George Best playing as a team player , making many passes and even tackling .He could do anything that was required , there is no better complete player
That's exactly what he brought joy, you wouldn't have missed a match when he was on tv and when you saw him playing live you were willing him to get the ball as you knew he would do something that would make you gasp. Amazing footballer.
One thing I noticed about this vid and with alot of footage of Best is how well he controlled the ball on the worst pitches. The pitches we have today are like carpets. God knows how good he would have been playing on today's pitches instead of bogs.
It would have been so easy for George Best playing today not getting tackled the way they used to for a start and then playing on a bowling green of a pitch, for me he is the most gifted footballer to have ever played the game a genuis.
Saw a George Best compilation of this match a few years ago from another content creator, but the picture quality was nowhere near this superb quality. Best was in cruise control mode here, which was expected, being a testimonial match. Still, he stood out above all the galaxy of stars on show. His superb ball artistry, still very much intact here. Only Pelé & Cruyff where in Best stratosphere, around this time.
It's quite incredible that he managed to stand out even in that star-studded set up. I'm not even sure that he was _technically_ the best player of the game - there were multiple excellent performances that night from Seeler, Charlton, Moore and Džajić' cameo was nothing but excellent... but you can see that some of the stuff that Best did with the ball was something that only he and he can alone could replicate (at least out of those who were on the pitch).
@@HarmsFootball You seem to be a big George Best fan, as you've got lots of compilations on him. Have you seen a big game a year later after this match? A 1973 match up between Europe XI vs South America XI? That game was jam packed with big stars from Eusébio to Rivellino. But Cruyff dominated proceedings in the way, only he could. MOTM. He was " on " in that match. Superb artistry, the whole time he played. Showed why he was the greatest player of the 1970s
Your right john pacino. But i would place best above pele for sheer natural born skill. But best and pele were well above cruyff. Best had the closest ball control i have ever seen in a player, not just with the ball but with his own body he had the best control over his own body, wich most people dont notice. He had the greatest balance ever. His top half of his body could go down as much as to knee level and he would still not fall and keep close control. Paddy crerand once said george had double jointed anckles lol becouse every week after the game when they were getting stripped off for a shower georges two legs from top to bottom and front and back would be black and blue and mahogany all the way down to his bare feet and not once did he go down, "a couldnt believe it, we all knew he got wallopped and kicked to the point where we had to step in and say ok enoughs enough if yous kick george then we will kick yous even harder and we did, but when ye saw his two legs ye knew then how hard he was being kicked and didnt complain till it got far to much"
@@alanmctavish4802 Yes indeed. Best had supreme ball control & balance of the ball. He'd ride tackles like a skier & not lose the momentum & trajectory of his run with the ball. Did he have the best close control? Hard to say. Pelé, Cruyff, Maradona, Brazil Ronaldo, Messi, had supreme close control of the ball at high octane speeds, under duress from defenders & could still pivot in & out of defenders with the ball under control. I think we can both agree, that there's only been a handfull of supremely elite players, who's level of ball artistry was beyond the majority of players that have ever played the game & Best is definitely in that handfull of elite players.
@@johnpacino007 Yeah, I've seen it. Generally I'd have both Cruyff & Beckenbauer ahead of Best in all-time standings - I love the latter to bits, but you can't argue against him not making the most out of his insane natural ability (which was probably around to Maradona's/L. Ronaldo's level). Cruyff's spatial awareness and general understanding of football was also second to none, probably the greatest ever.
George hardly got out of 1st gear here. By 1972 he had lost his love of the game and discovered his love for alcohol. But you can still see what could have been.
Exactly fatbelly27. Thats why i say george was the greatest player in the world from 1966 to 1972. Pele didnt come close when george in those years was in a class of his own. Yes pele was a better player for longer, as in 12 years. But for those 6 years from 1966 to 1972 george was the greatest ever. No one could touch him in those years. He did things that we hadnt seen before ever in football. Like just standing with the ball and not moving, and it seemend like 30 long seconds and the defender still hadnt made a move to tackle him. It kind of amazed me when he went down the wing with the ball and when a player put a foot in george would use his foot on the outside to block it. I have seen him do it so many times to know its not luck, i had never seen a player do that before either. One time i saw him going down the wing and 3 times when a player tried to put a foot in to get the ball best used his outside boot to stop the tackle and i thought his feet must be solid. Well the most famous one was when ron chopper harris came sliding in with a fierce hammer blow tackle on george and he hit georges right foot so hard he wobbled a bit but stayed on his feet it was a real brutal tackle but george refused to go down. Today harris would have got sent off for that. He tried to break georges leg. Then george took the ball round the goalkeeper. Its my second favourite george best goal.
Best was a great player for sure ! not sure if he was better than Cryuff ? I'd say equal but not even on his best day could he touch Zizou the Goat !!!!!!
@@peterwhelan1658 Best couldn't lace Cryuff's boots. Cryuff won literally dozens of medals over 3 decades. Best won a total of 3 in the 1960's and none after that. The most overrated player of all time.
