George Weah
George Tawlon Manneh Oppong Ousman Weah (born 1 October 1966) is a Liberian politician and former professional footballer who served as the 25th president of Liberia from 2018 to 2024. Before his election for the presidency, Weah served as Senator from Montserrado County. He played as a striker in his prolific 18-year professional football career, which ended in 2003. Weah is the first African former professional footballer to become a head of state, and the only African Ballon d’Or and FIFA World footballer of the year winner in history.[3] He won the African footballer of the year 3 times and is widely considered one of the greatest strikers of all time.[4][5]
After beginning his career in his native Liberia, Weah spent 14 years playing for clubs in France, Italy, and England. Arsène Wenger first brought him to Europe, signing him for Monaco in 1988. Weah moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 1992 where they won Division 1 in 1994 and became the top scorer of the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League. He signed for AC Milan in 1995 where he spent four successful seasons, winning the Serie A twice. He moved to the Premier League towards the end of his career and had spells at Chelsea and Manchester City, winning the FA Cup at the former, before returning to France to play for Marseille in 2001. He ended his career with Al Jazira in 2003. FourFourTwo named Weah one of the best players never to win the UEFA Champions League.
Weah represented Liberia at the international level, winning 75 caps and scoring 18 goals for his country and playing at the African Cup of Nations on two occasions. He also played in a friendly in 2018, where his number 14 jersey was retired. Regarded as one of the best players never to have played at the FIFA World Cup, Scott Murray in The Guardian refers to Weah as "hamstrung by hailing from a global minnow".
Widely regarded as one of the greatest African players of all time, Weah was named FIFA World Player of the Year and won the Ballon d'Or, becoming the first and only player to win these awards while representing an African country internationally. In 1989 and 1995, he was also named the African Footballer of the Year winning the official award twice, and in 1996, he was named African Player of the Century. Known for his acceleration, speed, and dribbling ability, in addition to his goalscoring and finishing, Weah was described by FIFA as "the precursor of the multi-functional strikers of today". In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.
Weah became involved in politics in Liberia following his retirement from football. He formed the Congress for Democratic Change and ran unsuccessfully for president in the 2005 election, losing to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the second round of voting. In the 2011 election, he ran unsuccessfully for vice president alongside Winston Tubman. Weah was subsequently elected to the Senate of Liberia for Montserrado County in the 2014 election. Weah was elected President of Liberia in the 2017 election, defeating the incumbent vice president Joseph Boakai, and was sworn in on 22 January 2018. Weah was defeated in a rematch with Boakai in the 2023 election.
Early life and education[edit]
George Manneh Oppong Weah[6] was born on 1 October 1966[7] in Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia, and was raised in Clara Town, a slum in the city.[8] He is a member of the Kru ethnic group, which hail from south-eastern Liberia's Grand Kru County, one of the poorest areas of the country.[9] His father, William T. Weah Sr.,[10] was a mechanic[11] while his mother, Anna Quayeweah (d. 2013),[12] was a merchant.[11] He has three brothers, William, Moses, and Wolo.[12] He was one of thirteen children largely raised by his devoutly Christian paternal grandmother,[11][8] Emma Klonjlaleh Brown after his parents separated [8] when Weah was still a baby.[11] He attended middle school at Muslim Congress and high school at Wells Hairston High School and reportedly dropped out in his final year of studies.[13]
Political career[edit]
2005 presidential bid[edit]
Following the end of the Second Liberian Civil War, Weah announced his intention to run for President of Liberia in the 2005 election, forming the Congress for Democratic Change to back his candidacy. While Weah was a popular figure in Liberia, opponents cited his lack of formal education as a handicap to his ability to lead the country, in contrast with his Harvard-educated opponent, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Analysts also noted Weah's lack of experience, calling him a "babe-in-the-woods", while Sirleaf had served as minister of finance in the William Tolbert administration in the 1970s and had held positions at Citibank, the World Bank and the United Nations. Weah's eligibility to run for presidency was also called into question as it was reported that he had become a French citizen in his footballing career at Paris Saint-Germain, but these complaints were rebuffed by the electoral commission in court and Weah was allowed to proceed.[129]
Weah obtained a plurality of votes in the first round of voting on 11 October, garnering 28.3% of the vote. This qualified him to compete in a run-off election against Sirleaf, the second placed candidate. However, he lost the run-off to Sirleaf on 8 November, garnering only 40.6% to 59.4% for Sirleaf. Weah alleged that the election had been rigged through voter intimidation and ballot tampering, and many of his supporters protested the results in the streets of Monrovia. However, after assurances that the vote was fair, several prominent African leaders called on Weah's supporters to accept the result with grace and dignity, and Sirleaf became president. The African Union had characterised the election as "peaceful, transparent, and fair".[130]
Weah's lack of education became a campaign issue. He has been highly critical of those who say he is not fit to govern: "With all their education and experience, they have governed this nation for hundreds of years. They have never done anything for the nation." He initially claimed to have a BA degree in sport management from Parkwood University in London; however, this is an unaccredited diploma mill, which awards certificates without requiring study.[131] Weah then pursued a degree in business administration at DeVry University in Miami.[132][133]
Personal life[edit]
Weah has four children; three children with his Jamaican-born[171] wife Clar Weah: George, Tita, and Timothy and a child from another relationship. In 2016, he was sued by the mother of his daughter for child support expenses.[172] Both of his sons became footballers and signed for Paris Saint-Germain,[173] although only Timothy played for the first team.[174] Both played youth internationals for the United States,[175] and Timothy was capped for the senior team where he appeared and scored a goal at the 2022 World Cup.[176]
Weah practised Islam for ten years before converting to Christianity.[177] In October 2017, he was spotted in the prominent Nigerian church of Pastor T. B. Joshua alongside Liberian Senator Prince Johnson.[178] Joshua was allegedly a key influence in Johnson's decision to endorse Weah's candidacy in the 2017 election.[179][180]
He holds French citizenship and speaks French fluently.[181]