BEA George

Born October 1, 1966 in Monrovia.
Country Liberia
. Position Striker
. Clubs: "Young Syurvayves" (1982-1983), . "Bong-Ran" (1984-1985), . "Mighty Barolle" (1985), . Invincible Ileven "(all of Monrovia, . Liberia) (1986-1987), . "Kalari club Tonnerre Yaounde (Cameroon) (1987/88, . 16 matches, . 11 goals), . "Monaco" (1988/89-1991/92, . 103 matches, . 47 goals), . Paris Saint Germain, Paris (both France) (1992/93-1994/95, . 96 matches, . 32 goals), . AC Milan (Italy) (1995/96-1999/2000, . 104 matches, . 42 goals), . Chelsea London (1999/2000, . 11 matches, . 3 goals), . Manchester City (both England) (until November 2000), . Marseille (France) (2001).,
. Held 24 matches and scored 12 goals in the French Cup.
. Spent 13 games and scored 4 goals in the Coppa Italia.
. In European competitions held 61 match and scored 33 goals.
. Results in the Cup and the Champions League has 20 matches and scored 13 goals
.
. Titles: Champion of Italy 1996, . 1999, . Champion Cameroon 1988, . Champion of Liberia 1987, . Champion of France 1994, . Cup France 1991, . 1993, . 1995, . Cup Winners' Cup Finalist 1992, . Top scorer of the Champions League 1994/95 (7 goals), . Winner of the Golden Ball for the best football player in Europe 1995, . Best futbolistmira FIFA 1995, . The second football World 1996, . African Footballer of the Year 1989, . 1995, . Second African Footballer 1991, . 1992, . 1994, . 1996, . The best African footballer of the twentieth century version of IFFHS,
.
Team 1986-2000: Held 75 matches

From poverty - for glory

George Weah won the world report cards of the twentieth century in the third ten. If we take only the existing players, the higher his rank is only Lothar Matthaus. In Africa, George Tavlon Manne (such is his full name) is recognized as number one soccer player of all time, ahead by a small margin of Roger Milla and Abedi Pele.

His family was not just having many children, and sverhmnogodetnoy. She has 15 brothers and sisters. Of course, poverty was extreme, and on any education it was not a. Sometimes, street teams, who played for George, played for money. Therefore Micrologus techniques and training strikes on goal became to him in a way to ensure the survival of the family. Severe childhood left its mark on his behavior in the future - he looked like a knight errant or mercenary.

Survival - it was the main word of his childhood. Symbolically, that even the first organized team, in which he came 15-year-olds, called "Young Syurvayvers" (young survivors) and served in the third division championship Liberia. Thanks to the skills of George, a polished street battles in football, "survivors" have risen in the second division. Caught fire to hurriedly get in first, but this has not been attained.

Then, George, moved by a desire to play for a stronger club, left in 1984, Bong-Ran ", a provincial team from a miner's major league. But even there he did not stay more than a year. In 1985, he returned to Monrovia and was at a crossroads: which of the two strongest clubs in the city to go - "Mighty Barolle" or "Invincible Ileven". These clubs represent the two ethnic groups of the Liberian people - "Aboriginal" and "kongos". Weah spent just two matches for the "natives" from "Mighty Barolle, and then gone over to the camp" kongos "from" Invincible Ileven "who were able to pay him more. As part of "Eleven invincible", he became in 1986 the best sniper of the league, and a year later - the champion of Liberia.

He was nicknamed "Oppongom", which means the local dialect is something incomprehensible to us, but obviously respectful. On hearing this word is perceived as a kind of "opposition King Kong."

IDEOLOGICAL campaigner Bank notes

In early 1988, with Weah there was confusion. In Monrovia, a friendly tournament. One of the participating clubs, Cameroon "Tonnerre", offered him a contract. However, just appeared in the Cameroonian capital, Yaounde, Weah suddenly flew to Abidjan, capital of CцЄte d'Ivoire. It turned out that the president of the local "Africa Sports" seduced him twice the salary.

In this regard, rocked by a scandal, resulting in "Tonnerre" forced George did work out a contract. C "Tonnerre" he also instantly became a national champion.

