Ahead of World Cup, USMNT's Tim Weah is inspired by Spike Lee, father

Timothy Weah is ready to take the pitch again in the 2026 World Cup.

The United States forward made noise in the 2022 competition by scoring a goal in the Group B draw against Wales. It was the Stars and Stripes’ first World Cup goal in eight years.

But before the USMNT‘s June 12 kickoff in this summer’s tournament, Weah is showing that he is more than an athlete.

The 26-year-old served as creative director for Electrolit’s campaign that will run during the World Cup called “Made For This.” There is a commercial that will air and a photo campaign that will be featured in major cities where the tournament will be played, including New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta and Boston. He told USA TODAY Sports that the opportunity was “amazing” and that the hydration beverage company “gave me a lot of freedom.”

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The television spot shows a day in the life of the soccer player in his native New York City, grabbing an Electrolit drink from the local bodega and playing street football. Some of the actors in the visual are his actual friends that he grew up with. Showcasing New York authentically was important to Weah “because it’s my stomping grounds,” he said.

“That’s what represents me on and off the pitch,” he shared. “The way I am in my everyday life is very New York. The way I play football is very New York, and my game comes from the streets. So I just wanted to show that in the commercial as well, that street football is something beautiful. And if I could put it on the map in any way that I can, I’m gonna do so.”

His creative process was very relatable.

“I basically took up the whole idea on Pinterest and just put it into a little file and sent it over, and yeah, they just made it come to life,” he shared.

Weah said he was inspired by groundbreaking filmmaker Spike Lee, who is also a fellow New York Knicks expressing excitement that the team is in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. The Olympique Marseille player said he watched basketball movies growing up, including “White Men Can’t Jump” and Lee’s “He’s Got Game” starring NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen in his younger years.

“Those like street sports movies really influenced me,” he said. “I just wanted to do something kind of similar, but in a soccer way.”

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One of his major soccer influences is his father, 1995 Ballon d’Or winner George Weah. The 2022 World Cup was significant for the Weah family because George, who played for the Liberian national team and later served as the country’s president, never got to compete in a World Cup.

Tim said he continues to honor his father and his mother, Clar, “by being myself, doing what I do best, I’m doing my job to the fullest of my ability, making sure that I’m present in everything that I’m doing, knowing my purpose.

“They’ve always played a huge role in my life,” he continued. “They’ve always been that support system that I’ve needed. When things went a little bit left and when things are going good, they’re always here for me, and they always give me the real. Carrying our family name on the back is always a blessing, and seeing their joy when I’m on the field when I score is amazing. So hopefully I can give them some wonderful memories this summer.”

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Something different about the 2026 World Cup is that Weah and his teammates will be playing on home soil. The United States is co-hosting the tournament with Mexico and Canada.

Weah is hopeful the side can do well. The United States made it to the Round of 16 in their last outing after infamously missing the 2018 campaign. He noted that the “ultimate goal is to bring awareness to the sport, more awareness to the sport in our own country. Having this World Cup at home and playing on home soil is the way to do that.”

He knows the importance of the platform and appreciates the ability to have local support.

“Just being in a World Cup in general is amazing and now being able to be a part of the team when we’re hosting it in our country, it’s huge,” Weah said. “This is one of those moments that changes a player’s career, a player’s life, especially if it’s a positive outing. And then just the love that you get from being surrounded by your family, the people that love you the most, your friends, your country people, it’s a wonderful feeling.”

For Weah, there is a sense of divine alignment that he gets this opportunity.

“Having a World Cup in America is just a blessing, and it’s a blessing to be a part of,” he said. “I can only thank God it’s happened in a time where I’m still able to play for the national team. So I’m super happy, I’m super excited. I can’t wait to get going.”