George Weah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Weah
Weah in 2022
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 1986–2003 Liberia 75 (18) *Club domestic league appearances and goals

George Manneh Oppong Weah (born October 1, 1966) is a Liberian politician and famous 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.

As a footballer, Weah was a striker for 18 years. He is widely seen as one of the greatest African players of all time. In 1995, he won the Ballon d'Or and was named FIFA World Player of the Year. He is the only African player to have ever won these awards. He was also named African Footballer of the Year three times.

Weah's football journey took him from his home country of Liberia to top clubs in France, Italy, and England. He played for famous teams like Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, and AC Milan. After retiring from football in 2003, he entered politics and became the first African professional footballer to be elected as a head of state.

Early Life and Education

George Manneh Oppong Weah was born in Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia. He grew up in a poor neighborhood called Clara Town. He is from the Kru ethnic group. His father was a mechanic, and his mother was a merchant.

After his parents separated, Weah was raised by his grandmother. He attended middle school and high school but left before finishing his final year to focus on his football career. Later in life, he went back to school and earned a degree in business administration from DeVry University.

A Legendary Football Career

Starting in Africa

Weah started playing football for a local club in Clara Town when he was 15. He was a talented player and quickly moved up through different Liberian clubs. He played for Mighty Barrolle and Invincible Eleven, two of Liberia's biggest teams. His skills caught the attention of a scout from Cameroon, and he soon moved to play for Tonnerre Yaoundé.

Moving to Europe

Weah celebrates a goal while playing for PSG in 1992.

In 1988, a famous manager named Arsène Wenger saw Weah's talent and signed him for the French club Monaco. This was his big break in Europe. Weah later said that Wenger was a very important person in his career. In Monaco, he won his first major award, the African Footballer of the Year, in 1989.

From 1992 to 1995, Weah played for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). With PSG, he won the French league title and became the top scorer of the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League. One of his most famous goals was a skillful solo run against Bayern Munich.

Success with AC Milan

In 1995, Weah joined AC Milan, one of the biggest clubs in the world. He won the Italian league, Serie A, twice with the team. He became famous for his amazing goals. One of the most incredible was a goal against Hellas Verona, where he ran the entire length of the field with the ball and scored.

Because of his amazing performances, 1995 was a huge year for Weah. He won the Ballon d'Or (for the best player in Europe) and was named FIFA World Player of the Year. He is still the only African player to have won these awards.

Playing in England and Final Years

Later in his career, Weah played in England's Premier League. He had a short but successful time at Chelsea, where he helped the team win the FA Cup. He also played for Manchester City before returning to France to play for Marseille. He finished his career in 2003 after playing for Al Jazira Club in the United Arab Emirates.

International Career for Liberia

Weah played 75 games for the Liberia national team and scored 18 goals. He was the team's star player and even helped pay for the team's expenses and coached them. Even with his help, Liberia never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. However, he did lead them to the African Cup of Nations twice.

In 2018, at the age of 51 and while he was president, he played in one last friendly match for Liberia. His number 14 jersey was retired in his honor.

From Football Field to President's Office

Early Political Career

After retiring from football, Weah became involved in politics to help his country, which had suffered from a long civil war. In 2005, he ran for president but lost to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. He ran again in 2011 as a vice-presidential candidate but was not successful.

In 2014, Weah was elected to the Senate of Liberia for Montserrado County. He won by a large margin, showing how popular he was with the people.

Becoming President of Liberia

In 2017, Weah ran for president again. This time, he won the election, defeating the vice president, Joseph Boakai. He became president on January 22, 2018. This was a historic moment for Liberia, as it was the country's first peaceful, democratic change of power in 74 years.

Presidency (2018–2024)

Weah during his presidency in 2019.

As president, Weah focused on fighting corruption, improving the economy, and helping the poor. One of his first actions was to reduce his own salary by 25% to help the country. He also worked on improving education and healthcare. His government built new schools and a dialysis center, the first of its kind in Liberia.

Weah also worked on foreign policy, building relationships with countries like France, China, and Israel. He encouraged international support for Liberia's development.

However, his presidency faced challenges. The economy struggled with high inflation, which led to protests. In the 2023 election, Weah ran for a second term but was defeated by his opponent, Joseph Boakai.

Personal Life and Humanitarian Work

Weah is known for his humanitarian work. He has used his fame to help his country, especially children affected by war. He served as a UN Goodwill Ambassador and won the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2004 for his efforts.

Weah is married to Clar Weah, and they have three children: George Jr., Tita, and Timothy. His son, Timothy Weah, is also a professional footballer who has played for the United States national team.

Weah has shown that it is possible to achieve greatness in more than one field, moving from being a global sports icon to the leader of his nation.

Images for kids

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  Weah at a 4 July celebration in 2018.

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  Weah with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in 2019.

See also

In Spanish: George Weah para niños

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