El Clasico: George Best Official Story

Genius, Maverick, Legend

Possibly the greatest footballer ever produced by the United Kingdom, this DVD traces the career and chequered life of George Best. His career burned brilliantly for a few blessed seasons in the 19605 and he could, perhaps should, have played longer. But by the time his playing days had petered out messily, the Irishman had already proved himself the most naturally gifted footballer United had ever seen. You could go further and say he was the most talented player Britain has ever known and not hear much dissent. It is one of the received wisdoms about Best that he frittered away his talent, but that seems a harsh verdict. It is true that he did not hang around until his mid-jos, plodding along to pick up the pay-cheques and the plaudits reserved for long-serving old pros. But Best packed enough achievement into his time at United to last several careers.

He was pretty much a spent force at the top level long before his soth birthday - but he could look back on a career that featured 470 appearances and 179 goals for United; a European Cup winner's medal, two Championships, 37 international caps and a European Player of the Year award. He was United's top scorer of the season four times and in 1967/68 was the joint-leading scorer in the First Division with 28. It all adds together to make a decent haul of honours for a man whose top-flight career ended so prematurely. You cannot measure Best's worth just in terms of medals. He was an artist who happened to use a ball and a rectangle of grass rather than brush and canvas, and it w a tragedy that his genius also bore the seeds of his own destruction. It was Best's fate that the only opponent he could never elude was drink, but his place in the pantheom is reserved for all time in spite of his unfortunate demise. Pele, many people's choice as the best ever, said simply, 'George Best was the greatest footballer in the world.