George Weah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Weah
Weah in 2019
25th President of Liberia
In office 22 January 2018 – 22 January 2024
Vice President	Jewel Taylor
Preceded by	Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Succeeded by	Joseph Boakai
Member of the Senate of Liberia
In office 14 January 2015 – 22 January 2018
Preceded by	Joyce Musu Freeman-Sumo
Succeeded by	Saah Joseph
Constituency	Montserrado County
Personal details
Born	George Manneh Oppong Weah (1966-10-01) 1 October 1966 (age 58) Monrovia, Liberia
Political party	Congress for Democratic Change
Other political affiliations	Coalition for Democratic Change
Spouse	Clar Weah ​ (m. 1993)​
Children	4, including George Jr. and Timothy
Education	DeVry University
Occupation	Politician footballer
Association football career Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Position(s) Striker Senior career* Years Team Apps (Gls) 1981–1984 Young Survivors 1984–1985 Bong Range United 1985–1986 Mighty Barrolle 1986–1987 Invincible Eleven 1987–1988 Tonnerre Yaoundé 1988–1992 Monaco 103 (47) 1992–1995 Paris Saint-Germain 96 (32) 1995–2000 AC Milan 114 (46) 2000 → Chelsea (loan) 11 (3) 2000 Manchester City 7 (1) 2000–2001 Marseille 19 (5) 2001–2003 Al Jazira Total 350 (134) International career 1986–2018 Liberia 75 (18) *Club domestic league appearances and goals

George Manneh Oppong Weah (born 1 October 1966) is a famous Liberian politician and a former professional footballer. He served as the 25th president of Liberia from 2018 to 2024. Before becoming president, Weah was a senator for Montserrado County.

He had an amazing 18-year career as a striker in football, which ended in 2003. George Weah is special because he is the first former professional footballer from Africa to become a country's leader. He is also the only African player to win the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards, both in 1995. He won the African Footballer of the Year award three times. Many people think he is one of the greatest strikers ever.

Weah started his football journey in his home country, Liberia. Then, he spent 14 years playing for big clubs in France, Italy, and England. A famous coach, Arsène Wenger, brought him to Europe to play for Monaco in 1988. Later, Weah moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 1992. There, he helped them win the French league in 1994 and became the top scorer in the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League.

In 1995, he joined AC Milan in Italy, where he had four successful seasons and won the Serie A league twice. Later in his career, he played in the Premier League for Chelsea and Manchester City. He even won the FA Cup with Chelsea. He finished his career with Al Jazira in 2003.

Weah played for the Liberia national team, appearing in 75 games and scoring 18 goals. He played in the African Cup of Nations twice. In 2018, he played in a special friendly match where his number 14 jersey was officially retired. Many experts say he is one of the best players who never got to play in the FIFA World Cup.

George Weah is seen as one of the greatest African players ever. In 1995, he won the FIFA World Player of the Year and the Ballon d'Or. This made him the first and only African player to win these top awards. He also won the African Footballer of the Year award three times. In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list, which features the world's greatest living players.

After retiring from football, Weah got involved in politics in Liberia. He started the Congress for Democratic Change party. He ran for president in 2005 but lost. In 2011, he ran for vice president but was not successful. However, in 2014, he was elected as a senator for Montserrado County. Finally, in the 2017 election, George Weah was elected President of Liberia. He took office on 22 January 2018. He was defeated in the 2023 election.

Early Life and Education

George Manneh Oppong Weah was born on 1 October 1966 in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. He grew up in Clara Town, a poor area of the city. His family belongs to the Kru ethnic group. His father was a mechanic, and his mother was a merchant. George was mostly raised by his grandmother. He went to middle school and high school, but he left school before finishing his final year. Later in life, he went back to school and earned a degree in business administration from DeVry University.

Football Career Highlights

Starting His Football Journey

Weah started playing football for a local club called Young Survivors in 1981 when he was 15. He quickly showed his talent, scoring amazing goals. His team moved up two divisions during his time there. In 1984, he joined Bong Range United, and then Mighty Barrolle, one of Liberia's biggest clubs. Even though he scored often, he wasn't always a regular player. So, he moved to their rivals, Invincible Eleven, in 1986. He helped them win the Liberian Premier League title in 1987 and was the league's top scorer and best player. Before moving abroad, Weah worked as a switchboard operator.

Playing in Europe

Weah's skills caught the eye of Arsène Wenger, the manager of French club Monaco. Weah joined Monaco in 1988. He has often said that Wenger was very important in helping him become a world-class player. In 1989, he won the African Footballer of the Year award for the first time. This was a huge honor for him and his country. He also helped Monaco win the 1990–91 Coupe de France and reach the final of a European cup.

Weah celebrating his goal during a match between PSG and Napoli in 1992.

Next, Weah played for Paris Saint-Germain from 1992 to 1995. This was a very successful time for him. He won the French Cup twice and the French league title in 1994. He also became the top scorer in the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League with seven goals. One of his most famous goals was a brilliant solo effort against Bayern Munich. In 1994, he won the African Footballer of the Year award again.

Becoming a World Star at AC Milan

In 1995, Weah moved to AC Milan in Italy. He quickly became a key player and helped them win the Italian league (Serie A) in 1996. He played alongside other great players like Roberto Baggio. He won the Serie A title again in 1999.

Weah became famous at Milan for scoring amazing goals. One goal against Hellas Verona was especially memorable. He took the ball from his own penalty area and ran the entire length of the field, dribbling past opponents, before scoring! His teammates were amazed by his incredible speed and skill.

