George Best

Northern Irish association football player (1946-2005)

George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) was a Northern Irish footballer. He played as a winger. Best played most of his club career at Manchester United. Best is said to be one of the best players in the history of the sport.[2] He was named European Footballer of the Year in 1968 and came fifth in the FIFA Player of the Century vote. Best received praise for his playing style. It combined pace, skill, balance, feints, goalscoring and the ability to get past defenders. In Belfast, where Best was born, they named the airport after him.

George Best
Best with Northern Ireland in 1976
Personal information
Full name George Best[1]
Date of birth (1946-05-22)22 May 1946
Place of birth Belfast, Northern Ireland
Date of death 25 November 2005(2005-11-25) (aged 59)
Place of death South Kensington, London, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Winger, attacking midfielder
Youth career
Cregagh Boys Club
1961–1963 Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1963–1974 Manchester United 361 (137)
1974 Jewish Guild 5 (0)
1975 Stockport County 3 (2)
1975–1976 Cork Celtic 3 (0)
1976 Los Angeles Aztecs 23 (15)
1976–1977 Fulham 42 (8)
1977–1978 Los Angeles Aztecs 32 (12)
1978–1979 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 28 (6)
1979–1980 Hibernian 17 (3)
1980–1981 San Jose Earthquakes 56 (21)
1982–1983 AFC Bournemouth 5 (0)
1983 Brisbane Lions 4 (0)
Total 688 (246)
National team
1964–1977 Northern Ireland 37 (9)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Both of Best's marriages ended in divorce. He was married to Angie Best from 1978-1986; the couple had a son, Calum Best. George Best was married to Alex Best from 1995-2004.

Best was an alcoholic. He had a liver transplant in 2003. He died of a lung infection and multiple organ failure in London.

Career statistics change

Club change

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
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[a] 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[b] 0 53 32
1968–69 First Division 41 19 6 1 6 2 2[c] 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 [d]3 1 51 22
1971–72 First Division 40 18 7 5 6 3 1[e] 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 Southern League 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[f] 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[f] 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[f] 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
  1. Appearance in 1965 FA Charity Shield
  2. Appearance in 1967 FA Charity Shield
  3. Appearances in 1968 Intercontinental Cup
  4. Appearances in Watney Cup
  5. Appearance in Watney Cup
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Appearance(s) in NASL play-offs

International change

Appearances and goals by national team and year[10][11]
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
Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Best goal.
List of international goals scored by George Best[12]
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

References change

  1. "George Best". Barry Hugman's Footballers.
  2. "Was Georgie the Best?". BBC Sport. 25 November 2005. Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  3. "George Best". StretfordEnd.co.uk. Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  4. "Top international stars in the NASL, 1967-1984; George Best". ASHA. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  5. "Best North American Soccer League stats". NASLJerseys.com. Archived from the original on 28 May 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  6. "George Best league stats". Archived from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  7. "Hibernian stats". Ihibs.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  8. "Complete game list 1973-76". Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  9. "Complete game list 1976-78". Archived from the original on 12 May 2006. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  10. "Northern Ireland – Record International Players". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  11. "George Best". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman.
  12. "George Best Football Player Statistics". 11v11. Archived from the original on 13 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.

Other websites change