From 1995 Ballon d'Or Winner to President

Original article from France Football, published in 2024.

It's 5:16 PM on Monday, October 28th, 2024. In three hours, the 68th Ballon d'Or ceremony will begin. The public doesn't know it yet, but George Weah will close the show by presenting the men's trophy. Four kilometers from the Théâtre du Châtelet, the hotel hosting the delegations and guests is buzzing with activity. The elevators are packed, and the former President of Liberia (January 2018 to January 2024) is struggling to reach us in a private lounge on the ground floor.

"Don't worry, we can cut into the 6:10 PM cocktail reception," his advisor reassures us. Suddenly, a phalanx of black suits appears at the end of the hallway. The security detail is led by a man in a navy blue suit, a red-tinged tie, and a white shirt—the three colors of Liberia. Nine months after leaving office, Weah has not shed his presidential persona.

On November 14, 2023, the Liberian people narrowly chose Joseph Boakai of the Unity Party over Weah, with 50.64% of the vote to 49.36%. The incumbent president conceded defeat even before the official results were announced, a move to prevent tensions among his supporters that was praised internationally. But for Weah, the game isn't over. "People in Liberia are still calling me. I'm only 58. I can still serve a second term, and I want to."

The former striker defends his record, highlighting the "enormous work" done in a country finally free from the aftershocks of a civil war that claimed 250,000 lives between 1989 and 2003. "That's what I'm most proud of," states the recipient of a special award from the NGO Peace and Sport in 2022. "And today, children go to school for free. Our roads are well-built. That was our platform. It was not a mistake to go into politics."

From the Ghetto to the Global Stage

Despite the confidence he exudes as a political leader, the man himself is reserved. His handshake is firm but restrained, his gaze shy, and his words initially few. "Even when I was young, I was very shy," he would later confirm. After a three-minute photoshoot, he sits down in the cold, meeting-room-like lounge.

"We'll speak in English, but if the opportunity arises, we can switch to French," announces the man who became a French citizen in 1993. Suddenly, everything changes when his Ballon d'Or is mentioned. A radiant smile spreads across his face, revealing a perfect set of teeth. "What?! Has it really been twenty-nine years since I won this trophy?" The interview has begun.

December 26, 1995, the day of his triumph, feels like yesterday. "It was such a joy. When I first came to Europe, I wasn't even eligible," he recalls, as only European players could win the award before 1995. "Then I won the first globalized Ballon d'Or. It was a reward for everything we, as African players, had accomplished. To come from the first independent country in Africa and become the first—and still only—player from the continent to lift the trophy is incredible. What makes me even prouder is that I used my Ballon d'Or to promote peace. I am living proof that it's more than just a golden ball. All of Africa was happy."

1995 Ballon d'Or Rankings

1. George Weah (LBR, PSG, AC Milan), 144 points
2. Jürgen Klinsmann (GER, Tottenham, Bayern), 108 pts
3. Jari Litmanen (FIN, Ajax Amsterdam), 67 pts
4. Alessandro Del Piero (ITA, Juventus), 57 pts
5. Patrick Kluivert (NED, Ajax Amsterdam), 47 pts
6. Gianfranco Zola (ITA, Parma), 41 pts
7. Paolo Maldini (ITA, AC Milan), 36 pts
8. Marc Overmars (NED, Ajax Amsterdam), 33 pts
9. Matthias Sammer (GER, Dortmund), 18 pts
10. Michael Laudrup (DEN, Real Madrid), 17 pts

The story of George Weah's ascent to football's pinnacle seems almost unbelievable given his origins. Born in Clara Town, a slum in the capital city of Monrovia, Weah grew up in Liberia—a West African nation nestled between Sierra Leone and Côte d'Ivoire, which the United Nations ranks among the world's twenty least developed countries.

"I grew up in a real ghetto, and then my father died when I was a baby," he recounted plainly. His father, William, a mechanic, left his mother, Anna, a market trader, to raise George and his three brothers alone. "I was raised by my paternal grandmother, Emma, who had already taken in several other children. There were nineteen of us in one home. You had to see it to believe it."

"But we helped each other," he continued. "We were always playing football. We'd set up one goal here, another there, and just head the ball back and forth. That's probably how I got so good in the air. In short, everything I've earned, I worked for."

