The first African footballer to win the Ballon d'Or was George Weah in 1995. Born in Monrovia, Liberia, Weah moved to the United States as a child and began his professional football career there before moving to Europe. He played for several European clubs, including AS Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, and AC Milan, where he had an exceptional season in 1995 that led to his Ballon d'Or victory. Weah's achievement paved the way for other African footballers to be recognized on a global stage, and he later went on to represent Liberia at the international level and even served as the country's president from 2018 to 2022.