By : Julius Konton
Former Liberian President and global football icon George Manneh Weah has congratulated Grand Kru County for what he described as a “remarkable and historic performance” at the 2025/2026 National County Sports Meet, despite the county’s 2–0 defeat to Nimba County in the grand final of the football competition.
Speaking during a dinner hosted in honor of Grand Kru’s football, basketball, and kickball teams, along with their technical staff, Weah praised the athletes for their resilience, discipline, and progress, while presenting undisclosed appreciation packages to all teams as a symbol of encouragement and recognition.
“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 Final Appearance for Grand Kru
Grand Kru’s journey to the final marked one of the county’s strongest showings in the history of the National County Sports Meet, Liberia’s largest annual sporting festival, which brings together athletes from all 15 counties across football, basketball, kickball, and athletics.
The county navigated a difficult qualification path, eliminating more established teams to reach the final, an achievement Weah described as a “major plus”, particularly given that the squad was dominated by homegrown players with limited exposure at the national level.
“It was difficult to qualify, but you made it to the grand final. That alone is progress,” Weah said.
“With a team made mostly of local players, you have every reason to be proud”, he added.
Assessing the Final Against Nimba
Reflecting on the decisive match, Weah noted that while Grand Kru had impressed throughout earlier rounds, the team struggled to replicate its best form in the final.
“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.”
He added that Nimba County, while not overwhelmingly superior on the day, capitalized on key moments to score twice, while Grand Kru failed to mount a strong response.
“Nimba was not exceptional; they were just fortunate to score. You didn’t fight back well enough to equalize and that made the difference,” Weah explained.
Building for the Future
Weah urged county authorities and sports managers to keep the current squad together and invest in continuity ahead of the next County Meet.
“I told the team manager that you have a very good team. We need to keep this team together for the next County Meet,” he said.
He also highlighted his personal involvement with Grand Kru’s basketball team, which reached the semi-finals, another milestone for the county.
“I worked with the basketball team myself,” Weah revealed.
“As a former footballer, training a basketball team is not easy. But for their level, they also did well.”
A Tradition of Appreciation
According to Weah, the post-tournament dinner has become an annual tradition, aimed at fostering unity and morale regardless of final outcomes.
“Every year after the County Meet, we bring all the Grand Kru teams together to fellowship,” he said.
“This is our way of saying thank you even when the cup doesn’t come home.”
He cautioned players against allowing one match to overshadow an entire campaign.
“You can play well throughout the tournament, but in the final when you need to be strongest you fail. That is the game,” Weah noted.
“Don’t kill yourself over it. No one can show you a perfect final”, he added
Nimba Extends Its County Meet Legacy
With the victory, Nimba County further cemented its status as Liberia’s most dominant county in the football category of the National County Sports Meet, lifting its seventh title more than any other county in the competition’s history while Grand Kru remains in second with five titles thus far.
The result reinforces Nimba’s long-standing reputation as a powerhouse of Liberian grassroots football, consistently producing national team players and league professionals.
Third-Place Playoffs and Other Results
Elsewhere in the tournament:
Grand Cape Mount County defeated Margibi County 2–1 in the football third-place ending Margibi’s bid for a third-place finish.
Ralph Weah, a young debutant, scored the winning goal after also providing the equalizer in a spirited comeback.
In kickball, Nimba County edged Grand Kru County 1–0 to secure third place.
Margibi County emerged champions in the kickball final, defeating Grand Cape Mount County.
Lofa County claimed the basketball championship, rounding off a competitive multi-sport festival.
For Weah, the County Meet remains more than just trophies, it is a platform for national unity, youth development, and talent discovery.
“You have done well,” he told the Grand Kru athletes once more.
“Take this experience, learn from it, and come back stronger.”