Inspired by a King, Driven by Hardship

Amid this precarious existence, a reality for the Kru ethnic group who faced discrimination, Weah found his calling. "I discovered Pelé during the 1970 World Cup. I was very young, but I asked myself, 'How does someone become that good?' I got my hands on tapes of him and watched them over and over. I eventually found the answer: hard work. Dribbling, jumping... I drew inspiration from all his moves. I dreamed of meeting my idol."

That dream came true in 1992 in Monaco. "We later worked together for FIFA," Weah noted. "But from childhood, I was a fanatic. I wanted anything associated with 'The King'."

To afford such things and to help support his family, the young Weah had to work. "I started at 14. I was ready to do anything. I'd ask passersby, 'Do you need anything? Do your clothes need washing? I can do it.' Then I started trading with our Ghanaian friends who came to Liberia. I sold popcorn for three years. And one day, everything changed."

An Unconventional Start

While working, a teenage Weah joined his first football club, the Young Survivors, based in his slum. In a twist of fate, the man who would become one of the world's greatest strikers first offered his services as a goalkeeper just to get a spot on the team.

"But they already had two keepers, so they told me, 'You're tall, you'll play on the right wing.' I ended up as the top scorer and never played in goal again!" With Weah's help over three seasons, the club earned two promotions, climbing from the fourth to the second division. In 1984, first-division side Bong Range United spotted his talent, but the club quickly proved too small for the burgeoning phenomenon.

At 18, he joined Mighty Barrolle, one of Liberia's biggest clubs. After just half a season, on February 23, 1986, the prodigy made the first of his 75 international appearances against Burkina Faso. That summer, seeking more playing time, he moved to rivals Invincible Eleven. The money, however, didn't follow; Weah was still working as a switchboard operator for a telecom company to make ends meet.

The Birth of "King George"

A trip to Brazil that Christmas changed his trajectory. "The Liberian Federation decided to build a strong national team and send us to a training camp in Brazil. I sensed an opportunity to turn professional, so I went," he explained. "In Rio, the entire Flamengo squad came to watch us. They said of me, 'That one is Pelé, he's staying.' I loved the experience, but I couldn't leave my grandmother without support."

He returned to Liberia more confident than ever and his career took off. In 1987, he won the league championship with Invincible Eleven and was also named the league's best player and top scorer. It was the birth of his favorite nickname: "King George." "That's what they call me at home, in reference to King Pelé," he said with a smile.

In the summer of 1987, another pivotal choice loomed. "I had one year of school left when Tonnerre Yaoundé from Cameroon came to sign me. This was the moment of truth: if it didn't work out, what would I do? I realized that only my success could save my family. I had to make that sacrifice."

Leaving home for a club 3,000 kilometers away, Weah embarked on a journey that led him to a life-changing encounter. "I owe so much to Claude Le Roy," he acknowledged warmly. "He was the coach of the Cameroon national team, and several of my teammates played for him. I went to visit them one day..."

The story is best told by Claude Le Roy himself. "I remember arriving by car near the training ground," he recalled. "I saw someone breaking down the right wing and I thought to myself, 'Who is this player?!' In fifteen seconds, I was completely won over. Speed, coordination, power... A true footballer, the kind I love. I parked the car, and someone told me he was Liberian. Once the session was over, I went up to him and said I wished he were Cameroonian..."

In just eighteen matches with Tonnerre Yaoundé, Weah scored fourteen goals, and his career trajectory accelerated rapidly. "I was a Terminator," he states matter-of-factly. "I had signed a three-year contract in Yaoundé but left after only six months. Claude had called Arsène Wenger, who was coaching Monaco at the time. When I think back on it, it's incredible. He could have recommended any player from his team, but he chose me. Why? Maybe it was my destiny, or God's will. Claude saved me."

Before his big move, Weah even trained with the Cameroon national team but flatly refused to represent the Indomitable Lions. "I love my country; I could never have betrayed it," he argues. "Many of my Cameroonian friends wanted me to join them, but I couldn't. Besides, they didn't necessarily need me; they already had so many great players. In Liberia, our generation was just beginning to blossom, and people believed in me."

