Tim Weah’s forced metamorphosis at Juventus

Timothy Weah is set to be one of the most important players for the United States men’s national team as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup on home soil. Viewed as one of the most dangerous attacking weapons in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad, he has been making headlines for a very different reason at Juventus.

Originally a promising center forward or right winger in Paris Saint-Germain’s academy, Weah has established himself in Thiago Motta’s Juventus as a right-back. While injuries and lack of depth have forced the club’s hand, his transition to a defensive role began last season under Massimiliano Allegri.

His move to full-back has been a gradual process. At times, Motta has also experimented with Weston McKennie in the same position. After being left on the bench for Juve’s high-profile clash against Napoli in late January, Weah has since started five consecutive matches for the Bianconeri.

His first full-back experience came in the Champions League against Benfica (L, 0-2), followed by appearances against Empoli (W, 4-1), Como (W, 2-1), PSV Eindhoven (W, 2-1), and Inter Milan (W, 1-0). While he had previously enjoyed regular playing time, this run marks the first time he has completed the full 90 minutes in five straight games during the 2024-25 season.

Metamorphosis of Tim Weah

Weah’s shift to a defensive role is even more striking given his early career numbers. At PSG, he scored only two goals for the senior team, but both came when he was deployed as a center forward – against SM Caen (3-0), replacing Neymar, and AS Monaco (4-0), playing the full match. During his six-month loan spell at Celtic in 2019, he added four goals and an assist to his tally.

His time at Lille saw him settle as a winger on both flanks, where he recorded eight goals and eight assists between 2020 and 2023. Now, despite the irony of finding more regular minutes as a right-back under Motta, Weah is enjoying his best individual season yet: five goals and five assists across 27 appearances in all competitions so far.

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