Tim Weah might have had an eventful start to the European club season, but is now focusing on the U.S. men’s national team only.
Weah is in USMNT camp for the first time since standing up for teammate Christian Pulisic this past summer. Following Pulisic’s absence from the USMNT’s summer schedule, the star forward received ample criticism from former national team players, who questioned his commitment for the program ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Weah, who was interviewed for the Paramount+ documentary series “Pulisic,” hit back at those former USMNT players in an episode in August.
“I think those guys are chasing checks, and for me I just feel like they’re really evil,” Weah said in the episode. “They’ve been players, and they know what it’s like when you’re getting bashed. Those are the same guys that’ll turn around and shake your hand and try to be friendly with you at the end of the day. Don’t get me wrong, I respect all of them. They were players I looked up to.
“But quite frankly, the guys before us didn’t win anything either…Christian himself has had a better career than every single one of the guys that speak negative on us,” Weah added.
Since that episode aired, Weah has moved to Ligue 1 side Marseille on loan from Serie A side Juventus. The USMNT winger has featured in all three matches for the French club, logging 180 minutes to date.
As he now prepares to team up with Pulisic during the USMNT’s September matches, Weah is focused on the present and not the past.
“I’m fully focused on the positives now,” Weah said in a press conference Thursday. “I’m leaving all that negative energy out the window. I think right now it’s important to kind of shift the focus to what we’re doing as a group, and what this team is doing, and how we can execute performances and kind of take our game to that next level in order to be prepared for the World Cup.
“And I’m a hundred percent focused on that and if that means blacking out all the noise, that’s what we’re going to have to do,” he added. “We’re just focused on what our main goal is and we’re here at each camp trying to build and I’m so happy to be back with the boys.”
Weah wasn’t the only American player to make a club move this summer. Johnny Cardoso and Gio Reyna were also on the move prior to the Summer Transfer Window closing, with Cardoso moving to Atletico Madrid and Reyna joining Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Unlike Weah, Cardoso and Reyna were not included for the upcoming pair of matches against South Korea and Japan, a decision made by head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Even though he switched countries and quickly adjusted to a new league and club, Weah had zero doubts on not representing the USMNT this month.
“I never thought about not coming into camp,” Weah said. “I think the national team is also a priority to me as well so coming here, being with the group, and kind of building up on what we already have, and fine tuning a lot of things for me is important because at the end of the day, the goal is nine months away.
“We have to perform and be on top of our game,” he added. “So any chance I get to come in and kind of build with these guys, I’m a hundred percent for it. I’m always here.”
Weah is joined by Pulisic, Alex Zendejas, Josh Sargent, Damion Downs, and Folarin Balogun in the attacking corps.
Am I the only one who hasn’t forgiven Weah?
Yeah, this guy sums up this generation. Entitled and whiny…
Weah is an interesting player. I’ve seen quite a few of his club games over the last couple of years as well as his national team appearances. He’s never bad, but sometimes he seems kind of invisible, then about very 3rd or 4th game he will score a good goal or make an important run or assist that really helps. As for the players who were called in, I don’t understand why Pochettino didn’t call in any of the European players it would be good to see. Guys like Tolkin, Sands, Tessman, Paxton Aaronson, Paredes, etc. We have a number of guys now playing in top 5 leagues that we don’t know if they are good enough for international play. I think it is generally agreed that Roldan is strictly a CONCACAF level international. The last couple of games I’ve seen of Seattle, his brother Alex seems to be playing a more important role than Christian.
Paredes is hurt again. Tessmann has been in 3 Poch camps so i think they feel they know what he brings. Pax was in all summer and just moved to Colorado. Tolkin in all summer too and didn’t really get a break. Sands I thought might get a shot, but if you look at his passing numbers they’re really low for a DM. Christian has been better than Alex this season. Christian sits a little deeper these days so you might notice Alex more as bombs up the line (Alex was really good in Leagues Cup though) so maybe you notice him more. I think CR is competition for Luca’s spot. Luca wants to carry it forward, but in GC seldom connected on the ball to the attackers. Roldan has been one of, if not the best passers, out of the DM spot in MLS. He has a better completion % and 3 more progressive passes completed per game than Luca. Roldan is also a much stronger defender than Luca that allows Adams to be more aggressive defensively because he’s got cover. Zawadzki provides a real passing defender (much more sound than Arfsten) that can drop in line with the CBs and allow both FBs to push forward in attack, instead of Freeman or Dest staying deep. Let’s also not forget that Christian is the ultimate “vibes” guy, works his tail off, doesn’t complain, known as a great teammate that reads the game well from the sidelines and passes that information to his teammates. It will be interesting.
Argentina starting two MLS players in Messi and De Paul, and a thid former MLS player in Almada. Messi with two goals and Almada with an assist.
Top leagues are now signing more and more MLS players. We might be getting close to the Dutch league soon if we aren’t there yet. SDFC, just in its first year, has 10 players called up for this international break. Admittedly some are not major teams, but Dreyer started the last 2 games for Denmark in the prior break and I think he had a goal and an assist and the Danes usually have good teams. His performance in MLS has obviously helped his standing internationally.
Panama draws 0-0 at Suriname. Panama is finding out it’s not so fun when the other team packs 8 and 9 defenders in the box. In NL in March they had 3 shots all match but won. Tonight 15 shots and couldn’t score. NL one nearly perfectly placed shot from a tough angle, tonight 4 on target mostly hit right at the keeper, although one had a lot of pace and looked dramatic. Sometimes it’s just about finishing your chances.
Probably more than sometimes …
Unless it’s an own goal it’s usually better to finish more chances than your opponent.
they are learning that it is harder when the underdog raises its game and parks the bus like you said. That’s how Panama has managed to earn draws with us so often in the past few years. so it’s only fair they get a dose of their own medicine.