Published: September 24, 2025
MONROVIA — Former Liberian President and soccer legend George Manneh Weah has drawn criticism after declaring he is not a football fan, despite his status as Africa’s only Ballon d’Or winner and one of the sport’s most celebrated figures.
Speaking Monday at Roberts International Airport after returning from Europe, Weah said his trip was focused on helping his son, Timothy Weah, secure a contract with Olympique Marseille following a loan move from Juventus.
“While it is true I played football, I am not a fan of the sport,” Weah told reporters. Asked about his son’s first Champions League goal for Marseille against Real Madrid, he replied: “I am not a football fan, but I played the game. Anyone will be happy if they score a goal. I am a proud parent and feel proud that he scored, but again, they lost.”
The remarks appear at odds with Weah’s previous public statements. At the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, the 1995 Ballon d’Or winner declared himself a long-time Tottenham Hotspur supporter, praising Harry Kane and recalling former Spurs forward Garth Crooks as one of his childhood idols. In 2017, he also professed admiration for Juventus, saying he regretted never playing for the Turin-based club.
Weah spent five seasons with AC Milan from 1995 to 2000, winning two Serie A titles and cementing his reputation as one of Europe’s elite strikers. His legacy as Africa’s only Ballon d’Or winner has long made him a source of national pride.
Many Liberian football fans reacted with confusion and disappointment. “How possible can it be, playing the game at the highest level and you are not a fan?” one supporter asked.
Others criticized Weah’s explanation for his trip abroad. “This confirms our long-time argument that George Weah has the necessary contacts to help young Liberian players secure contracts with European clubs, but he won’t do it,” said J. Thomas Dennis Sr., a local football follower.
Tim Weah, on loan at Marseille with an obligation to buy, scored in the 22nd minute of the Champions League opener against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, briefly giving the French side the lead before they fell 2-1. The U.S. international previously played for Paris Saint-Germain and Lille in France’s Ligue 1.
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