George Tawlon Oppong Ousman Weah

Leader of the Congress for Democratic Change

Date of Birth: 01/10/1956
Place of Birth: Monrovia

Career: Young Survivors Clareton, 1981-84; Bongrange Company, 1984-85; Mighty Barolle, 1985-86; Invincible Eleven, 1986-87; Africa Sports, 1987; Tonnerre Yaounde, 1987-88; AS Monaco, 1988-92; Paris Saint-Germain, 1992-95; A.C. Milan, 1995-00; Chelsea, 2000; Manchester City, 2000; Olympique Marseille; Al-Jazira, 2001-03; Liberia National Team, 60 appearances, 1988-02; Fifa World Player of the Year, 1995; Presidential candidate, Congress for Democratic Change, 2005

Commentary: A retired football star and failed presidential bidder, George Weah was defeated by President Johnson-Sirleaf by a 20% margin of more than 150,000 votes in the 2005 Presidential elections. However, he remains an important personage in Liberian politics. He recently retained a Senate seat in a by-election in Montserrado County and his Congress for Democratic Change currently holds 18 seats. He is popular among poor Liberians whose lives have improved little under Johnson-Sirleaf and who are angered by the unfolding reports of corruption scandals in the government.

He is also a candidate in the 2011 elections, to be held in October 2011. Incumbent President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is tipped to win yet a strong push by opposition candidates may mean that she will have to fight a second round against the popular former football star.