George Best

George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) was a Northern Irish professional footballer who played as a right winger. He spent most of his club career at Manchester United and became known as one of the greatest players of all time. He was famous for his skill, speed, and ability to score goals. In 1968, he was named European Footballer of the Year and later came fifth in the FIFA Player of the Century vote.

Born in Belfast, Best started his career at Manchester United at just 17 years old. He scored many goals for the club and helped them win important trophies like two League titles, two Charity Shields, and the European Cup. He also played for the Northern Ireland national team 37 times, though he never got to play in a World Cup.

Best was not just famous for his football skills. With his good looks and stylish hair, he became a well-known figure in the media. However, he struggled with personal issues, especially related to his health, for many years. Despite these challenges, he remained known for his clever words and humor. He passed away in 2005 at the age of 59.

Early years and family

Best grew up on the Cregagh estate, east Belfast. The playing fields in the estate where he played football as a boy, Cregagh Green, is protected for community recreation in perpetuity as a Fields in Trust Active Space.

George Best was born on 22 May 1946 in Belfast. He grew up in a family with five siblings: four sisters named Carol, Barbara, Julie, and Grace, and one brother named Ian. Even as a very young child, George loved playing football and always had a ball with him.

He went to school in Belfast, but preferred playing football over his schoolwork. He played for a local football club and supported two famous teams, Glentoran and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Club career

Manchester United

George Best started his journey at Manchester United at just 15 years old after being spotted in Belfast. Though small and light, he earned a trial and eventually joined the club. His first match came when he was only 17, and he quickly became a key player. By the end of his first full season, he had helped the team win the league title.

George Best memorabilia at the Manchester United museum at Old Trafford

Best’s time at Manchester United was filled with amazing moments. He scored important goals, helped the team win big matches, and became a fan favorite. Despite facing rough challenges from other players, he remained a talented and exciting player. His standout performance in a European match at age 19 made him a superstar. He won many awards, including being named the youngest European Footballer of the Year in 1968. Best’s skills and creativity made him one of Manchester United’s greatest players ever.

Later years

Best (middle) in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, October 1976

After leaving Manchester United, Best played for many different clubs around the world. He had short stints in South Africa, Ireland, the United States, Scotland, and Australia. Though he still showed his talent on the field, his later years were marked by personal challenges. Despite these difficulties, Best remained a beloved figure in football, and his legacy as a skilled and charismatic player continued to inspire fans everywhere.

International career

George Best was a very talented football player. He played for Northern Ireland 37 times and scored nine goals. Four of those goals were against Cyprus, and he also scored against Albania, England, Scotland, Switzerland, and Turkey. Because the team he played with was not very strong, Best thought playing for Northern Ireland was more like a fun game.

Best with Northern Ireland in 1976

One famous moment happened on May 15, 1971, when Best played against England at Windsor Park in Belfast. The English goalkeeper kicked the ball high, and Best kicked it back into the empty goal. But the referee did not count this as a goal.

Best kept playing for Northern Ireland in the 1970s, even though his skills changed over time. Even famous players like Dutch captain Johan Cruyff said Best had something special that could not be taught.

Style of play

George Best was known for his amazing skills as a player. He could run fast, balance perfectly, and use both feet to play. Many people thought he was one of the greatest players ever. He could trick defenders and score goals, making everyone enjoy watching him play.

Experts praised him not just for dribbling, but also for helping his teammates score. Fans remembered his smooth moves and kind passes, making him a great example for young players.

Personal life

George Best was known for his long hair, good looks, and lively lifestyle. He appeared on a popular TV music show in 1965 and had relationships with famous people. He opened a nightclub and owned restaurants and shops in Manchester.

Best married Angela MacDonald-Janes in Las Vegas in 1978, and they had a son named Calum. They divorced in 1986. Later, he married Alex Pursey in 1995, but they divorced in 2004.

Best was famous not just for his football skills but also for his style and popularity. He appeared in films and TV shows, and even had an album. After his football career, Best became well-known for his lively personality and unique style.

Alcoholism

Best struggled with drinking for most of his adult life. This caused many problems for him and affected his health.

Liver transplant and controversy

In 2000, Best was found to have serious liver damage. He had a liver transplant in 2002, which saved his life. However, some people questioned why he received this treatment because of his history with drinking.

Death

George Best kept drinking and was often seen at his local pub in Surbiton, London. On 3 October 2005, he was taken to the intensive care unit at Cromwell Hospital in London because of a kidney infection caused by medicine to help his body accept a new liver.

Newspapers reported on 27 October that Best was very sick and had said goodbye to his loved ones. Close friends from football visited him.

Gates of Belfast City Hall soon after Best's death, Another view.

On 20 November, a newspaper published a photo of Best in his hospital bed, showing him with jaundice. With the photo, he shared a warning about the dangers of alcohol: 'Don't die like me'. He passed away in the early hours of 25 November 2005, at the age of 59, from a lung infection and multiple organ failure.

People around the world paid tribute to Best. Three famous football players, Pelé, Diego Maradona, and Johan Cruyff, honoured him. The Premier League planned a minute's silence before games, but many fans instead gave him a minute of applause.

