Remembering George Best: The Manchester United icon whose real life was stranger than fiction
George Best (via Getty Images)
On what would have been his 79th birthday, the world remembers George Best, soccer's very first global icon and one of
Manchester United
's longest-standing symbols. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1946, Best mesmerized the crowd with his phenomenal talent, winsome personality, and life of glory and tragedy.
Here are some unthinkable but true facts about George Best that encapsulate the life of a footballer like no other.
A teenage debut that announced a star: The legend of George Best
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George Best was born into a working-class family in Belfast. He had exceptional footballing talent from a young age. Spotted by a Manchester United scout, he left Northern Ireland as a teenager to join the club's youth system, marking the start of a career that would soon captivate the world.
Already 17 years old, George Best made his Manchester United debut in 1963.
With his blistering pace and hypnotic dribbling, he was instantly different, for he was one of the youngest ever to make an impact on English football then.
George Best's fame and appeal gave him the name '
Fifth Beatle
'
Such was George Best's fame in the 1960s that he was dubbed the 'Fifth Beatle' by the British media. With hair streaming down his back, modish sense of style, and irresistible charm, Best was a cultural icon far beyond football, the very image of the Swinging Sixties.
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A European champion at the age of only 22
In 1968, George Best played a key role in Manchester United's record-breaking European Cup victory, the club's first ever. His individual winning goal against Benfica earned him his reputation as one of the best players in the world and won him the Ballon d'Or later that year.
With 179 strikes from 470 matches, George Best remains on Manchester United's all-time top scorers' list. His strikes were breathtaking—solo runs, volleys, chips—and most of them remain revered today by supporters and football historians alike.
A genius plagued with addiction
Although he was a genius on the pitch, Best's personal life off of it was marred by struggles with alcohol. His addictions were no secret and ultimately led to his early retirement and decline in health. Despite this, though, he remained honest about his fight, eventually leveraging his experience as a tool to help raise awareness.
While he never attended a major international tournament, Best earned 37 caps for Northern Ireland and netted nine times.
Not being at football's biggest competitions did not deter him from being widely regarded as the best player ever from the country.
After leaving Manchester United in 1974, Best played for several clubs in Scotland, Australia, and the United States, including the Los Angeles Aztecs and San Jose Earthquakes. Though his best days were behind him, fans flocked to see him play wherever he turned out.
Following his retirement, Best was a respected football pundit and enjoyed frequent television appearances.
His autobiography and candid discussion of addiction brought him sympathy and respect from football supporters across the globe.
One of the first global football stars
Long before the Internet age of social networking and modern-day football promotion, George Best was the first of the genuine football stars. His mix of flamboyance, skill, and charisma rewrote the definition of football star.
George Best passed away in 2005, but his reputation continues to live on.
From murals in Belfast to tributes at Old Trafford, he is a testament to natural ability and the slender margin between greatness and disaster.
Also read:
Who are Manchester United's all-time top goal scorers? Ronaldo's rank might surprise you
From teen prodigy to cultural icon, George Best's life is a story that sounds like fiction. But every astonishing story told of him—whether for scoring from apparently impossible angles or partying with stars—is fact. On his birthday, fans remember not just his achievements but the legend that keeps him in mind.
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