George Weah
A footballer who rose from Monrovia's streets to win the world's top player award, then traded his cleats for a presidency.
Born 1966 (age 60)·Liberian politician and footballer·Birthday: October 1·Generation X
Biography
George Weah's narrative is one of almost mythic ascent. He emerged from the Clara Town slum of Monrovia to become the most electrifying African footballer of his generation, a striker whose blend of power, pace, and grace made him a global star with Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, and AC Milan. In 1995, he achieved what no African had before, sweeping the FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or awards. His retirement from football did not signal an end to his influence but a dramatic pivot. Returning to a Liberia scarred by civil war, he entered politics, facing initial defeat but persistent determination. In 2018, he completed his extraordinary journey, elected President of Liberia. His tenure, focused on education and infrastructure, faced significant economic challenges, but his story remains a powerful symbol of transformation from sporting icon to national leader.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
George was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When George Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
George's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first and only African player to win the FIFA World Player of the Year and the Ballon d'Or in 1995.
- Served as the 25th President of Liberia from 2018 to 2024 after a historic electoral victory.
- Won league titles in France with Paris Saint-Germain and in Italy with AC Milan during his club career.
- Named African Footballer of the Year twice, in 1989 and 1995.
Did You Know?
He played for the French national team's youth sides early in his career before representing Liberia.
He funded and often played for the Liberian national team during their attempts to qualify for the World Cup.
He holds a degree in Sports Management from DeVry University in the United States.
In 1996, he was named a UNESCO Champion for Sport.
“The power of the people is greater than the people in power.”