. In fact, Weah, who too was in a hurry to climb quickly up the career ladder, we had just a little patience, because his skill is so conspicuous that an advantageous offer will still be not long in coming
. It is already the summer of 1988 was followed by Monaco, who betrothed young center forward then coach of Cameroon, the Frenchman Claude Leroy. With Monegasques Weah signed a three-year contract. Weah made his debut in the French championship match against AJ Auxerre in August 1988, th. His talent is still in need of polishing: at first he was too reluctant to part with the ball, and the concept of "defensive duties" was for him something completely alien.

In his first European season, Weah reached with the Monaco Cup France. But the game superforvarda Marseille Jean-Pierre Papin is not possible to get a trophy Monegasques. Marseille "won - 4:3. Two years later, on June 8, 1991, at the "Parc des Princes hosted a rematch. In the second final between these teams got the upper hand "Monaco" (1:0), in whose ranks then side by side with Weah acted Yousuf Fofana, Youri Djorkaeff, Frank Sose and Emmanuel Petit.

. Soon Weah settled on "Parc des Princes" thorough, going in the summer of 1992 at Paris St Germain
. There he was for three years, won three prestigious national title - Cups in 1993 and 1995, the championship in 1994. With magnificent attacking duo Ginola - Weah Parisians made several exploits and Europe, playing with a spectacular style of "Real" and "Bavaria".

. In 1995, George had to part with France, not only for financial reasons
. In this country, he remained a stranger: he lived all the time in the hotel, spoke only in English, and his whole appearance showed that the French just do not understand and do not want to understand. This did not prevent him, however, to take French citizenship. During his stay in France, he married Clara and got two children, one of whom - George Jr. - is playing football in the nursery school.

The year 1995 was the peak of career, Weah. Europe went on his mind, . and impression, . that it specifically for "France Football" adopted an amendment in the rules determining the owner of the Golden Ball: henceforth allowed to participate in the competition and representatives of other continents, . if they play in Europe,
. Weah first and took advantage of this amendment. But at the same time became the first player in history who have chosen the Player of the Year at the same time on two continents - Europe and Africa.

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"Lone Star"

How would successfully or develop his career, Weah never forgot where he came from
. In Milan, on the wall of his house, he knocked the inscription "Coach Panpee" in honor of the first of its trainer. Arriving in Monrovia and showing Panpi photograph, he moved to tears of his former mentor.

In memory of my childhood barefoot Weah gathered in his house 400 pairs of boots. In Monrovia, it opened a football club, which is called "Junior PROFESSIONAL", and the school, devoted to her father, William.

Weah belongs to the category of players who, because of the weakness of his country's national team destined to shine only at club level. Nickname "Lone Star" given the Liberian national team long before Weah, in relation to him was prophetic-mocking.

. Due to the fact that in the 90 years in Liberia with a new force civil war broke out (which claimed the life of one of the brothers Weah and his many friends), team dragged quite a miserable existence
. We must pay tribute to George: as a real "Oppong", he has made Herculean efforts to raise the "Lonely Star". He is on the money fed, clothed and drove team to play. Thanks to him, she for once ever gets into the final tournament of the Cup of African-96. There, however, nothing special did not show. It is understandable: how long can you pull the strap alone!

But Weah admired the efforts of everyone, and especially the officials of FIFA, who presented his trophy to the "Fair play" for 1996. It should have been presented at a ceremony in January 1997, the first, but in November of 1996, with Weah happen to a new embarrassment. After the Champions League match between FC Porto and AC Milan, he, being in the tunnel, together with Jorge Costa, butted him in the face with such force that he broke eyebrow. From the action seemed to be quite outrageous, and Liberians have injected shestimatchevuyu disqualification.

. What then, one asks, "Fair play? But no, reconsider a decision regarding Weah FIFA officials did not, reasoning, apparently, that George - the guy in principle, not evil, honest and nice and just beat on the face will not be
. According to Weah, Jorge Costa, brought him out of a racist speech.

Interestingly, the serving of suspension was spread right on to three years. The fact is that after the incident with a broken brow AC Milan had only one Ligo-league match in sezone-96/97, with shame vybyv after the first phase. The next two evrosezona he missed, since it is too low a place in Serie A. Red and black back in the Champions League last season and then dropped after the first group of the tournament. Weah was forced to miss the first five, was released only in the last, sixth, scored a goal, but his club is no longer saved.

