From Cigarettes to Champions: Inside a USMNT Star's Wild Journey to Conquering Marseille
United States men's national team forward Tim Weah reveals how a late-night FaceTime conversation with coach Roberto De Zerbi and a warm welcome helped him settle into life at Marseille, after experiencing difficulties during his stint with Italian powerhouse Juventus.
The 25-year-old Weah described De Zerbi's recruitment approach during the summer transfer window, which involved an unconventional strategy in today's football landscape to secure the American striker's services.
"The manager truly had faith in me," Weah shared with Téléfoot. "He contacted me at 4 AM while I was in my pajamas, via FaceTime. He was having a cigarette, and he told me, 'Tim, you need to join us here. You'll discover this is where you belong.' And when I arrived at the airport, I was welcomed like I was coming home."
Following his move to Marseille, Weah has established himself as an important figure in De Zerbi's squad and won over the supporters, mentioning that he's beginning to feel "somewhat like a Marseillais," despite being with his new team for only half a year.
This campaign, he has served as a flexible offensive threat, contributing two goals and two assists in 17 Ligue 1 appearances, plus adding one goal and one assist in UEFA Champions League competition. Overall, this has provided him with a sense of acceptance, after acknowledging he was a "damaged player" when he departed Juventus.
"When I joined this club, they welcomed a player who was somewhat damaged, short on self-belief," he continued. "Waking up each morning was difficult for me, heading to practice. Because things weren't working out for me. So they took a risk on me."
Weah Hoping to Build Form for Famous 2026
Weah Hoping to Build Form for Famous 2026
With his impressive performances this season at Marseille, Weah, whose father is former Ballon d'Or recipient and Liberian Prime Minister George Weah, aims to carry this momentum into the 2026 World Cup while representing the United States.
Until then, he will maintain his concentration on the Ligue 1 campaign as Marseille attempt to secure a return to the automatic top three positions for Champions League qualification, presently in fourth place with 39 points, trailing Lyon's 42 points after 21 matches each following a 5–0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
Although the team failed to progress to the Champions League knockout rounds, opportunities remain in the French Cup, where they are among the final eight teams after defeating Rennes in the round of 16.
"I want to remain at Olympique Marseille for an extended period," Weah concluded. "I dedicate everything to this club, I want to achieve success here, and I hope to begin this year. It would be incredible to capture a trophy in my debut season."