Weah and Lille Win Ligue 1

On This Day in 2021, Lille Beat Angers on the Final Day to Dethrone PSG, Making Weah the First American Winner

The spring of 2021 brought a triumphant conclusion to a long road of recovery and redemption for Timothy Weah. As Lille's team bus pulled into the Stade Raymond Kopa on May 23, the 21-year-old American forward could sense history within reach. After a season-long battle against French football powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain—Weah's former club—Lille stood on the precipice of an achievement few had thought possible when the campaign began nine months earlier.

For Weah personally, the 2020-21 season represented a rebirth. After transferring from PSG to Lille for €10 million in June 2019, the promising American had seen his debut season in northern France cruelly derailed by back-to-back hamstring injuries, limiting him to just three appearances. The first setback came against Amiens, sidelining him for six months, before a heartbreaking recurrence during his comeback match against Marseille effectively ended his season. By March 2020, he was in Finland undergoing surgery with specialist Lasse Lempainen, facing an uncertain future.

Yet as the 2020-21 campaign dawned, Weah emerged with renewed determination. His return came during Lille's second match of the season against Reims, a modest 16-minute cameo that signaled the beginning of his true Lille career. Progress came incrementally, with moments of brilliance punctuating his recovery journey. In December, he netted his first Europa League goal for Lille in a bittersweet 3-2 defeat against his former club Celtic. He claimed his maiden Ligue 1 strike days later, securing a 2-0 victory over Dijon on December 16.

Throughout the season, manager Christophe Galtier deployed Weah strategically across the front line—sometimes as a central forward, other times on either wing. Though not always a starter, the son of Liberian legend George Weah embraced his role, providing energetic performances whether given 15 minutes or a full half. His versatility proved invaluable as Lille mounted an increasingly credible title challenge against PSG's star-studded squad.

By spring, what had seemed improbable was becoming possible. A pivotal 1-0 victory at the Parc des Princes on April 3 gave Lille control of their destiny. As veteran defender José Fonte revealed, that triumph silenced doubters "counting us out." The win fostered belief throughout the squad, including among rotation players like Weah, who played 55 minutes in that win over PSG and understood that every small contribution was vital to the collective goal.

As May 23 approached, Lille's lead over PSG had narrowed to a single point. The mathematics were simple: win against Angers and claim the title regardless of PSG's result against Brest. Though Weah watched from the bench that Sunday afternoon, the tension was palpable as his teammates took the field at the Stade Raymond Kopa.

The breakthrough came quickly. Canadian striker Jonathan David, who had formed a lethal partnership with veteran Turkish forward Burak Yılmaz throughout the campaign, latched onto Renato Sanches's precise pass in the 10th minute, slotting the ball home to give Lille an early lead. As half-time approached, Yılmaz, Lille's player of the season, doubled the advantage from the penalty spot after David was fouled by Angers goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni.

Though Angelo Fulgini's injury-time header provided a moment of anxiety, Lille's 2-1 victory was never truly in jeopardy. Celebrations erupted among the players, coaching staff, and the small contingent of traveling supporters when the final whistle blew. Weah, despite not featuring in the match, was at the heart of the festivities, embracing teammates with whom he had forged a special bond during a challenging but ultimately glorious season.

The title represented a seismic achievement in French football. Lille had dethroned PSG with a fraction of the resources—the Qatari-backed Parisians' budget dwarfed Lille's modest finances. With just three defeats across the entire league campaign and a club-record 83 points, Lille had authored one of the most remarkable underdog stories in modern European football.

For Lille, it was their fourth top-flight championship and first since Eden Hazard inspired them to glory a decade earlier in 2011. For Weah, though technically his third Ligue 1 medal after playing minor roles in PSG's 2018 and 2019 triumphs, this one carried incomparably more significance, having made 28 league appearances and scored three crucial goals despite not starting the season finale.

The chemistry within Lille's squad had proven decisive throughout the campaign. As Fonte had noted earlier, the diverse mix of nationalities and backgrounds had become a strength rather than a hindrance. Young talents were guided by experienced heads in a close-knit group that gave itself entirely to Galtier's tactical vision.

"Everybody in the dressing room speaks French," Fonte had explained. "We give ourselves to the other cultures and we give ourselves to them, and they try to know about us. So there's a great chemistry between us."

For Weah, the summer of 2021 promised no respite. Within days of Lille's triumph, he was already preparing to join the United States Men's National Team for their May 30 friendly against Switzerland. The following day, coach Gregg Berhalter named him to the 23-man squad for the CONCACAF Nations League final four in Denver—an inaugural tournament featuring heavyweight clashes against Honduras and potentially Mexico or Costa Rica.

Weah's inclusion in a star-studded American lineup that included Christian Pulisic (fresh from winning the Champions League with Chelsea), Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna and Sergiño Dest spoke volumes about his standing within a "golden generation" of American talent. Despite his interrupted club season, Berhalter valued Weah's experience, technical ability, and the winning mentality he had cultivated at Lille.

Looking ahead to the 2021-22 campaign, Weah faced new challenges. Champions League football awaited Lille, testing them against Europe's elite clubs. Meanwhile, the August 1 Trophée des Champions clash against PSG offered an immediate opportunity to claim more silverware and further cement Lille's status as France's new football force.

For the American, whose career had already encompassed stints at three of Europe's most storied clubs—PSG, Celtic, and now Lille—the title triumph represented both validation and a launching pad. At just 21, with injury struggles seemingly behind him and a championship medal around his neck, Timothy Weah's journey was far from complete. Still, his place in Lille's unlikely success story was forever secured.