When complete failure on the European scene "Milan" is not without the help of Weah twice managed to win the series A - in 1996 and 1999. Thus, George has collected five titles in the national champion in four different countries, reiterating the world record Argentinian Moreno. It still has a chance to beat him, because now he continues his career in England. Small chance, because is hard to believe that Weah will achieve triumph with Manchester City or will go to the club, actually claims to be "gold".

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Indifferent to the fate SHEVCHENKO

In Milan, not all at once it went smoothly
. Watching his habit of moving slowly across the field, . Fabio Capello was puzzled: "Who do we have? Chamberlain?" In the match for the Berlusconi Trophy Weah did not score the decisive penalty kick, . and the same evening at supper he had to listen to about the same splitting replica from the Silvio Berlusconi: "Who do we have, . I'd like to know! ",

. But quickly formed
. Weah in the first Serie A match against Padova opened by his Gholam, and 3 December 1995 gave a goal-a masterpiece in the match against Lazio. 4 minutes before the end when the score was 0:0, he picked up the ball in the center of the field. Before him there was none of the partners - only three defenders Lazio goalkeeper and Mancini. What? Wait, when ripe assistance? No, George went ahead himself, left behind Marcolino, forwarding the ball between Bergodi and bear, caught the ball and beat emerged from the gate keeper. The ball quivered in the grid.

But even more extraordinary goal he scored 8 September 1996 "Verona". It turned out roughly the same thing, only he picked up the ball in his penalty, and looked around on the road to the opposite gate polkomandy rivals.

Red-black tifozeriya loved Weah. Worried for him when he was 26 February 1996 was on the verge of death, had a car accident on a wet from rain the track. He was extremely lucky that he escaped with minor bruises.

Weah has always enjoyed in Milan and among the partners is very high authority. Particularly strong friendship bound him with Marco Simone. While he waited, when he will own their homes, Weah moved into the house of Simon. The first night he asked Mark to throw litter on the floor and so on the floor and fell asleep. On the second night Simon persuaded him to lie on the couch, and on the third he himself lay down on the couch, and Weah gave his use of his bed.

Simone and Weah were the first to wear a boot a non-traditional colors: the first - the white, the second - red. Both were united by a passion for basketball. Weah became infected by it in the U.S. - with the country it has a lot to connect after a part of his family moved there, and he opened in New York City fast-food chain, and was elected Ambassador UNICEF. It was fun to watch as little Simon from the 23-th number (in honor of Michael Jordan) and the mighty Weah converge one by one on the basketball court.

. In the Scudetto in 1999, despite the fact that he has become at odds with the coach, he made a decisive contribution, scoring two goals on May 8 in the field of Juventus and bringing it to your club win
. Before the match the vice-president Galliani said: "If you win in Turin, the title will be ours". It was.

Since the club in 1998 began teaching Alberto Dzakkeroni, in his hitherto impeccable relationship with Milan is something beginning to break. "Zach" has ceased to put him in the composition, without explaining the reasons. Puzzled Weah requested the leadership of the club: one, they say, I become unnecessary, let me go to AS Roma, who asked me. But he was not released. Released only in January this year, but Chelsea, who took him to rent for six months, pledging to pay him half of the annual salary payable to the Liberians in the 5 million pounds.

. Weah had hoped that the Londoners offered him to stay in her room and beyond, but such proposals were not followed
. On the other hand, and at Milan he has not shone get to the core of. In the end, AC Milan showed the same compassion for the veteran and agreed to cancel his contract, which operated until the summer of 2001.

. "He told us that he wants to play constantly, but such a guarantee, we were unable to give him, - said vice-president of Milan's Adriano Galliani
. - It is a sad day for all of us: we are parting with a man who became part of the glorious history of the club. We should not forget that Weah has played a decisive role in winning us two Scudetto. "

Weah said goodbye to Milan, not without bitterness, and said goodbye, separately spoke with Andriy Shevchenko. Felt the need to give him instructions to a more experienced person - as in his time, his 22-year-old newcomer from the third world, admonished to "Monaco" Glenn Hoddle. Weah advised "Sheba" to try at least once to win the Golden Ball ".

This season he started in the Manchester City. I started with another embarrassment: in rolled inflicted injury to veteran "MJ" Denis Irwin in the match, which was arranged for the sake of celebration of 10 years service to United's player of the. Irwin was forced to leave the field and coach "MC" commented on the episode with humor: "Do not rolled up part of the contract, George."