-Sports Min. declares September 11 #14 Day after Weah played 60 games for Liberia
By our Reporter
Liberia’s iconic international footballer-turned politician, President George Manneh Weah will be in action at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in the Monrovia suburb of Paynesville today (Tuesday) wearing his famous number 14 jersey, as Liberia locks horns with Nigeria’s Super Eagles in a friendly.
This international friendly is slated to kick off at 7pm GMT.
Youth and Sports Minister Zeogar Wilson told the state radio live phone-in talk show on Tuesday morning that ahead of his appearance on Sunday, Weah’s famous number 14 jersy he wore for the Lone Star many years ago will be formally retired today (Tuesday) September 11, 2018.
Playing alongside the President, who won FIFA’s European, African and World Best Player of the Year in 1995, will be former celebrated player James Salinsa Debbah at the request of Weah.
Debbah and Weah have over the years been on different sides of the political divide, with Debbah giving his support to Liberty Party’s Presidential candidate Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine in past election instead of Weah’s CDC party. He succeeded former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Weah was inaugurated as Liberia’s President on January 22, 2018 after defeating the former ruling United Party (UP) presidential candidate and former Vice President Joseph Boakai by a wide margin in the December 2017 runoff election.
Earlier he served as Senator for Montserrado County for some three years, after winning a massive victory at the polls against the son of his predecessor, Robert Sirleaf and others who contested that election.
A Youth and Sports Ministry press release issued on Monday said Minister Wilson has declared Tuesday, September 11, 2018 #14 Day in honor of the retirement of the number 14 jersey worn by President George Weah while playing active football.
The National Team is poised to officially stop using, in its lineup, his famous number 14 jersey which he used to captain the Liberian National Football Team, the Lone Star before going international where he won the Africa, Europe, and World Best tiles in football.
Minister Wilson says a special friendly football match has been arranged to take place between Liberia and Nigeria tomorrow to celebrate the retirement.
The minister has meanwhile called on all Government ministries and agencies to release their employees earlier than the usual 8:00 Am to 4:00 PM official working time, in order to attend the retirement game which takes place at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex free of charge at 4pm.
During his soccer career, President Weah played 60 games for the national soccer squad and scored 22 goals.
He also helped to qualify the country to its only two African Nations Cup finals (South Africa 1996 and Mali 2002).
In his club career in his native land and in Africa, he scored seven goals in 10 matches for Mighty Barrolle, 24 goals in 23 games for Invincible Eleven (IE), one goal in two matches for Africa Sports and 14 goals in 18 matches for Tonnerre Yaounde.
While playing at the highest level in Europe, the soccer icon scored an exceptional 43 goals in 103 games for Monaco, 32 goals in 96 outings for Paris Saint-Germain, 46 goals in 114 appearances for AC Milan where he won his second Africa, Europe and World Best Awards in 1995, thus becoming the first and to date, the only African player to win these awards in one year.
He also scored three goals in 11 matches and one goal in seven matches during his short loan spells at Chelsea and Manchester City respectively.
President Weah briefly moved back to France on a half season deal to Marseille and scored five times in 19 games before finally bringing his career to an end with Al Jazira in the United Arab Emirates. At Al Jazira, he fired through the nets 13 times in just eight appearances.