Because of his fantastic performances, Weah received many top awards in 1995. He won the Ballon d'Or, the Onze d'Or, and was named FIFA World Player of the Year. He was the first and, so far, only African player to win these awards. He dedicated his FIFA World Player of the Year award to his former coach, Arsène Wenger. He also won the African Player of the Year award for the third time that year. In 1996, he was named African Player of the Century.

Later Career and International Play

After Milan, Weah played for English clubs Chelsea and Manchester City. He won the FA Cup with Chelsea in 2000. He then returned to France to play for Marseille before ending his career with Al Jazira in the UAE in 2003.

Weah played 75 games for the Liberia national team, scoring 18 goals. He was a huge supporter of his national team, even helping to fund them. Despite his efforts, Liberia never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. However, he did help them qualify for the African Cup of Nations twice, in 1996 and 2002.

In 2018, at the age of 51 and while serving as president, Weah played one last friendly match for Liberia against Nigeria. His number 14 jersey was retired, and he received a standing ovation.

How He Played

In the 1990s, Weah was known as one of the best strikers in the world. He was incredibly fast, strong, and had amazing dribbling skills. He was also a great goal scorer and a team player who could create chances for others. Many people compared him to the legendary Dutch player Marco van Basten.

Weah was part of a new generation of strikers who could score goals on their own, even from outside the penalty area. Famous footballer Thierry Henry said that Weah, along with Ronaldo and Romário, changed the game for him. They showed that strikers didn't just have to stay in the box; they could pick up the ball anywhere and score.

Football Achievements

Mighty Barrolle

• Liberian Premier League: 1986
• Liberian FA Cup: 1986

Invincible Eleven

• Liberian Premier League: 1987

Monaco

• Coupe de France: 1990–91

Paris Saint-Germain

• Division 1: 1993–94
• Coupe de France: 1992–93, 1994–95
• Coupe de la Ligue: 1994–95

AC Milan

• Serie A: 1995–96, 1998–99

Chelsea

• FA Cup: 1999–2000

Individual Awards

• African Footballer of the Year: 1989, 1995
• UEFA Champions League top scorer: 1994–95
• BBC African Footballer of the Year: 1995
• Onze d'Or: 1995
• Ballon d'Or: 1995
• FIFA World Player of the Year: 1995
• FIFA Fair Play Award: 1996
• IFFHS African Player of the Century: 1999
• FIFA 100: 2004
• Arthur Ashe Courage Award 2004
• Golden Foot Legends Award: 2005
• AC Milan Hall of Fame

Humanitarian Work

George Weah is also known for his work to help his home country, Liberia. During his football career, he became a UN Goodwill Ambassador. In 2004, he won the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for his efforts to help others. He also worked as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, helping children. Weah has always spoken out against racism in football.

Helping Children Through Football

Weah has used football to bring joy and encourage education for children in Liberia. In 1998, he released a music CD called Lively Up Africa with other African football stars. The money from this CD went to programs for children in their home countries.

He also founded a football club in Monrovia called Junior Professional. The only rule for joining the club was that young players had to attend school. Many of these young people went on to play for the Liberian national team.

Political Career

Running for President

After Liberia's civil war ended, George Weah decided to run for President of Liberia in the 2005 election. He started his own political party, the Congress for Democratic Change. Weah was very popular, but some people worried about his lack of formal education compared to his opponent, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Weah won the most votes in the first round. However, he lost the second round to Sirleaf. Weah and his supporters believed the election was unfair, but international observers said it was peaceful and fair.

Becoming a Senator

Weah stayed active in Liberian politics. In 2014, he ran for election to the Senate of Liberia for Montserrado County. He won by a huge margin, becoming the first Liberian international athlete to be elected to the legislature.

Elected President

In April 2016, Weah announced he would run for president again in the 2017 election. He represented the Coalition for Democratic Change. He won the first round and then defeated Joseph Boakai in the second round, winning over 60% of the votes.

Presidency (2018–2024)

Weah in 2019

George Weah became president on 22 January 2018. This was a historic moment for Liberia, as it was the first peaceful transfer of power in 74 years. He was one of the youngest presidents in Africa. Weah promised to fight corruption, improve the economy, reduce illiteracy, and make life better for all Liberians. Famous African footballers Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto'o attended his inauguration.

Economic and Domestic Policies

President Weah promised a "Pro-Poor Agenda" to help all Liberians, especially those in need. However, Liberia faced economic challenges, including high inflation. In 2019, inflation reached 28%, causing protests. Weah held a National Economic Dialogue to find solutions.

He also made a big personal sacrifice. In January 2018, he announced that he would reduce his own salary and benefits by 25%. He said this was important because of the country's economic situation. He also wanted to change laws to allow people of different backgrounds to become citizens and own land in Liberia, calling the old laws "racist."

Weah at a 4 July celebration in 2018.

Under his leadership, Liberia worked to improve education by building and renovating schools. This aimed to give children better learning environments. His government also focused on healthcare, investing in hospitals and medical equipment. They also started health insurance programs and built Liberia's first dialysis center.

Foreign Relations

As president, Weah visited other countries to build strong relationships. His first official visit was to Senegal, and then to France, where he met President Emmanuel Macron. They discussed improving ties between their countries and sports development in Africa.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, President Weah recorded a song with a local group. The song encouraged Liberians and Africans to fight against the virus. He had also recorded a song against the Ebola outbreak before.

Personal Life

George Weah is married to Clar Weah, and they have three children: George Jr., Tita, and Timothy. He also has another child from a different relationship. Both of his sons, George Jr. and Timothy, became footballers. Timothy even played for the United States national team and scored a goal at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Weah was a Muslim for ten years before becoming a Christian. He also holds French citizenship and speaks French fluently.

See also

In Spanish: George Weah para niños

• List of association football families
• List of sportsperson-politicians