However, lack of success at international level was more than made up for at domestic level, as in the 1966/67 season, Best helped United to another league title. He was improving every year, and was now one of the most feared players in the world.
On his best form he was unmarkable and unstoppable. Some say that, when he was on top of his game, he was the best in the world. Considering he played in a time with the likes of Pele, Eusebio, Sir Bobby Charlton, and Bobby Moore, among others, this is a very high accolade.
However, it was the 1967/68 season where Best really hit his peak. United had the chance to get the trophy they most wanted—The European Cup. They had reached the final against Benfica at Wembley.
Best was awesome again. He went past players with ease, and scored one of United's four goals. Benfica only hit one in reply. Manchester United were European Champions. George Best was the star. He later went on to win the European Footballer of the Year award, the FWA Footballer of the Year award, and the First Division's Top Scorer award.
His career was at its zenith. Unfortunately, the only way from there is down. United's successful team started breaking up. Best himself started suffering from problems off the field.
He had opened two nightclubs, and soon the partying, gambling, alcoholism and womanising of his celebrity life-style was being exposed, and was catching up with him. He continued putting in good displays for the next few years, but not the type of displays people had come to expect from him.
In 1974, after eleven years, 466 appearances, and 178 goals, George Best and Manchester United parted company. Over the next ten years, Best played for eleven different clubs, ranging from Fulham, where he thoroughly enjoyed his time, to Tobermore United.
At 37, Best formally retired from football. His overall career stats stand at 204 goals in 579 appearances. He also won 37 caps for Northern Ireland and scored nine goals.
From then on, his life deteriorated. Multiple drink-driving offences and an assault on a police-officer put him behind bars for three months, and his consistent drinking was doing himself serious harm.
On the 25th November, 2005, George Best died due to liver problems. The whole world mourned the death of a superstar and one of the best players to have lived. As they still say in Northern Ireland, Manchester, and various other places around the world—Maradona good. Pele better. George Best.
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