Former FIFA World Player of the Year George Weah has been elected president of Liberia, winning in a runoff with 61.5 percent of the vote.

The result was confirmed by the country's election commission chair, Jerome Korkoyah, on Thursday.

The ex-African Footballer of the Year, who enjoyed a glittering career with the likes of Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan, won 12 of the 15 counties in the West African country.

Weah, 51, beat Joseph Boakai, who has been vice-president for the past 12 years, and now takes over from Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first female head of state.

Weah first ran for president in 2005 when he came second in the presidential election with just over 40 percent of the vote. In 2011 he also ran for the vice-president role on the losing ticket.

Weah took to Twitter to thank his supporters, saying: "It is with deep emotion that I want to thank you, the Liberian people, for honoring me with your vote today. It is a great hope. #Liberia #Liberia2017"