Great footballer and great company
George Best
George Best is widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time.
He was a star player for Northern Ireland and for Britain’s most successful team, Manchester United.
Best became the first “pop star” like footballer in the mid 1960s. His long hair and film star looks gained him publicity that went way beyond the sports pages. He led a celebrity lifestyle that saw him dating a series of beautiful women including several Miss World winners.
“I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars.
The rest I just squandered.”
Many fans felt that Best had wasted his great gifts. Best, however, never saw it that way. He said he made more money after leaving the game than he ever did while playing. His fans, however, couldn’t accept this.
To illustrate the point, Best recounted the story of how he went on a date with the woman who had just won the Miss World contest. They went to the races and won several thousand pounds.
That evening Best and Miss World laid the money out on the bed of their hotel room to count it. At that moment, a hotel waiter knocked on the door to bring them the two bottles of champagne they’d ordered to celebrate.
The waiter, still mindful of Best’s early retirement from football, handed over the champagne, looked at the beautiful Miss World, looked at the thousands of pounds and then said to Best: “George, where did it all go wrong?”
In the end, the pressures of sporting stardom and front page celebrity took its toll. He drank heavily and many people believe he squandered his great football talent. He descended into alcoholism and eventually needed a liver transplant.
Best died in 2005 at the age of 59. He remained honest and humble throughout his life and was never afraid to make fun of himself and his addiction to alcohol and the highlife.
These are some of his most famous sayings, which can still put a smile on the faces of his millions of fans.
I used to go missing a lot… Miss Canada, Miss United Kingdom, Miss World.
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They say I slept with seven Miss Worlds. I didn’t. It was only four. I didn’t turn up for the other three.
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I might go to Alcoholics Anonymous, but I think it would be difficult for me to remain anonymous.
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I’ve stopped drinking, but only while I’m asleep.
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When I finished playing I tried to find something to replace that buzz. Maybe I thought drinking made me feel good.
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It’s a pleasure to be standing here. It’s a pleasure to be standing up.
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