George Best Birthday & Fun Facts

George Best Birthday Highlights

Birth Name

Place Of Birth

Belfast, Northern Ireland

Age

77 years old

Birth Date

May 22 1946

George Best Facts

Child Star?

no

Occupation

Footballer

Education & Qualifications

Lisnasharragh Secondary School

Net Worth

$250,000

Current Partner

Anne Forster

Children

Calum Best

Parents

Richard 'Dickie' Best, Anne Best

Siblings

Ian, Barbara, Julie, Grace, Carol

George Best, also known as El Beatle, was born on May 22, 1946, and passed away on November 25, 2005.
George was a legendary soccer player and is considered one of the best players ever to play the game. He was known for his amazing skills and his flair on the field.
George played his best football for Manchester United, where he was picked up by the club's scout, Bob Bishop. George managed to impress Bob Bishop with his skill at the age of only 15. Before long, Best was seen on the field wearing the jersey of Manchester United. His first four years with the club went exceptionally well, which brought in a lot of trophies. During this time, Best formed a deadly combination with Bobby Charlton and Denis Law that took him to the zenith of his career. In international football, George Best played for Northern Ireland.
In the rest of the article, we will look at George's life and some of the interesting facts about him. We will also discuss his net worth and what he is up to these days!

What was George Best's net worth?

It may come as a surprise, but at the time of his demise in 2005, George Best's net worth was around $250,000 due to his indulgent nature and bad habits.

How much did George Best earn per year?

In the late '60s, it is said that George Best used to earn about $1 million, including his salary and endorsements. But his carefree attitude and careless expenditure caused 90% of his wealth.

How tall was George Best?

George Best had a decent height of 69 in (175 cm). Though this is not that great for a soccer player, it also never inhibited George from giving his best on the field.

How old was George Best?

He was born on May 22, 1946. So, at the time of his demise in 2005, he was 59 years old.

Born in east Belfast, George started loving soccer at a very early age and played for a local soccer club in Cregagh.
His parents were Richard 'Dickie' Best and Anne Withers. His father, Richard, was a member of the Orange Order, and in Best's autobiography, we can see the importance that the order bore in his family. He had four sisters, Barbara, Carol, Grace, and Julie, and a brother named Ian Busby Best.
Being academically gifted, George received a scholarship upon passing the 11-plus and went to Grosvenor High School in 1957. However, since the school did not allow him to play soccer, he lost interest in his studies. As a result, he was sent back to his previous school, Lisnasharragh Secondary, where soccer was allowed.
Later, George managed to get the attention of Glentoran, a local soccer club but was not selected due to his slight build. Nonetheless, Bob Bishop of Manchester United recognized his talent and provided him with the best place to start his club career.

Who was George Best's partner?

George Best married twice in his lifetime, but none of them was successful. George's first wife was Angie Best, a British model. It is said that they met for the first time in 1975 and fell in love at first sight. They married in 1978 and broke up after eight years in 1986. In 1995, George Best married again. This time it was a British author and model named Alex Pursey. They separated in 2004, one year before Best's death.

Best Known For…

When he was only 15 years old, Bob Bishop spotted him and presented him to Matt Busby, the head coach of Manchester United at that time, saying, 'Boss, I think I've found you a genius.' But he had to play as an amateur for two years because, at that time, English clubs were prohibited from signing Northern Irish Players. When he turned 17, Matt Busby put his trust in George and inducted him into the first team.
The following year, along with Bobby Charlton and Denis Law, Best led Manchester United to raise their first league title since the pre-Munich era. They also ended up reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup but couldn't win the trophy. After one year, they again won the league title, and in the 1967-68 season, the Belfast Boy helped the club win its first-ever European Cup. In the same season, he scored a hat-trick against Newcastle United and became one of the youngest players to receive Ballon d'Or.
Around this time, George Best became one of the most successful strikers in Europe and a god-like figure to all United fans. Apart from the European Cup, George Best had already led Manchester United to win two league titles, two FA Community Shield, and one FA Cup.

Charity Work

George Best is known for attending many charity events and helping the organizers in fundraising. After his death, his sister, Barbara McNarry, also founded The George Best Foundation to fund youth soccer initiatives and support the people suffering from liver diseases and alcoholism-related issues.

What awards had George Best won?

George Best received the 'FWA Footballer of the Year' for being the best English football player.
He became the 1968 recipient of Ballon d'Or for being the best soccer player in Europe.
For his lifelong achievements, he was posthumously included in the 'English Football Hall of Fame' in 2008.

In 1970, he scored a record six goals in a single match against Northampton Town in FA Cup.
At the age of only 19, George Best single-handedly destroyed Benefica in the European Cup by scoring two goals against them. This magnificent performance earned him the title of 'O Quinto Beatle' from the Portuguese media.
George played his debut match against the English club West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford in 1963. In that season, he scored 6 goals in 26 league games.
In 1967-68, George scored 28 goals in 41 matches in the league. It was one of the best seasons in his whole career. Manchester United also became the first among the English clubs to win the European Cup.
After 1970, George's performance began to decline due to several issues. In 1974, George Best and Manchester United parted their ways. He had scored 179 goals in 470 matches for the club by then.
Until his retirement from soccer, George Best has joined several clubs, including the Jewish Guild, Cos Angeles Aztecs, Fulham, Cork Celtic, Hibernian, and many others. But he could not stay anywhere more than two years.
While playing for Manchester United, George Best initially wore the number seven shirt. But then he was often seen wearing the number 10, number 11, and even the number nine shirt too.
Both George Best and Pele played in the North American Soccer League at the end of their careers, where they faced each other. Unfortunately, the world never saw them playing side by side in the same team.
Even though Pele once said that George was the best player in the world, he himself remains the greatest with his three World Cup-winning feat in four World Cup appearances.
George Best scored a total of nine goals for Northern Ireland in 37 international games.
Best suffered from liver damage in 2000 and had a successful liver transplant after two years in London.
In 2005, he lost his life due to a kidney infection and multiple organ failure.
It is said that in the mid-'70s, George Best dated Majorie Wallace, the Texan Miss World, for a while.
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