George Weah: A Brief Biography

Born: October 1, 1966, in Monrovia, Liberia.
Position: Striker.
International Career: 75 caps for Liberia, 18 goals.
Club Career: Bong Range United (1984-1985), Mighty Barrolle (1985-1986), Invincible Eleven (1986-1987), Africa Sports d'Abidjan (1987), Tonnerre Yaoundé (1987-1988), Monaco (1988-1992), Paris Saint-Germain (1992-1995), AC Milan (1995-2000), Chelsea (loan, 2000), Manchester City (2000), Marseille (2000-2001), Al-Jazira (2001-2003).
Major Honours: Liberian Premier League (1986, 1987), Cameroonian Premier League (1988), French Ligue 1 (1994), Italian Serie A (1996, 1999), Liberian Cup (1986), Coupe de France (1991, 1993, 1995), Coupe de la Ligue (1995), FA Cup (2000), Ballon d'Or (1995), African Footballer of the Year (1989, 1994).

In the summer of 1988, Weah departed for Europe, an experience so profound he still laughs about it today. "When you come from Africa, Monaco is so beautiful, so clean. For me, it didn't feel like real life. I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to get a side job to support my family. But I was incredibly motivated. Roger Milla and Salif Keita had succeeded in this league. Today, it's easier; African players are in every European competition. In our era, it was a different story."

"I Call Arsène Wenger 'Dad'"

His debut was nothing short of impressive. The newcomer scored five goals in his first five starts, including one on his Champions League debut. His rapid rise was aided by his new coach. "I was already a complete player, but Arsène Wenger put me in the right position," Weah explained. "When I arrived, he told me, 'George, on the wing, you want to dribble past everyone and run the ball into the net. From now on, you will be a centre-forward.' He is very intelligent; he saw that I could use my head and play with both feet. He taught me so much. To this day, I call him 'Dad'."

Weah finished his first season in Europe with 14 goals in Division 1 before facing a major setback. "At the end of November 1989, I became very sad because of the civil war in Liberia," he said. "I thought I wouldn't be able to perform on the pitch because I was so worried about what was happening back home. So, I decided to promote peace through my performances."

A Move to PSG, Almost by Default

After winning the Coupe de France with Monaco in 1991, Weah and the club fell short in the 1992 Cup Winners' Cup final. The Liberian was ready for a new challenge and would soon join Paris Saint-Germain, though it wasn't his first choice. "I was waiting for Italian clubs to come for me. There was talk of interest from Juventus. I was happy because I dreamed of that club; I admired Platini. But it was all just rumours. As soon as I was told PSG wanted to talk, I thought, 'Well, at least it's the same league, in a big city, why not?'"

In 1992, Paris also welcomed David Ginola, Bernard Lama, Alain Roche, and Vincent Guérin, heralding a new era in the capital. "I don't know if people remember, but we built everything from the ground up in Paris. With those great players, the standard exploded." In his very first season, Weah finished as the club's top scorer with 23 goals in all competitions, as PSG lifted the Coupe de France.

The following season proved more challenging for Weah personally, despite PSG clinching the league title.

"I don't want to get into coaching politics, but mistakes were made," Weah recalls. "We beat Real Madrid in the Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals (1-0, 1-1), and I scored a goal. Then we go to Arsenal for the semi-final second leg after a 1-1 draw at the Parc des Princes, and I'm not even in the squad. I asked the coach, Artur Jorge, if I could at least be in the dressing room, and he said no. He didn't even put me on the bench; I was in the stands. Why?" The issue was an excess of foreign players, and the Portuguese manager chose to field Brazilian star Rai, who had been struggling since his arrival.

Racism and a Headbutt That Cost a Ballon d'Or

"After that match (a 1-0 loss), I thought my time at PSG was over," Weah continues. "But Luis Fernandez, who was appointed in the summer of 1994, managed to keep me. He told me, 'Stay with me for one season, then you can go discover Italy.'" That 1994-95 season, which ended with another Coupe de France trophy, saw Weah explode onto the Champions League stage, a performance that would contribute to him winning the Ballon d'Or at the end of 1995 while playing for AC Milan. After scoring a legendary goal against Bayern Munich, the Liberian finished as the competition's top scorer with eight goals.

