Former Celtic winger Timo Weah has spoken out after an unexpected visit to the White House with his Juventus teammates. The American forward said the experience felt strange and uncomfortable, especially when politics became the focus of the meeting.
Weah explained he had no choice but to attend, and admitted he was surprised by how the day turned out.
The visit happened on the same day Juventus played in the FIFA Club World Cup, where they went on to beat Al Ain 5-0. But before the match, the players were taken to meet Donald Trump. Weah said he thought it would be a quick photo or handshake. Instead, the meeting turned into a talk about serious political issues.
Weah admitted it was not what he expected, and that he just wanted to think about football. The 24-year-old didn’t enjoy being pulled into a political conversation about Iran and other topics he felt had nothing to do with him or the game. He admitted he felt out of place during the meeting.
Even though the visit was strange, Juventus were able to stay focused and win their game comfortably. But Weah’s words give a rare look at how players feel when they are brought into the world of politics without warning.
He said: (the Metro), “It was all a surprise to me, honestly — they told us that we have to go and I had no choice but to go so I showed up.
“I was caught by surprise, honestly. It was a bit weird. When he started talking about the politics with Iran and everything, it’s kind of like, I just want to play football man.”
The visit came as Juventus prepared for an important game. But instead of a short meeting with the President, the team was pulled into a discussion about world politics.
Weah, along with others like Weston McKennie, had no idea the talk would turn that way. They were not expecting to speak about politics or answer serious questions like that on the day of a match. They simply wanted to get back to training and play football.
Still, the team stayed focused and did their job on the pitch. They thrashed Al Ain 5-0 later that evening and looked sharp from start to finish. But Weah’s words after the game showed he was still thinking about the strange events earlier in the day.