Johny rocker, a bit of advice johny medals mean fuck all when it comes to skill, flair, timing, tenacity, bravery, two footed, remarkable speed of thought, pace, alot of great players lack a finish but george had total self-believe. And he could play in any position on the park and still be the best player there. To make it easier becouse i can tell you dont know much about football, cruyff has more medals than maradona so does that make cruyff better lol cruyff couldnt hold a candle to maradona, or zidane, c,ronaldo, messi, eusebio, becknbuaer, pele, and georgie best. Cruyff wasnt even as half as brave than best when going in for a tackle. Best had better vision at reading the game and losing his marker. Just ask any player who saw him or played against or with him. A know a player who won 6 medals and didnt kick a ball?
We are enjoying and the future generations will enjoy.....the epics, literature of Tolstoy, Dickens etc., films made by Chaplin etc. and the talents of these players, -- dribbling and scoring ability of the footballers, accurate serves of Federer, Borg etc., we cannot do but can only like them for ages, in each and every generation, feel astonished!
One thing about Georgie, he didn't have much of a shot, but boy, could he dribble. I remember seeing s clip when he scored an amazing goal in the USA soccer league, and he dribbled past everyone, even the goalie, as he tended to do. But in his time in North America is when his drinking went super ballistic. Those long shots, in bars that is.
According to Bobby Charlton, "George blew hot and cold". In other words, the person best placed to make a call on Best said that he was inconsistent. Maybe that's why his career finished with a mere 3 medals.
Tavy@ thancks for the upload harms. All this stuff and in colour is goal dust of george best in 1970 and eusebio and beckanbuar and co. But best still stands out amongst all those greats. Pele was the closest to best at this time in terms of just sheer natural born skill. Theres something about best that makes him even look a great player when he just stands with the ball. Its the way he plays? He plays as if he isnt really trying while looking laid back and he already knows hes going to beat who ever trys to tackle him and then the 4 others after that lol, i have never saw a player with so much self belief and confidence in any sport than George Best. He had the closest control i have ever saw in a player, and not just with the ball but with his own body, he would sway a bit here and there and he sometimes did it deliberatly but he wouldnt go down. If young boys were to watch the way he moves his feet, they would learn alot. The way he stops the ball with 1 foot then automaticly hits a 40 yard pass with his other foot and the player has beaten the offside trap. Why? Becouse when you recieve a pass and cant kick with both feet by the time you control it then adjust the ball onto your better foot to hit a long pass its too late, the defence spot what your about to do and just step out and your team mate is off side. Becouse those 3 to 5 seconds is what counts, 3 to 5 seconds sounds like nothing. But its what the other team see you doing or what your trying to do. So you miss out the trying to do bit. But ye have to be two footed first, wich isnt easy believe me. Becouse when you control that ball when it falls to the ground or already played to you along the ground when it comes to you as it rolls to your foot any foot, thats when you just go BANG and hit that 30 or 40 or even 50 yard pass all in the same movement. And you will be amazed how it catches there defence sleeping. But to take 3 or 4 touches then to make it look so obvous your looking to hit that long pass its already to late, becouse your team mate has either been man marked by then or hes offside. But sometimes if your lucky you can get away with it, becouse alot of teams seeing a pass coming from that distance dont like playing offside? Becouse its so hard for the linesman to judge and they often get it wrong when he IS offside. Or a defender marking him can miss time his jump and miss the ball altogether, but great teams rarely miss time there jumps, personaly i dont like playing offside becouse i have seen so many lines men get it wrong, and am talking the guy was 4 yards offside!!!!
He exploded the away team attendance where ever he played and in a lot of away games then where you were able to queue up and pay on the day ,Man Utd had the most fans at the game.
All great players indeed and along with Pele, Garrincha, Beckanbauer, Muller, Overath, Riva, Rivera Cruyff, Greaves ,Moore Law and the great polish player Lubanski it was a great era for football .A lot of the younger one's today think the defenders then were poor definitely not, i remember Bobby Moore, Mike England, Alan Mullery Emlyn Hughes, Paul Reaney Terry Cooper Dave Mackay and thats before we get to the real hard men like Ron Harris Tommy Smith, Norman Hunter and Nobby Stiles. Players today have it easy.
@@jamesgordon2805 Are you sure they were as hard or as hard, as say Souness, Keane, McMahon, Roberts, V.Jones, Robson, Ruddock, McGrath, Pearce or Dicks, etc..
@@Supreme_321 Great hard defenders there you mentioned, but most of them are from the 80s. and i still think players today get it far easier than the players of the past.
@@jamesgordon2805 Yes most 80's and 90's players before the Premier League and the influx of foreign players. Just making the point that the English game was probably at its most physical in this era. The introduction of the Premier League maybe changed what players could get away with...? Players were certainly stronger and more athletic in the 80's & 90's compared to before.
After 68 and United's peak, George should've moved to one of the top European clubs for a fresh challenge. Away from the goldfish bowl of nightclubs and alcohol, lord knows what he could've achieved.
He wanted the team built around him but I think that within United, he was always seen as "the kid". Truth be told, the one failing of all the Holy Trinity was they weren't quite generals in the way for example Cruyff and Beckenbauer were. Busby listened to players like Cantwell and Crerand in a way he never did to Charlton, Best or Law. That and chronic under-investment in players between '63 and '72.
