Weah's Homecoming Goal Against Celtic

On This Day in 2020, the American Forward Scored His First Goal for Lille in His First Start of the Season—Against His Former Club

Timothy Weah's journey to Lille had been anything but straightforward. After signing a five-year contract with the French club in June 2019 for a reported €10 million from Paris Saint-Germain, the 19-year-old arrived with high expectations. Lille CEO Marc Ingla emphasized the club's ambition in securing Weah's signature, noting that "many good clubs were courting him." For Weah, the opportunity was clear: "For me, [Lille] is the best choice to progress and get playing time. It's a young and ambitious team."

But his first season in Lille colors became a frustrating battle against his own body. Two hamstring injuries—the first in a match against Amiens, the second upon his return against Marseille—robbed him of nearly the entire 2019-20 campaign. Weah managed just three appearances before undergoing surgery in Finland in March 2020. The son of the 1995 FIFA Player of the Year and current Liberia President faced the reality that talent alone wouldn't be enough; he needed to stay healthy.

The 2020-21 season offered a fresh start. Weah gradually worked his way back into fitness, making his return in Lille's second league match with a 16-minute cameo against Reims. During the November international window, he came off the bench for the United States in friendlies against Wales and Panama, continuing his rehabilitation. By December, after 10 substitute appearances across Ligue 1 and Europa League play, Weah was ready for more.

On December 10, Lille traveled to Celtic Park for a Europa League Group H fixture. The match held special significance for Weah—this was the club where he'd made his name during a memorable loan spell nearly two years earlier, the place where supporters had chanted his name and created songs in his honor. Now 20 years old and making his first start of the season, Weah would face the ghosts of his past in green and white.

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The match unfolded as a thrilling back-and-forth affair. Celtic, needing a morale-boosting victory after a difficult domestic run, struck first through Christopher Jullien's glancing header. But Lille equalized within 90 seconds when Jonathan Ikoné converted Yusuf Yazici's cross. Callum McGregor restored Celtic's lead from the penalty spot after Jeremie Frimpong won a questionable spot-kick, and the teams headed to halftime with Celtic protecting a 2-1 advantage.

In the 71st minute, Weah wrote the next chapter in his unlikely Celtic story. When Yazici floated in a free kick from the flank, Shane Duffy could only partially clear with a headed clearance. The ball fell kindly to Weah, 16 yards from goal, and the American didn't hesitate—his left-footed strike flew past goalkeeper Conor Hazard to level the score at 2-2.

It was a bittersweet moment for the fans who had once embraced him. Weah had promised on Instagram during his emotional 2019 departure that he wished "to one day come back to this great club to be with you all." He came back, but not in the way Celtic supporters had hoped. His goal represented both a personal milestone—his first for Lille—and a reminder of what might have been.

The celebration was measured. There was no wild exuberance against the club that had given him his first real taste of senior football success. After months of rehabilitation, of watching from the bench, of fighting to regain his place, Weah had delivered on his first start of the season. Celtic responded quickly, with David Turnbull restoring their lead just four minutes later to secure a 3-2 victory that Lille could afford—they had already qualified for the knockout rounds and would finish second in the group behind AC Milan. But for Weah, the result mattered less than the statement made.

The goal marked a turning point. After the nightmare of back-to-back hamstring injuries that had stolen a year of his development, Weah proved he was ready to contribute. More importantly, he scored against quality opposition on a European stage, in a hostile environment where he once heard his name sung in adoration.

"Joining LOSC is a big deal," Weah had said upon signing. "I want to score goals in my new colours and help this club to win games and trophies." His first goal came against long odds and familiar foes. The injury-plagued first season was behind him. Now, with his body finally cooperating and confidence building, Weah could focus on what he came to Lille to do—establish himself as a force in one of Europe's top leagues and help deliver the success he promised.

A remarkable footnote emerged from the statistics: Weah had scored his first goal in a major European competition exactly 21 years and 37 days after his father George Weah's last European goal for AC Milan against Galatasaray in the Champions League. The family legacy lived on, even if the venue brought complicated emotions.