Liberian President George Weah will tomorrow award his former football coach, Arsène Wenger, his country’s highest honour.
Wenger arrived yesterday night in Liberia and will be set to become a Knight Grand Commander of the Humane Order of African Redemption, inducting him into Liberia’s Order of Distinction.
President Weah was signed by Wenger from Cameroonian club Tonnerre Yaounde in 1988 when the French manager was coaching Monaco. He is the only African to have been named World Player of the Year.
Although Weah left Wenger and Monaco, he often credited the coach with having a significant influence on his career.
The 1995 World Player of the year retired from football in 2003 and went into politics. He won the presidential elections with a landslide victory in December last year after losing out to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2005.
The 51-year-old President also invited Wenger to his inauguration at the start of the year but the former Arsenal manager didn’t make it due to the club duties.
Wenger coached a total of 16 African players at Arsenal, including Ivory Coast’s Emmanuel Eboue, Cameroon defender Lauren, Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor and Nigerian Nwankwo Kanu.
The awards ceremony will take place in the country’s capital, Monrovia, on Friday.