Pochettino’s rebuke of Tim Weah misreads the player and the moment

Mauricio Pochettino criticised Tim Weah after the Olympique Marseille winger told Le Dauphiné Libéré he was disappointed by World Cup ticket prices, saying many real fans would miss matches and that it was too expensive for football to remain for everyone. Weah, who holds 47 US caps at age 25, had framed ticket affordability as a concern related to the tournament.

Pochettino said players should “talk on the pitch” and not evaluate ticket prices, and he expressed faith in Fifa to explain its decisions. He argued it was not the players’ duty to judge such matters and that they should focus on the sporting side. The writer notes that Weah’s comments were squarely about a soccer-related issue and that the US men’s team has become more outspoken in recent years, with initiatives such as the “Be The Change” campaign supported by the federation and Pochettino’s predecessor.

mauricio pochettino, tim weah, olympique marseille, le dauphiné libéré, world cup ticket prices, fifa, us men's team, be the change, ticket affordability, 47 us caps