MONROVIA, Liberia — Standing on the turf of the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex and addressing Liberia’s national football team ahead of its departure for Sierra Leone, Youth and Sports Minister Cornelia Wonkerleh Kruah found herself reflecting on a moment from her childhood when she was among hundreds of excited schoolgirls trying to catch a glimpse of Liberia’s football heroes.
The emotional reflection came Thursday as Minister Kruah paid a morale-boosting visit to the Lone Star’s training camp, where she encouraged players and coaches to represent the nation with pride in upcoming international friendlies against Sierra Leone.
Accompanied by football officials and members of the Liberia Football Association, the minister spoke directly to players gathered around the technical staff, reaffirming the Government of Liberia’s commitment to supporting the team’s preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The visit highlighted growing cooperation between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Liberia Football Association as efforts intensify to end Liberia’s more than two-decade absence from Africa’s premier football competition.
In a reflection later shared on her Facebook page, Kruah recalled a visit by Liberia’s famed “George Weah 11” national team to the College of Our Lady of Fatima, popularly known as Convent, during her school days.
She described the excitement that swept through the campus as students rushed to see the country’s football stars.
“Convent girls screaming at the top of their lungs. Everyone was identifying their crush. Everybody walking changed on campus and our seniors started doing their individual ‘Convent Walk.’ It was a big deal to have the National Team come on our all-girls campus,” she wrote.
But this time, she was no longer a young student fighting through a crowd for a glimpse of her football idols.
Instead, she stood before the national team as Liberia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, charged with motivating a new generation of players carrying the hopes of millions of Liberians.
“Today, as I interacted with the National Team ahead of their departure for Sierra Leone, I had flashes of many years ago. This time, I wasn’t squeezing amongst the crowd to see the players. I had a full view,” she reflected.
Photographs from the training session showed the minister addressing players in a circle at the SKD Sports Complex while coaches and football officials looked on. Despite light rain, the interaction continued uninterrupted, symbolizing what officials described as the government’s unwavering support for the national team.
Kruah expressed confidence in Head Coach Mohamed Adil Erradi and his technical team, noting that they have demonstrated a commitment to building a competitive squad capable of challenging for a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
“We are happy that the coach and his team have committed to building a competitive team as we prepare for AFCON 2027 qualifiers and will ensure the full support of the Government of Liberia,” she stated.
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