"It was time to leave. I had done everything in Paris, and they wanted to sell me. I was sad; I loved the city," he says. Yet, he hasn't forgotten a racist banner displayed during his final match in a PSG shirt against Le Havre. The sign read, "Weah, we don't need you," with Celtic crosses replacing the letter 'O' and S's stylized to resemble the Nazi SS insignia.

"When fans are unhappy, they sometimes do foolish things. That's why I didn't say anything," Weah reflects. "I spent thirteen years in Europe, and I know some people will never understand. You can't control an entire stadium or accuse everyone of racism. The worst is when an opponent acts that way."

This is a thinly veiled reference to the infamous incident during a Porto vs. Milan Champions League match on November 20, 1996. "I lost a second Ballon d'Or because of a fool who came to insult me in the dressing room," he laments. In the corridors of the Estádio das Antas, Weah headbutted defender Jorge Costa, breaking his nose and earning a six-match European suspension.

"Why would I have acted that way if nothing had happened before? In both the first and second legs, I didn't respond. But when I returned to the dressing room, he pushed me from behind. When you fall and see him acting aggressively, you react. It's sad because there wasn't even an investigation. I'm not a gangster. Everywhere I've gone, I've made friends."

From Milan Glory to a Surprising Stint at Marseille

During his time at Milan, those friends included Patrick Kluivert, Oliver Bierhoff, Roberto Baggio, and Leonardo, forming a formidable team. It was with them that he scored his iconic coast-to-coast goal against Hellas Verona in 1996. "And to think, many people said I wouldn't make it in Italy," Weah notes. "Even after winning the league twice, I would hear, 'He only scores ten goals a season.' I could have taken the penalties and become the club's top scorer, but that wasn't important to me. I worked for the team."

The arrival of Andriy Shevchenko in 1999 reduced his playing time, leading to his departure the following winter. "I went on loan to Chelsea because Gianluca Vialli told me, 'We're looking for strikers, come help us.'" With the Blues, he won the 2000 FA Cup, the last of his twelve major trophies.

After a brief two-month spell at Manchester City, Weah, then 34, made his most surprising move. "Marcel Dib, a great friend from my Monaco days who had become Marseille's sporting director, called me. He said, 'George, your career is winding down, and Marseille is in a tough spot. We need help.' I told him, 'Marcel, I'm coming for you.'" When asked about the fierce PSG-OM rivalry, Weah is dismissive. "I don't play for that. I scored five goals, including a brace against Monaco, provided an assist to beat PSG, and we avoided relegation."

Even more surprisingly, after ending his playing career in 2003, Weah held his testimonial match in 2005 in Marseille. "Everyone told me, 'No, you can't do that.' But I called OM. I have many friends in Marseille. I only spent seven months there, and they organized a huge testimonial for me. I was at Paris for three years, and they didn't want to. Do you think I'm angry? No."

As his illustrious football career was winding down, George Weah dedicated himself to a new goal: qualifying Liberia for the 2002 World Cup. He went as far as personally financing the national team's expenses. "The country was at war, and there was no government," Weah recalled. "But we had an idea: if the national team plays, we can find peace. The violence would stop whenever we played."

Despite a strong campaign, Liberia fell just one point short of realizing their World Cup dream. "It's a regret, we were so close, but that's life," he reflected. "I have always been at the service of my country."

A Patriot's Path to Politics

This profound patriotism did not fade after his retirement from sports. "I heard the call of the citizens. They asked me if I could create a political party. I did, and it grew very quickly," Weah explained. He ran for president in 2005, finishing second to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of the Unity Party. He faced another defeat in 2011, this time as a running mate to Winston Tubman.

However, on December 26, 2017—exactly twenty-two years after he won the Ballon d'Or—his political aspirations were finally realized. "We won!" he exclaimed. In August 2018, one of his first acts as president was to bestow Liberia's highest honor upon Claude Le Roy and Arsène Wenger, two managers who were instrumental in his development. "I owe them a great deal, even for this accomplishment beyond football," Weah stated. "Without them, perhaps no one would be talking about George Weah today."

While awaiting a potential re-election bid in 2029, the statesman keeps one eye on politics and the other on the career of his son, Timothy, a Juventus player who came through the PSG academy and also played for Lille. As for staying in shape, the Ballon d'Or winner has a simple formula: "Keep playing football."