Most people on this planet would be very happy if they had a successful career in even one field, even if it was playing poker with Pokerstars promo code. But for George Weah, that wasn’t enough. He first became a sensation as a soccer player, and then in 2017 when he became the president of Liberia. Read on to find out the reason he wanted to become the president and how he managed to achieve it.
Who is George Weah?
George Weah was born in 1966 in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. He grew up in a very poor part of the city as a member of a large family that was barely getting by. Things started to look up for him when his talent for playing soccer was discovered. His first soccer club was the Young Survivors youth club, but as he was obviously gifted, he began to move up the ladder quickly and go onto better teams. His start in life was not an easy one, but as it turns out, his poor upbringings were one of the biggest reasons people chose him in the 2017 election.
Soccer career
Weah dropped out of high school in order to pursue soccer professionally. In his interviews, he often remembers how he would rather train than go to sleep. This passion is probably why Arsène Wenger, the former manager of Arsenal FC, spotted him and pushed him forward. He became extremely popular in Europe and went off to play in AC Milan, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, and Chelsea FC. He was even FIFA’s World Player of the Year.
The beginning of his political career
He finally retired in 2002, after a successful and fulfilling career. However, for George Weah, work was only just beginning. He decided to go into politics, as he says, because of Nelson Mandela. Apparently, Nelson Mandela encouraged him to run for president, saying that the country needed him and that it was his duty to the nation. In order to improve himself as much as possible, he went back to high school to finish the last grade, and then he moved onto college where he studied business and public administration.
Presidency
His first two elections weren’t fruitful, but in 2017, stars aligned and the people of Algeria chose Weah to be their president. He won 61.5% of the vote and was officially sworn in at the beginning of 2018. Not only did a soccer player managed to become a president, but this transfer of power was the first peaceful one Liberia had seen in years. Many people took this as a sign of a peaceful period full of positive change and progress. Even his critics don’t have a choice but to admit how inspiring and uplifting the story of this extraordinary man is.