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Biography of George Best

George Best was born on May 22, 1946 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, into a sports-oriented family. His mother played for the Northern Ireland field hockey team. At the age of seven, Best began playing for the youth football team "Cregagh Boys Club" and later joined "Lisnasharragh Intermediate School" at the age of nine.

At the age of 15, Best signed an amateur contract with Manchester United after being discovered by their top scout, Bob Bishop. Two years later, on his 17th birthday, he signed his professional contract. On September 14, 1963, George Best made his debut for Manchester United and scored his first goal for the club in his second game. In 1965, he became the champion of England, scoring 10 goals in 41 matches.

In the same year, during a quarter-final match against Benfica in the European Cup, Best scored two goals in the first few minutes, leading Manchester United to a 5-1 victory. This was Benfica's first home defeat in European competitions, and the press dubbed Best the "Fifth Beatle" due to the popularity of the Liverpool rock band at the time.

Best won the English championship again in 1967 and in 1968, Manchester United faced Benfica once again, this time in the final of the European Cup. Best scored a decisive second goal in extra time, dribbling past several Portuguese defenders. Manchester United went on to win the match 4-1. In that same season, Best became the top scorer in the English league, scoring 28 goals in 41 matches. He was awarded the "European Footballer of the Year" and the prestigious "Ballon d'Or" at the age of 22, solidifying his status as one of the best players in the world.

However, Best's success was marred by his off-field antics. Together with Manchester City player Mike Summerbee, Best opened a fashion boutique in Manchester, as well as a restaurant, a travel agency, and nightclubs. He received thousands of letters from adoring fans, particularly blonde women, and had a reputation for consuming large quantities of beer, particularly dark ales. Despite his lifestyle, Best continued to perform well on the field.

Best's behavior attracted criticism from the Soviet press, who saw him as a symbol of the decaying capitalist sports culture. The Soviet people had the opportunity to see Best play in person during a match between the Soviet Union and Northern Ireland in Moscow, which ended in a 1-0 victory for the Soviet team. Although Best was no longer at his peak, it was clear that he was a player of the highest class.

Best possessed an atypical style for British football at the time. While England played a more primitive style of football with long passes and crosses, Best, being small, agile, and skillful, excelled in dribbling, passing, and scoring goals. Many experts compared him to the Brazilian player Garrincha, recognizing his exceptional talent. Unfortunately, Best's career took a downturn due to his volatile Irish temperament, and he became involved in numerous scandals.

In January 1970, Best was suspended for a month for snatching the ball from the referee's hands. In April, he threw mud at the referee during a match between Northern Ireland and Scotland and was sent off. In 1971, he was suspended for six months after being three hours late for a disciplinary committee hearing.

In 1972, Best missed a training session due to a romantic involvement with Miss United Kingdom, resulting in the club sending him to train with the junior team and cutting his salary in half. On May 20, 1972, Best failed to show up for national team training and publicly announced that he no longer cared about football and was quitting. After another drinking binge in 1974, Best left Manchester United, slamming the door behind him. It is said that the managers of the top British clubs made a gentleman's agreement not to sign him if he was released from Manchester United.

This agreement held true, and Best continued to play for secondary clubs in England and the United States, switching teams frequently and playing for a total of 14 clubs. In 1984, Best was sentenced to three months in prison for drunk driving and never returned to professional football after his release.

Currently, at the age of 54, George Best, who played 474 matches for Manchester United and scored 180 goals, works as a football commentator and enjoys his life on his own terms.