Timothy Weah – (USA National Team – 2026 FIFA World Cup)
By: Jonathan O. Grigsby, Snr.
The World Cup is a sports event organized by the Fe’de’ration of Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to showcase countries’ nationals playing in or outside of their respective countries’ talents on the biggest football stage.
It is a four – year sporting activities since the inaugural of the tournament in 1930. It is held by FIFA played in selected host country or countries around the global. Though since this was established African with fifty-four countries has not hosted it. But Africa, the second largest continent, has few countries that have been participating based on select numbers by FIFA, which over the years has been increasing bit-by-bit and today the continent has up to ten countries in the 2026 World Cup Show down.
The countries are Senegal, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Cape Verde, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Africa.
The first African country was Egypt in 1930, and in 1934 become the Continental country to play at the World Cup finals in Italy in 1934.
In 1970 – 1978 (Morocco – 1970), Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo 1974), and Tunisia (1978). From there, gradually the Africa appearances increased with Ivory Coast, Senegal, South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria and Cameroon.
The FIFA World Cup is the most-watch sporting event globally, according to football pundits. This sporting event has the significance of bringing and uniting billions of people from across diverse backgrounds and cultures, to be a part of ceremony.
The players, coaches and their kitchen staffers, referees and linesmen, match commissioners, cheering squares, sports journalists (commentators, and photographers, etc.), people from countries participating, as well as sports lovers.
There are a whole lots that are associated with the World Cup. The selection of host nations or nations and preparations for the kick-up of the event, which also can bring about job opportunities, infrastructure transformations, and economic growth and other benefits.
On the global unity and culture exchange, the FIFA World Cup can transcends beyond boundaries. Thatis, the month-long sport activities bridges differences in language, politics and social backgrounds, linking diverse population together through a shared-sharing of love, on the pitch, spectators and viewers watching the various games from anywhere around the world.
Besides, National Pride, is exhibited at the highest level. It deepening emotional connections and national pride, when individuals’ nations are participating in that sporting activities or individuals’ nationals are wearing the national colors for other nations or countries.
And this is the point I am driving toward, which led me to write this article; The Pride [We] Cherish: “Highlighting Three Liberians’ Heritage 2026- World Cup”
Currently, the 2026 FIFA World Cup Fête is in full-swing in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. Notably, there are three Liberians, who are participating, not wearing the national colors of Liberia, the Lonestar, but are wearing the national colors of two countries in this World Cup Jamboree. They are – Alphonso Davies (Canada), Timothy Weah (United States of America), and Haji Wright, also (United States of America).
Alphonso Davies – (Canada National Team – 2026 FIFA World Cup)
The three professionals, two playing on the national teams of the United States of America and one on Canada, shows that Liberia has part to play not just as spectators of the World Cup, but our Liberians’ Heritage, Alphonso, Timothy and Haji, who families’ backgrounds point to Liberia are fully participating, and playing vital roles on the two countries’ national teams.
Haji Wright – (USA National Team – 2026 FIFA World Cup)
Let me briefly tweet at the three players’ roots. It is said, if you do not know your root, which point you to the past, you will not know where you are presently, your today, and if you do not know your today, where you are going, your future will be bleak.
• Alphonso Davies (Canada) was born in a refugee camp in Ghana, who parents fledLiberia during the country civil war. Alphonso Davis is the Captain of Canada’s National Team, and strong left-back. Captain for Canada’ National Team, there is a WOW, and pat on his back for that great, greater and greatest achievement.
• Timothy Weah (United States), a Winger for (USMNT). Timothy Weah is one of the sons of Liberia’s Immediate Past President, George Mannah Weah, whose father won all the football awards around the global, but George Mannah Weah name is not written in World Cup’s Book of Records. And for Tim (shortcut for Timothy) to appear twice for the United States of America National Team, as a Winger. It is great, especially footballers who know the vital role a Winger can play on any team. That is a big boost for Liberia, again.
• Haji Wright (United States), he plays in the forward position for English Club Coventry City in Europe, who too is playing alongside Timothy on the National Team of the United States, is another big hit up for Mama Liberia.The role of a forward player on any football team, around explains itself. It is the forward player who pressurized the other team’s defenders that can usually result to goal or goals.
As I stated above, Lonestar, Liberia’s National Team did not make it to the World Cup to represent our country, but we needed to be – Pride, because we have three of our own playing for two countries in this year’s worldwide sporting event.
Alphonso, Timothy and Haji, know of their roots, because they are deeply rooted in the Liberian Dream, which people in and outside of the country know about, and globally people are aware of.Their roots are not a hiding secret, or fake, it is real. THEY ARE LIBERIANS – TIMOTHY. HAJI and ALPHONSO.
But my little disappointment, however, is that Liberians are not treasuring their own, particularly journalists, especially the Sports Journalists in country, by talking about them on the radios and publishing articles of the three Liberians participation in the World Cup for two countries.
Though, the three young talented professionals are not playing for Liberia, but our own is our own. Let us take the Ghanaian way for real. Whenever, a Ghanaian-born talents are spotted anywhere around the world making headways, whether for different counties, the Ghanaians will push andpush by praising those talents because their roots are from Ghana.
My Liberian people, Football is not politics, and based on that I always followed Alphonso, Timothy and Haji sporting activities and their achievements, which I am one of the many Liberians, who can boldly speak of them.
Few days back, I read a short write-out by the Ministry of Youth and Sports on the three Liberian players participating in 2026 FIFA World Cup, which I would like to thank the Ministry, but this thing should have been publicized by journalists, mainly Sports Journalists, the Sports Writer Association of Liberia (SWAL for short) because it is their area.
It was the similar thing with Liberian-American Sprinter, Joseph Blowadeh Siafa Fahnbulleh. Sprinter Fahnbulleh an Olympic Finalist, Double NCAA Champion and finished fourth at the 2022 World Athletics Championship in the 200 meters race, was given cold shoulder by many Liberians, mainly the Sports Writer Association of Liberia (SWAL).
Joseph Fahnbulleh (Liberian-American Sprinter)
Look at what the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) did. Before the World Cup kicked up, the BBC published a story of two brothers who made it to the ongoing sporting event, by providing in-depth article on the both of them. Defender Harry Souttar, playing for Australia’s NationalTeam, and John Souttar, who plays for Scotland.
The BBC’s article has it like this: “Two brothers, two nations, one World Cup & how grief bound them”
It was an interesting story that I read from start to finish. Our sports writers could do the same for the “Three Liberians Professional Players” currently participating in the biggest, the greatest and the highest football extravaganza, which is hosted after every four-year in selected country or countries..
It is from this backdrop, I am drafted this article on how we (Liberians) can admire our Three Liberian Professional Footballers currently playing in the sporting event can be hailed, extolled, lauded and showered: The Pride [We] Cherish: “Highlighting Three Liberians’ Heritage -2026 World Cup”
