Timothy Weah is just 18 years old. He may just be earning playing time with others still missing from the squad. He may be coming off the bench.
None of that matters if he keeps scoring goals.
The young American international has bagged two goals so far through Paris Saint-Germain’s first two games of the season, and it’s opening eyes.
Weah started PSG’s 4-0 drubbing of Monaco in the French Trophee de Champions (Ligue 1’s version of the Community Shield) and scored the team’s third goal on a cutback from fellow youngster Stanley N’Soki. He found space in the box and sliced his shot through traffic past a host of defenders.
Then, a week later, Weah came off the bench and scored the first Ligue 1 goal of his career in a 3-0 win over Caen to open the French league season. The American did it all himself, expertly pilfering Caen goalkeeper Brice Samba after a terrible decision with the ball at his feet, bundling the goalkeeper over into an embarrassing heap as the ball trickled into the back of the net.
18-year-old @TimWeah scores his first league goal for @PSG_English! 🇺🇸👏https://t.co/ExhyLBobtb
— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) August 12, 2018
It’s hard to say what Weah’s role in the PSG squad will be going forward this season with Edinson Cavani still yet to return from his post-World Cup time off, and Neymar only just returning. It’s also hard to deny that Weah’s contribution so far has been impossible to ignore, with his competitive goals following up a stellar preseason performance.
Undoubtedly, a teenage American international scoring goals at Paris Saint-Germain in a competitive environment is a fantastic achievement for both Weah and the international player pool as a whole, no matter the circumstances surrounding his presence in the squad. To see Weah making his mark is a massively important development for the future of the U.S. national team and his potential contributions to the team moving forward.