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George Weah, Eto’o divide Twitter as fans debate greatest African footballer of all time
Football fans on social media are presently struggling to outdo themselves in a debate sparked by a poll on the greatest African footballer of all time.
Sports website, Goal.com had posted the question on their Twitter page on Monday to seek the opinion of social media users on who they believe best qualifies to be named as the greatest footballer ever from the African continent.
The question has generated a debate on Twitter as fans are divided over former footballer turned Liberia’s President George Weah and his Cameroonian counterpart Samuel Eto’o as their choice for the honour.
George Weah, the only African player to ever win the Balon d’Or, started his football career in 1985 and called hanged the boot in 2003.
In his prime, aside from representing Liberia at the African Cup of Nations, Weah played for Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Chelsea, Manchester City and ended his career with Al-Jazira in 2003. He won the UEFA Champions League with PSG and also won local leagues with Monaco, PSG, AC Milan.
In 1995, following an excellent season performance, Weah was named FIFA World Player of the Year and won the Ballon d’Or, becoming the first only African player to ever win these awards. In 1989, 1994 and 1995, he was also named the African Footballer of the Year, and in 1996, he was named African Player of the Century. In 1996, Weah finished second in the FIFA World Player of the Year ranking.
Samuel Eto’o, on the other hand, also registered his name among the greatest players ever from the African continent.
The striker won the African Player of the Year for a record four times: in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2010.
In his prime, he was part of the Cameroun national team that won AFCON in 2000 and 2002. At the club level, he played for Real Madrid, Mallorca, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Anzhi Makhachkala, Chelsea, Everton, and Sampdoria.
Eto’o won three Champions League titles, two with Barcelona and one with Inter, and became the first player to win two European continental trebles with his back-to-back achievements with Barcelona and Inter.
He came in third for the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2005 and was twice named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI, in 2005 and 2006.
While some believe Weah’s feat as the only African player to ever win the World Best player of the year award puts him ahead of other players from the continent, others were of the opinion that Eto’o had a better football career and won more laurels than Weah.
See some of the reactions:
The Only African Player that won The European footballer and World footballer of the year and till date the only African player to be the top scorer in the Champions League. Yet, he accomplished all this without playing at the world Cup. He is the African GOAT! #George Weah.
— Man Who Loves Milan (@Jo4Milan) May 20, 2019
Old people may say George Weah or Roger Miller, we say Drogba, Eto’o or Yaya Toure, 2000’s kids are going to say Mohamed Salah or Mane
— Commodore Kipigo (@nehemiah_masala) May 20, 2019
@GeorgeWeahOff Greatest and the only African player who won the FIFA player of the year now the president of his country… Legend ⚫❤ ??
— YAHIA (@YahiaSocial) May 20, 2019
In my era I’ve seen good footballers with great skills like okocha, Eto, yaya toure, agahowah and many well as before my era I’ve heard about George weah, Bwalya, Roger Milla and others but before my era I go with Roger Milla and in my era I go with Yevs Didier Tébily Drogba.
— Kisha Nkalubo (@IAMNKALUBO) May 20, 2019
Samuel Eto’o! The best African I have ever seen and he consistently performance perfect at big stages. Well done Eto’o ❤️❤️
— Abdi Kadir A Azzis (@Akcaqil) May 20, 2019
George Weah
Cause he remain the only African to have ever won the Ballon Dor— Popson (@Popson_Baba) May 20, 2019
Judging by the players I’ve watched. Samuel Eto by a long distance.
Una wey say na Drogba shebi una know say una no well so? ?
— Zut Alors? (@ruff_printzz) May 20, 2019
The real answer is probably George Weah but I never saw him play so I’d stick with Eto’o.
— Dr. Val Krishna Seecheran (@DrVaSeech) May 20, 2019
Samuel Eto’o Fils
Won everything even more than most European and Southern American footballers. @setoo9
He is far better than George Opong Weah. @setoo9 played for @realmadrid @MALORCA @Inter @barca @fc_anji @Everton @ChelseaFC and etc. He is the man #Legend #SamuelEtooFils— Godwin OmoIyabo Oludare Wilson (@godwinCharisma) May 20, 2019
Samuel Eto’o is. He didn’t have to win ballon d’or. He is definitely better than George Weah. https://t.co/bFOKUoWGO4
— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) May 20, 2019
Omo just stay in your public affairs line jeje lafs. Saying Eto is ahead of Weah is what happens when an Civil Engineer try be an expert consultant in a cooking competition.
— Odun Tutu (@oduntutu) May 20, 2019
I didn’t watch George Weah play, but for an african to have won Ballon D’or and Fifa world best player, his performance must have been close to magic. George Weah is African GOAT ? https://t.co/pbchBFrubN
— Tee Ace *Valar Morghulis*◾️◼️⬛️ (@Hormortaryo) May 20, 2019
Saying George Weah is the greatest African footballer of all time is like rating Pele as the greatest soccer player ever . Both were surely greatest in their time but not up to this generation of Messi, Ronaldo, Samuel Eto, Yaya Toure , Nwankwo KANU, Drogba, Salah , Auba etc
— Gab-Olatayo Olayanju (@GabrielOlayanju) May 20, 2019
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