Funeral

The Best family grave at Roselawn Cemetery, overlooking east Belfast

Best’s body left his home in East Belfast on 3 December 2005. Around 100,000 people lined the streets as his funeral procession went to Stormont. An 11 am service was held, and Best was later buried next to his mother in a private ceremony.

Memorials

After his death, Belfast City Airport was renamed George Best Belfast City Airport in his honour. An airplane was also named after him, and special souvenirs were made to support a foundation in his name.

Career statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Best goal.

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Manchester United	1963–64	First Division	17	4	7	2	—		2	0	0	0	26	6
	1964–65	First Division	41	10	7	2	—		11	2	0	0	59	14
	1965–66	First Division	31	9	5	3	—		6	4	1	1	43	17
	1966–67	First Division	42	10	2	0	1	0	—		0	0	45	10
	1967–68	First Division	41	28	2	1	—		9	3	1	0	53	32
	1968–69	First Division	41	19	6	1	—		6	2	2	0	55	22
	1969–70	First Division	37	15	8	6	8	2	—		0	0	53	23
	1970–71	First Division	40	18	2	1	6	2	—		3	1	51	22
	1971–72	First Division	40	18	7	5	6	3	—		1	1	54	27
	1972–73	First Division	19	4	0	0	4	2	—		0	0	23	6
	1973–74	First Division	12	2	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	12	2
	Total		361	137	46	21	25	9	34	11	8	3	474	181
Dunstable Town	1974–75	SL Division One North	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		—		0	0
Stockport County	1975–76	Fourth Division	3	2	0	0	0	0	—		—		3	2
Cork Celtic	1975–76	League of Ireland	3	0	0	0	0	0	—		—		3	0
Los Angeles Aztecs	1976	North American Soccer League	23	15	—		—		—		1	0	24	15
Fulham	1976–77	Second Division	32	6	2	0	3	2	—		—		37	8
	1977–78	Second Division	10	2	0	0	0	0	—		—		10	2
	Total		42	8	2	0	3	2	—		—		47	10
Los Angeles Aztecs	1977	North American Soccer League	20	11	—		—		—		5	2	25	13
	1978	North American Soccer League	12	1	—		—		—		—		12	1
	Total		32	12	—		—		—		5	2	37	14
Fort Lauderdale Strikers	1978	North American Soccer League	9	4	—		—		—		5	1	14	5
	1979	North American Soccer League	19	2	—		—		—		—		19	2
	Total		28	6	—		—		—		5	1	33	7
Hibernian	1979–80	Scottish Premier Division	13	3	3	0	0	0	—		—		16	3
	1980–81	Scottish First Division	4	0	0	0	2	0	—		—		6	0
	Total		17	3	3	0	2	0	—		—		22	3
San Jose Earthquakes	1980	North American Soccer League	26	8	—		—		—		—		26	8
	1981	North American Soccer League	30	13	—		—		—		—		30	13
	Total		56	21	—		—		—		—		56	21
AFC Bournemouth	1982–83	Third Division	5	0	0	0	0	0	—		—		5	0
Brisbane Lions	1983	National Soccer League	4	0	0	0	—		—		—		4	0
Career total			574	204	52	21	30	11	34	11	19	6	705	251

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Northern Ireland	1964	6	2
	1965	6	1
	1966	1	0
	1967	1	0
	1968	1	1
	1969	4	0
	1970	4	1
	1971	6	4
	1972	2	0
	1973	1	0
	1974	0	0
	1975	0	0
	1976	2	0
	1977	3	0
Total		37	9

List of international goals scored by George Best
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	14 November 1964	Stade Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne, Switzerland	Switzerland	1–0	1–2	1966 FIFA World Cup qualification
2	25 November 1964	Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland	Scotland	1–0	2–3	1964–65 British Home Championship
3	7 May 1965	Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Albania	4–1	4–1	1966 FIFA World Cup qualification
4	23 October 1968	Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Turkey	1–1	4–1	1970 FIFA World Cup qualification
5	21 April 1970	Wembley Stadium, London, England	England	1–1	1–3	1969–70 British Home Championship
6	3 February 1971	GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus	Cyprus	3–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 1972 qualification
7	21 April 1971	Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Cyprus	2–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 1972 qualification
8				3–0
9				4–0

Honours

George Best won many awards during his football career. With Manchester United, he helped the team win the Football League First Division and the European Cup. He was also named FWA Footballer of the Year and came third in the Ballon d'Or in 1971.

Best received several other honors, including being named one of the FIFA 100 and receiving the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. He was also honored with an honorary doctorate from Queen's University Belfast and was the first person inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.

Biographies

George Best wrote several books about his life and career. Some of these books include Bestie, written with Joe Lovejoy, and The Good, The Bad and The Bubbly, written with Ross Benson. Other books are Blessed: The Autobiography, written with Roy Collins, and George Best: A Celebration, by Bernie Smith and Maureen Hunt. He also wrote Scoring at Half Time with Martin Knight, Hard Tackles and Dirty Baths with Harry Harris, and George Best: A Memoir with Michael Parkinson.