Match Commentary - August 30, 2020 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
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  34. Creditor, Avi. "USMNT's Weah Scores Again for Lille". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  35. McMahon, Bobby (October 20, 2017). "As Tim Weah Prepares For World Cup Q-F, His Soccer-Legend Dad George Is Running For President". Forbes. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  36. Sciaretta, Brian (May 12, 2017). "Soccer Success Runs in the Family for Timothy Weah". American Soccer Now. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
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  38. "Under-14 Boys' National Team Head Coach Hugo Perez Selects 50 Players for August Training Camp". U.S. Soccer. August 1, 2012. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
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  48. "More on Tim Weah's Historic Hat Trick vs Paraguay at the FIFA U-17 World Cup". U.S. Soccer. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
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  50. Gonzalez, Roger (June 8, 2019). "U.S. falls to Ecuador in U-20 World Cup quarterfinals, but makes history with run". CBS Sports. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  51. Goff, Steven (March 27, 2018). "USMNT defeats Paraguay, 1-0, on Bobby Wood's goal". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  52. "Weah Becomes First Player Born in 2000 to Earn MNT Cap". U.S. Soccer. March 27, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  53. Blum, Ronald (May 28, 2018). "Sargent & Weah, both 18, score as US beats Bolivia 3-0". San Francisco Chronicle. Associated Press. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  54. "USA 3-0 Bolivia". BBC Sport. May 28, 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
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  56. "Weah, Timothy". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  57. "CONCACAF U-17 contenders confirmed". May 9, 2017.
  58. "Carleton, Weah, Sargent headline U.S. U-17 roster for CONCACAF U-17 Championship". April 17, 2017.
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