Weah Will Now Make His World Cup Debut With His Dad Watching From The Stands

United States men’s national team player Tim Weah had always wanted to be a great footballer just like his dad, George Weah.
George Weah is the president of Liberia, and also a soccer royalty with an incredible feat in football.

George Weah grew up in Liberia’s impoverished capital city of Monrovia playing with homemade balls. But he rose to the top of his sport, even winning the Ballon d’Or, soccer’s greatest individual honor.

George Weah was an elite striker for AS Monaco, Paris Saint Germain and AC Milan. Weah was also the top scorer in UEFA Champions League in 1995 and won FIFA World Player of the Year that very year. He was runner up in 1996.

As a philanthropic, George Weah used his platform decidedly, becoming a UNICEF Ambassador prior to running for president of Liberia. He’s currently serving a six-year term as Liberia’s President.

Despite his incredible success story in football, George Weah never played in a World Cup.

Liberia was overrun by civil war during the height of his playing days, and the closest he ever came to delivering his country a World Cup berth was in 2002 when it missed out on qualifying by one point to Nigeria.

However, George will be watching his son Tim get the opportunity to play, and maybe even start, for the United States at the World Cup in Qatar.

“I think it’s gonna mean the world to him,” Tim Weah told FOX Sports. “Seeing his son on a stage and following in his footsteps is dope. If I had a son or a daughter and I was watching them play in a World Cup, I’d be happy, too.”

George and Clar, Tim’s mom, are expected to attend the U.S. men’s national team’s first match against Wales on November 21 at Ahmet Bin Ali Stadium. They’ll watch the game in a FIFA suite as opposed to with other U.S. guardians, as is custom for attending heads of state.

Growing up as the son of a soccer legend had its perks. Tim met some of his idols, like former Nigerian national team star Jay-Jay Okocha, who he deems “one of the finest players technically.” And he has had conversations with former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who coached George at Monaco and mentored his father throughout his career.

However, while Tim generally embraced his family’s inheritance, he has never wanted to exclusively depend on it.

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“Even without the name, Tim was ready to work,” says Kyle Duncan, Weah’s cousin who plays right back for the New York Red Bulls. “He was always good, always had the gift. Some people who have talent are lazy, but he was never lazy.”

In fact, Tim is proud of his father’s accomplishments but is very much his own person.

“I hit him up on WhatsApp. “If he’s busy, he won’t answer, just like if I’m busy, I won’t answer. My dad is the most normal person you will ever meet. He wakes up and goes to play pickup basketball or soccer”, the United States men’s national team forward Tim said.

According to the US team’s center back Walker Zimmerman:

“I kind of knew before I met him who his dad was and couldn’t believe it. This guy is royalty, you know? And then you meet Tim, and you’re like, he always brings the laughs, always brings the well-timed under-the-breath comments. He brings good vibes and good music to the locker room, and I really can’t speak enough about him as a professional.”

As a little boy, Tim Weah kicked his first soccer ball when he began walking.

Weah split time growing up between the New York metro region and South Florida, where his mom was his soccer coach. At the point when he was old enough, Tim joined the Red Bulls Academy. When he was 14, he moved to France and played for PSG’s Academy.

When he was 17, Tim signed his first professional contract with PSG. He scored a hat trick for the U17 national team at the U17 World Cup against Paraguay in the round of 16, becoming the first American male at any level to score a hat trick in the knockout round of a FIFA competition.

“To be honest, this was such a weird way to break out,” Weah says. “I had just an OK tournament, but then I scored a hat trick, so that was a blessing. After that, it was just about working hard, and the rest is history.”

Weah was eligible to play for four different national teams — France (through residency), Jamaica (mother’s home country) and Liberia (father’s) — but says choosing the U.S. was an easy decision.

“I wasn’t thinking about anything else,” he says. “Obviously my roots will always be my roots, but I grew up in the States. I lived here my whole life. My family and friends are here. I started playing with the national team when I was 12, so it was never like I had to pick a side. I didn’t really have to make a decision.”

In March 2018, Weah became the first player born in 2000 to earn a senior national team cap, coming on as a substitute in a game against Paraguay. Since then, he has earned 25 caps, started eight of 14 World Cup qualifiers, and scored three goals for the USMNT.

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He also has won three Ligue 1 titles — two with PSG and one with Lille — and been through the injury gauntlet. He had season-ending hamstring surgery in February 2020 and later missed more time after hurting his quad. He dealt with another nagging injury to start this past club season and missed the two USMNT friendlies in September. He returned to play for Lille in October.

Now, everything is culminating in Qatar, where the 22-year-old Weah figures to play an integral role for a young USMNT that is trying to change the global perception of American soccer. Not just as the team’s designated DJ — he has a recording studio at his home in France — but as a dominant and creative attacker who Yedlin says is “just a handful for defenses.”

Off the field, in addition to his love of music and fashion — he has been to Paris Fashion Week and wants to start his own line someday — Weah shares his father’s passion for humanitarian work. He doesn’t have political aspirations but does want to start his own foundation in Africa and build a soccer academy. He says his mother wants him to adopt kids.

He tries to visit Liberia every December, and his parents encourage him to bring friends. Weah will make his World Cup debut with his superstar father watching from the stands.

“It’s a blessing,” Weah says. “It will be an honor to represent my family on the biggest stage ever and represent my country. Everyone will be happy living the dream through me.”