"I'm like an abstract artist": interview with Timothy Weah

Timothy Weah has already played his way into the hearts of the Bianconeri. It was enough to observe the audience present at the meeting with the new Juventus player on the occasion of the presentation of the new New Balance 1906 at the JD Store in Turin. And Weah dropped into the embrace of his fans with a smile, answering every question with the willingness and enthusiasm of his twenty-two years. We catch up with him straight after the event to talk about his new Italian adventure, his relationship with New Balance and his passions beyond the pitch. "When New Balance approached me, they had just started investing seriously in football again, signing Sadio Mane and Bukayo Saka. I never had any doubts, New Balance is a family. It is my family. We all love each other. I went to Boston and visited the headquarters. The bosses are there, they invite you in to talk, so it feels like family. It's definitely one of the best decisions I've made. I have a lot of creative control over everything and I love that."

Following the New Balance 1906 lifestyle model, Tim Weah has also created a make-up for a pair of football boots, the Tekela v4 "Queens Finest Edition", which will be available at selected retailers on 5 September. "When I was still playing FIFA, I spent a lot of time designing my own football boots and players. It's a dream come true for me and I'm grateful to have the opportunity and platform to do it." When he tells me how his collaboration with New Balance came about, which started when he was still at Lille, he beams like a kid on a merry-go-round, but retains the confidence he also shows on the pitch. "I'm a person who knows which direction I want to go. So I talked to the guys and we had a good conversation. They came and brought me the product, a little example of what it looked like, and yes, I liked it." The result is a pair of playing shoes that pay homage to his heritage: the New York neighbourhood where he grew up on the sole and the stars of the US national team on the heel. "It's my first signing and one of the benefits of working with a big brand like New Balance. It's every player's dream to make their own shoe."

Despite his young age, Weah has very clear ideas about his future, even after playing football. "My main goal is to work as a creative director for New Balance after my football career. If I can do that, that would be great. So I hope that when I sign my next contract, I can sign a 20-year contract and stay with New Balance forever." It's an ambitious project, but one that Weah says seems so easy to achieve. In fact, the Juventus footballer is very active, from music production to his passion for fashion, which he also attests to via his social media. "It's like it's natural for me to get dressed. I never go to my wardrobe and look at my clothes and think: 'OK, I have to combine this with that. I'm an abstract painter,' he says laughing when I ask him to explain his style. my style is really random, it depends on how I feel that day." We'll see if his sense of aesthetics changes now that he's in Italy, and if he follows the fashions and trends that are also becoming more popular in the world of football.

"I am happy to live here now, i am lucky to have this opportunity. I love the country, the food here is fantastic and every city has its own little traditions. I hope to stay here for a while and travel around the different cities. Already we're going away and eating in hotels, but I hope to visit the historic restaurants at my leisure." Weah grew up in New York, Queens, but his family has close ties to Italy, with his father George playing for AC Milan for five seasons and scoring 46 goals in a Rossoneri jersey. "It's still good. Don't get me wrong. I think it's good, but it's not Italian, but in New York Italian food is good. Of course, I don't know how acceptable it is to put Buffalo sauce on your pizza,' he tells me about the differences between the food he grew up eating in New York and the food he now tries in Turin. "I think as a New Yorker I have a multicultural sensibility and I've learned to adapt, so now I feel at home in Italy." Indeed, Weah's integration went smoothly, thanks in part to the presence of a compatriot like Weston McKennie. "As I said, I feel at home here. From day one, everyone has been very warm and welcoming. I think Winston being here makes me less nervous about coming to a new team. But, yeah, I'm enjoying every minute here."