After God, it’s Wenger for me ―Weah

 

African football legend, George Weah has recalled how Arsene Wenger helped him combat racism after he moved to France, and acknowledged how the current Arsenal coach was a “father figure” for him at Monaco.

The 51-year-old, who enters the final runoff ballot of the Liberian presidential elections on Tuesday, joined Monaco from Cameroonian heavyweights Tonnerre Yaounde in 1988 after being recruited by Wenger, and has credited his former mentor as supporting him through an initial teething period.

“Besides God, I think that without Arsène, there was no way I would have made it in Europe.

“When I started playing football, I never thought I would ever win the Ballon d’Or and emerge as the best player in the world. I just had a passion for the game and I worked hard. Every day. I would rather train than eat or sleep.

“When I moved to Monte Carlo [to play for Monaco from the Cameroonian club Tonnerre Yaoundé in 1988] I didn’t play for the first six months. But I was determined to showcase my talent, to prove to those back home, who thought that my coming to Europe was a waste of time, that I was a good player.

“He [Wenger] was a father figure and regarded me as his son. This was a man, when racism was at its peak, who showed me love. He wanted me to be on the pitch for him every day.

“One day, I was quite tired of training and told him that I was having a headache. He said to me: ‘George, I know it’s tough but you need to work hard. I believe that with your talent, you can become one of the best players in the world.’ So, I listened and kept going on,” Weah told The Guardian.

The former Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan forward became – to date – the only African player to have won the Ballon d’Or.