Former footballer turned politician, George Manneh Weah, has won the Liberia Presidential election. The 1995 FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or winner, 51, succeeds President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
The former Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Chelsea and Manchester City player was three times winner of the African Footballer of the Year, defeated his opponent Joseph Boakai, the vice president in a run-off election, winning 12 of the 15 counties in the West African country.
Weah topped the first round of voting in October but didn’t secure the 50% needed to win outright. The runoff was delayed twice after allegations of voting fraud and irregularities but Weah’s popularity won out in the end.
He will take over from Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who beat Weah in an election back in 2005. Weah’s lack of education was seen as the main reason for his loss.
Weah – the first and still the only African to win the Ballon D’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year.
It is with deep emotion that I want to thank you, the Liberian people, for honoring me with your vote today. It is a great hope. #Liberia #Liberia2017
— George Weah (@GeorgeWeahOff) December 26, 2017
