Monrovia – Former President and global football icon George Manneh Weah has hailed Grand Kru County’s performance in the 2025/2026 National County Sports Meet as “remarkable and historic,” despite the team’s 2–0 defeat to Nimba County in the football grand final.
By: Christopher C.Walker 0777898224/0886723075 [email protected]
Speaking at a dinner organized to honor the county’s football, basketball, and kickball teams, Weah praised the athletes for their discipline and resilience.
During the event, the former Liberian leader presented undisclosed “appreciation packages” to the players and technical staff as a gesture of encouragement.
“If I did not play the game, I would be demanding everything from you,” Weah told the players. “But football is a game of chance. At your level, you have done well.”
A Historic Run
Grand Kru’s journey to the final was one of the county’s most impressive campaigns in recent years.
The team navigated a grueling qualification phase, often upsetting big counties to reach the final of Liberia’s premier grassroots sporting festival.
Weah characterized the achievement as a “major plus,” highlighting that the roster was primarily composed of homegrown talent with limited national exposure.
“It was difficult to qualify, but you made it to the grand final. That alone is progress,” Weah noted. “With a team made mostly of local players, you have every reason to be proud.”
Reflecting on the decisive defeat to Nimba, Weah offered a candid assessment, noting that the team struggled to find the rhythm that had carried them through the earlier stages of the tournament.
“I watched your previous games and I watched the final. You played less than how you played to qualify,” he observed. “These things happen in football. In a tournament, there are times when you are up and times when you are down.”
While acknowledging Nimba’s victory, Weah suggested the result was more about missed opportunities for Grand Kru than total dominance by their opponents.
“Nimba was not exceptional; they were just fortunate to score. You didn’t fight back well enough to equalize, and that made the difference.”
Call for Continuity
Looking ahead, the former President urged Grand Kru’s sports authorities to resist the urge to overhaul the squad.
He emphasized that the key to future success lies in maintaining the current core of players.
“I told the team manager that you have a very good team. We need to keep this team together for the next County Meet,” Weah said.
He also noted his personal involvement with the basketball team, which reached the semi-finals this year.
“I worked with the basketball team myself. As a former footballer, training a basketball team is not easy. But for their level, they also did well.”
For Weah, the post-tournament dinner has become a tradition to foster unity, regardless of the scoreboard. He cautioned the players against letting the final result define their careers.
“Every year after the County Meet, we bring all the Grand Kru teams together to fellowship. This is our way of saying thank you, even when the cup doesn’t come home,” he said. “Don’t kill yourself over it. No one can show you a perfect final.”
Tournament Roundup
Nimba County’s victory further solidified its status as the most successful footballing county in the tournament’s history, securing a record seventh title.
Grand Kru remains in second place on the all-time list with five championships.
In other categories:
Football (3rd Place): Grand Cape Mount defeated Margibi 2–1.
Kickball: Margibi County emerged as champions after defeating Grand Cape Mount in the final, while Nimba took third place by edging out Grand Kru 1–0.
Basketball: Lofa County claimed the championship trophy.
Weah concluded by reminding the athletes that the National County Sports Meet remains a platform for national unity and talent discovery. “Take this experience, learn from it, and come back stronger,” he said.
