George Weah in focus

An indication of the status Weah holds

BBC Sport Online provides a look at the career of George Weah, who has been linked with a move to Liverpool, and why he holds legendary status in Africa.

George Weah is a hero across the African continent and particularly in his own country, Liberia, where he is cheered and mobbed by crowds wherever he goes.

He became the first African to become a truly global football star, and at the peak of his powers as a striker in 1995 was named World, African and European footballer of the year.

Born in 1966, his career now sees him working as technical director of the Liberian national team.

Off the field, he has friends in high places and is known to be on good terms with the Liberian President Charles Taylor.

He has subsidised the costs of the Liberian national side, and was appointed their technical director by presidential decree.

  Much awarded player

African Player of the Year (1989,94,95)

World Player of the Year (1995)

European Player of the Year (1995)

Fifa Fair Play Award (1996)

African Footballer of the Century (1999)

Indeed, the squad stays in his hotel in Monrovia before national games.

His football in Europe has made him a millionaire. The trappings of his wealth include a Porsche kept back home in Liberia with the number plate "4 ME ONLY".

Weah is praised wherever he has gone as a perfect role model - polite and disciplined.

After establishing himself as a star in Liberia, he moved to Cameroon where current Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger signed him for French club AS Monaco.

He then played for Paris St Germain before moving to top Italian side AC Milan.

He terrorised defences in the Italian leagues and in European competitions for several years before moving on to the English Premier League last year with Chelsea.

He then moved to Manchester City and had a brief spell at Marseille before devoting his full attention to the Liberian national team.

Weah loves New York so much he lives in the Big Apple, even when he plays in Europe.

He's been a New Yorker since 1988, meeting his wife there, living in Staten Island and then Queens.

His four children live in New York. He even owned a fast-food restaurant, the Flaky Crust, in Brooklyn.