…As Weah Returns Today
By: Varney Dukuly
MONROVIA: Liberian leader and former global soccer legend, George Manneh Weah, will return to the country today, March 28, 2023, from a long travel visit to the United States of America and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), just the same day Liberia’s National Football Team (male) (Lone Star) is set to play Bafana-Bafana of South Africa as part of the AFCON qualifiers tournament which is expected to take place in neighboring Ivory Coast in 2024.
The Lone Star drew with South Africa 2-2 last Friday, thus plunging Liberia and its supporters at home and broad into jubilant mood.
Many Liberian soccer enthusiasts are also expected to spring from major cities across the country to cheer the Lone Star to victory this Tuesday.
On Sunday, March 26, 2023 President Weah, a former Technical Director of the Liberia National Team confirmed that he will be at the SKD Sports Complex in Paynesville, outside Monrovia to support the youthful national team against South Africa.
“We are with the team in spirit and will be watching the match,” the President said.
“There is a reward for a draw or a win,” he declared, thus injecting high sense of inspiration into the players and delight into soccer-loving Liberians.
The former 1995 World Best Footballer, now President of Liberia is expected to give the national team US$50,000 as a game bonus for Friday’s March 24, 2023, 2-2 tie at the Olando Stadium in South Africa.
President Weah has promised to give US$100,000 bonus if the team gives Liberians victory this Tuesday, according to Presidential Aide, Sekou Kalasco.
Seated in Group-K, the Lone Star, led by its Coach, Ansumana Keita, earned a point away to South Africa, moving the red white and blue boys to second place on the table of Group-K.
Though the Lone Star did not win, the nation is said to be in a better position as they face South Africa in the second leg on home soil Tuesday, March 28, at the Samuel Kanyan Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville.
Liberia and South Africa 2023 African Cup of Nations qualifiers at the SKD stadium marks the first international match after three years since a ban was imposed by the Confederation of African Football amid Liberia’s failure to implement international football rules as it relates to the use, then, of the SKD Sports Complex.
Weah’s Athletic career
Weah learned his football on the dusty streets of Monrovia and its surroundings before playing for Young Survivors, Invincible Eleven (IE), Mighty Barrolle, and Bong Range United, in Bong Mines, Fuamah District, Bong County. After leading IE for the 1987 First Division Championship as ‘Most Valuable Player (MVP), Weah signed a three-year semi-professional contract with top Cameroonian club Tonnerre of Yaoundé, which won its league in his first season (1988) with the team.
Shortly thereafter, the promising 22-year-old striker was signed by AS Monaco of the French Ligue-1 division. In his five seasons with Monaco, he scored 57 goals, and the team won the French Cup in 1991.
His exceptional dribbling and shooting skills made him a crowd favorite, and his uncompromising work ethics and technical ability landed Weah a lucrative contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). In his most acclaimed season, he led PSG to the French Cup, to the league title, and to the semifinals of the 1995 European Champions League.
Subsequently, he transferred to AC Milan (1995–2000) in Italy’s Serie A, helping the club win the 1996 and 1999 league titles. In January 2000, AC Milan loaned him to Chelsea of London, where he made an important contribution to that team’s Football Association Cup triumph.
At the end of his career, he played briefly with Manchester City and Marseille in France. Weah scored more goals and played in more matches than any other African professional in Europe.
Though Weah established a new home for his family in New York City, he maintained close ties to Liberia, where he is known as “King George” and enjoys considerable popularity.
Liberia, wracked by poverty and civil war in the 1990s, was able to sustain the Lone Star the national team only with the assistance of Weah, who played for, coached, and to a large extent financed the team. In 2002, after the Lone Star nearly qualified for the World Cup and then performed poorly at the African Cup of Nations, Weah retired from football, says, https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Weah
