He was considered a genius on the field, but off the field, George Best made headlines with his escapades. That’s partly why he died at just 59 years old. Today marks the 20th anniversary of his death.
“I spent a lot of my money on booze, women, and fast cars, and I just squandered the rest.”
That’s how George Best once described his life, which had become a myth, with British humor. But at the same time, this sentence also contains the whole tragedy of his life, which ended far too early exactly 20 years ago today at the age of just 59.
George Best had his best time wearing the Manchester United jersey.
It was a Friday when George Best died on November 25, 2005, in London’s Cromwell Hospital from the effects of a kidney infection. The mourning was immense, not only in his native Northern Ireland.
100,000 People Paid Best Their Last Respects
Eight days after his death, 100,000 people paid their last respects to the soccer idol on his final journey to “Roselawn Cemetery” in Belfast. The then British Prime Minister Tony Blair gave the eulogy.
Best was born on May 22, 1946, in Belfast as the son of a dockworker and a former hockey player. He grew up in Cregagh, a district in the east of the Northern Irish capital Belfast, which was considered a working-class neighborhood.
The house with the number 16, Burren Way, is now a hostel that advertises that you can stay in George Best’s childhood room.
Best’s star rose as a teenager. He made his Premier League debut for Manchester United at the age of 17. In 1965 and 1967, the gifted dribbler became English champion with the Red Devils.
Best Writes History with Manchester United
In 1968, after the 4-1 triumph after extra time in the European Cup final against Benfica Lisbon, the attacker raised the trophy into the sky – for Best, who was only 1.75 meters tall, the greatest day of his career and at the same time the first time that an English club won the coveted trophy.
In the same year, Best was elected “European Footballer of the Year” as the youngest player to date at the age of 21.
With his soccer skills, Best made headlines in the sports press. At the same time, his early fame meant that his escapades off the field also filled the gossip columns of the tabloids.
His talent was undisputed but not enough for the Northern Ireland national team to achieve greater success, Best was denied a World Cup or European Championship participation. “Maradona good, Pelé better, George Best” – that’s how the fans saw his standing on the field compared to other soccer legends.
The “Fifth Beatle” Crashes Off the Field
Beyond the field, Best had the nickname “The Fifth Beatle” – the reference to the band, which was at the height of its fame at the time, alluded to Best’s rock star look, but also to his excessive lifestyle.
A gambling addiction caused his financial income to melt away, Best failed as the owner of nightclubs and fashion boutiques. Massive insults to a police officer even earned him a prison sentence.
George Best was famous and infamous for his extravagant lifestyle.
In addition, he was damaging his own body with his alcohol consumption. Thus, his professional career came to an abrupt end at the age of 26. In 1972, after 290 games and 115 goals for United, he was no longer bearable for the club and was forced to declare his retirement. Previously, Best had appeared drunk at training and had disappeared without a trace for several weeks.
“Show Kicker” in the USA
In the following years, he worked until 1983 for lower-class English teams and as a “show kicker” in the United States, but “Simply the Best” should never reach the form of his early years again. The financial and social decline was no longer unstoppable.
Best’s life outside the field was always like a rapid roller coaster ride. As a result of years of excessive alcohol consumption, his health was severely damaged early on.
But Best continued to drink even when doctors predicted after a ten-hour liver transplant in 2002 that his next drink could be his last.
The eccentric experienced a series of business failures and repeatedly damaged his reputation with spectacular escapades.
In 1984, he sat in prison for two months for drunk driving, further imprisonments should follow. In 2003, he became physically towards his estranged wife Alex and was relieved of 2000 pounds by prostitutes in a luxury hotel in London.
But with Best it was similar to Diego Maradona, who died exactly 15 years after him: Despite or precisely because of his escapades, his compatriots loved him, the image of the tragic genius never lost its appeal. In memory of the exceptional talent, the City Airport of Belfast still bears George Best’s name today.