In his last-ever interview weeks before his death, George Best – aged only 59 – allowed himself a moment for introspection.
For most of his life, one of the most revered and charismatic footballers of any generation became synonymous with celebrity culture. His personal life superseded a prodigious and unique playing career.
He made 466 appearances for Manchester United, scoring 179 goals but – for some – became more famous for his indiscretions.
But how did he want to be remembered? He answered emphatically: “I don’t give a toss about anything else – as long as they remember the football,” he said. “If only one person thinks I was the best player in the world, that’ll do for me, because that’s what it was all about as far as I’m concerned.”
George Best: True Genius, the latest documentary in the award-winning BT Sport Films series, pays homage to the carefree icon from Cregagh, Northern Ireland, who became the game’s first superstar.
The documentary, which is presented and narrated by Best’s son Calum and is being released in conjunction with a new book of the same name by respected author Wayne Barton, charts the rise and rise of a player who is still immortalised at Old Trafford and beyond.
