Unofficial results put ex FIFA Best Player ahead in Liberia presidential run-off
A retired professional footballer who played as a striker, George Tawlon Manneh Oppong Ousman Weah has won the majority vote in 12 of the 15 counties in Liberia polls, unofficial reports claim.
After defeating 73-year-old current Vice-President Joseph Boakai in Tuesday polls, he is waiting to take the reins from Liberia's first female head of state, 79-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, when he assumes the presidency after official declaration of results.
Born on October 1, 1966, George Oppon Weah was regarded as one of the greatest African players of all-time and as one of the best forwards of his generation.
In 1995 he was named FIFA World Player of the Year and won the Ballon d'Or, becoming the first African player to win these awards.
Also in 1989, 1994 and 1995, he was named the African Footballer of the Year, and in 1996, he was named African Player of the Century.
Known for his acceleration, speed, and dribbling ability, in addition to his goal scoring and finishing, Weah was described by FIFA as "the precursor of the multi-functional strikers of today".
In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players
After starting his career in his home country of Liberia, Weah spent 14 years of his professional football career playing for clubs in France, Italy and England.
Arsène Wenger brought him to Europe when he signed for Monaco in 1988.
Weah moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 1992 where he won League in 1994 and became the top scorer of the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League.
He signed for Milan in 1995 where he spent four successful seasons, and won the Italian Serie A twice.
His most notable goal in Italy saw him run the length of the field against Verona.
He moved to the English Premier League towards the end of his career and had spells at Chelsea and Manchester City, before returning to France to play for Marseille in 2001, and subsequently ending his career with Al-Jazira in 2003.
At international level, he represented Liberia at the African Cup of Nations on two occasions.
An idol in Africa, Weah has been heavily involved in politics in his homeland Liberia.
He ran unsuccessfully for president in the 2005 election, losing to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the second round of voting.
In the 2011 election, he ran for vice president on Winston Tubman's ticket.
Running as a Congress for Democratic Change candidate, Weah was elected to the Senate in 2014.
Weah is currently waiting to take the reins from Liberia's first female head of state, 79-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, when he assumes the presidency after official declaration of results.
George Weah, the current senator of Montserrado County said on Twitter that he was deeply emotional after the results following the announcement.
"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," he tweeted.
The ex-footballer is currently trending among the football fraternity social media.
Below are some of the tweets:
Portions of this article culled from Wikipedia put together by Ruth Abla Adjorlolo.
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