The man who became president
The world is a big place, and an even bigger place when you come from a land of no hope. Which is what Liberia felt like for most of it’s citizen in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, even worse for uneducated men and women. As an African I associated Liberia with slavery and freedom and it’s resemblance of the American flag. Out of all the things I associated Liberia with, one that stood out for me was it’s powerhouse of a footballer, George Weah. I call him King George, also just to diminish the thought of the English king George V, who plagued us with colonialism under the British flag. My King George is a striker of note, a light for Liberia and Africa.
George Weah has been one of Africa’s finest footballers, and a great export for the game as he played a major role by influencing an influx of African strikers in Europe. The only African thus far..yes thus far to win the Ballon d’Or, and FIFA Best Player of the Year. I do believe with George winning the Ballond’Or in 1996, it opened up opportunities for other African striker like Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto and Benni McCarthy. As African football has been blessed with strikers even though the heart of our football is in the midfield, or the special number 10 position, it’s greatest blessing has been the King. The King was born at a difficult time in Liberia, a great reference to “The Rose That Grew from Concrete”. With no proper football league and structure in Liberia, it’s hard to imagine that George would become an international striker in Europe at PSG and A.C Milan, and the World’s best in 95-96, at a time when we were introduced to the great Ronaldo of Brazil. As a striker he was lethal as fuck, and we can go on all day about his finishing in-front of goal, something Bafana Bafana needs today.
As a player and a man that was endorsed by Arsene Wenger, who he saw him as more than a footballer. With all the trials and tribulations George went through it’s incredible how he chose his path. He could have easily settled for the best life of a footballer, with money, cars, cribs and the hoes ( hoes as an umbrella term for vile females not women, as women as pillar of life in Africa ), and forgotten about Liberia’s problems. Yet he chose to be more than a striker, more than a footballer, more than a countries captain, he chose to to stand strong and do best for his land.
As an African player roles are different to European players, so we have a great player, who is alive and in good health. It’s a great honour fro young African players to see what we can achieve on and off the field. Also shout to his son Timothy Weah at PSG, we see you young king.
Great reading reference: The George Weah Story