George Weah

The only African Ballon d'Or winner to lift Serie A glory at San Siro.

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George Weah arrived at AC Milan in 1995, bringing with him the momentum of a historic season where he secured both the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. He joined the Italian giants from Paris Saint-Germain to play alongside Roberto Baggio and Dejan Savićević under manager Fabio Capello. During his four successful seasons in Milan, Weah became the club's top goalscorer in his debut year and helped secure two Serie A titles, specifically winning the league in 1996 and again in 1999. His presence on the pitch was defined by exceptional acceleration, speed, and dribbling ability, earning him recognition from FIFA as a precursor to modern multi-functional strikers.

Quick Facts

Office: President of Liberia
Vice president: Jewel Taylor
Took office: 22 January 2018
Left office: 22 January 2024
Predecessor: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Successor: Joseph Boakai
Birth name: George Manneh Oppong Weah
Born: 1 October 1966

Lore & Background

Weah's time in Italy began with immediate success. Under Fabio Capello, he led Milan to the Serie A title in 1996, finishing as the team's top scorer while partnering with legends like Roberto Baggio and Dejan Savićević. His individual brilliance peaked in 1995 when he won the Ballon d'Or, Onze d'Or, and FIFA World Player of the Year, becoming the first African player to achieve this feat. He added a second Serie A title in 1999, though European success was limited during this specific era compared to his time at PSG; Milan's best result was a quarter-final finish in the 1995–96 UEFA Cup. Off the pitch, Weah faced controversy on 20 November 1996 after breaking the nose of Porto defender Jorge Costa in the tunnel following racist tauntings, an incident that led to a six-match European ban and subsequent legal battles.

Reader's Guide

Fans should look for Weah's impact during two specific championship seasons: 1996 and 1999. In 1995–96, he was the top scorer in Serie A under Fabio Capello, securing the league title. Although Milan reached the 1998 Coppa Italia final and were runners-up in the Supercoppa Italiana in 1996 and 1999, his primary legacy is the two Scudetti won during a period when European dominance was less frequent for the club. His playing style relied on blistering pace and dribbling rather than just finishing, allowing him to create chances from deep positions. Despite reaching the quarter-finals of the 1995–96 UEFA Cup, he never won the Champions League with Milan, leading FourFourTwo to later name him one of the best players never to win that specific trophy.

Did You Know?

Weah dedicated his 1995 FIFA World Player of the Year award to former manager Arsène Wenger.
He received a six-match European ban in November 1996 for breaking Jorge Costa's nose after alleging racist taunts.