Pele named Best as the best in the world, better than himself! I wouldn't go quite that far, but he was unquestionably the best ever from the British Isles.
so strange to watch this. these guys were my childhood heroes and yet...the driblings and such - compared to what you see from the players today, on far lower levels, is way beyond what they did! is it the ball, the grass, or how to explain it?? and the tempo...uh. also, of course, this was NOT 1968. but, same thing when you watch World Cup matches from the years gone by. Extreme development!
Tavy@ it was amazing how best could control any pass and beat 3 players on a park that was so hard and bumpy. But half of his team couldnt even control and take a 5 yard pass? Best was gifted beyond belief. The greatest player ever. See the way he moves his body and not the ball then does it in reverse, and by then the player doesnt know if hes coming or going lol plus i have never saw a player that could ride a tackle and make it look so easy and doesnt move an inch. Even pele and maradona didnt have the skill and balance best had! Rip george
Lot of great points there. Best could go past defenders like they weren't there, he could see passes no one could see, and score any kind of goal if he was in the mood. In the same way he doesn't look like any other player on the pitch, he seemed to be able to read the game quicker than anyone else on the field. Tremendous. His only opposition was himself.
😲😲😲😲😲!! Best fantastic mutant genial art driblings! ! 👏👏👏!! The partit of best , Eusébio, Bob Charlton, beckenbauer etc !! Show of best driblings velocitd and control perfect boll !! The tens tens fifas sécules! ! Maradona " god " pelé " The beteer " geord " The best " !! 👏👏👏👏👏
Greatest European player of all time - most mesmerising, anyway. Q is why England never produced anyone like this - Clarke, Keegan, MacDonald, Gascoigne, Lineker, Gerrard - all great players but not in this class
Actually we did. Rodney Marsh, Stan Bowles, Frank Worthington, Alan Hudson, Tony Currie. And in previous generations, Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney and Johnny Haines. All highly talented players for their clubs but never allowed to entertain for England the way other countries did. That was our big failure. The teenage Joe Cole had all the skills in the world but English football has never trusted flair players.
@@andrewashdown3541 You're entitled to disagree. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying those players were better than Best, I'm saying we always had flair players but they were never encouraged. The belief was that they undermined the principle of the manager being in charge and the players obeying his orders. Matt Busby's brilliance was to try to give George Best the freedom to try things, create for the team, but Busby wasn't your typical manager. Brazil, for example, seemed happy to pack their team with flair rather than 'hard working midfielders'. As a result Brazilian kids grew up believing it was the best thing to do trying to emulate their heroes. And with 4 or 5 World Cups it seems to have worked out quite well for them
@@mesolithicman164 Can't argue with that - but, unfortunately, we will never know whether it's really true or not. Can't believe Best would have been held back by any manager
You could put george best on a park in 1971 with 21 of the greatest players in the world and best would still be the greatest player on the park. Here you can see hes just walking becouse he was past his best. And when he beats 2 players he runs or walks into trouble and loses the ball. George best would never have did that becouse his mind was 3 moves ahead of other players. Here hes just doing what he can when he gets the ball, wich isnt much really.
Is the whole match available?...then there is another match in 1973, I believe, ( in which he played alongside Pele), for the Rest-of-the-World, against Anderlecht, in honor of Paul Van Himst.
@@johnnyrocker7495 Oh its you again. The man who knows nothing about football. If you don't like him why are you on these George Best video forum's?. I think you must be a comedian? .
When the arguments start about who was the best, it should really come down to Pele, Maradonna and Best (I never saw anything of Puskas) Look at the pitches they had to play on, and get todays superstars to try to dribble on them. Watch how much physical damage they had to contend with when defenders would target the legs and not the ball. Look at the balls even that would absorb water and gain weight., the boots were mass produced rubbish compared to todays lightweight models. There is an iconic picture of George Best after a game, standing with the ball under his arm, socks rolled down and from the knees down there was nothing but mud, blood and bruises. Somewhere on this channel there is footage of a fat, probably hung over Best playing for Hibs versus Rangers on a frozen pitch where people could hardly run, and he still managed to glide. Absolute marvel was this man.
And add to that current era footballers play with an easier implementation of the offside rule, which was changed to its current form in 1990.An easier offside rule that makes it more advantageous for both teams and players to score goals.Also those crunching behind the legs tackles that sent many international footballers into an early retirement.Are outlawed in the current era of football and referees protect players better these days too.The striker in the current era of football definitely has it easier than the players of older football eras.
Ive never understood this "look at the pitches" arguments. Great players are great player no matter what the pitches are like. They adapt. You can be sure theyve all played on pitches like that during their childhood too. Playing on bad pitches isnt kryptonite to great players. As we;ve seen in the past great dribblers are great dribblers even on bad pitches coz they are unreal with the ball and humans adapt, same with the gear etc.... Its a non point IMO.. If u have Best, Maradona and Pele as your top 3 tho then its a great top 3.... I love Best but didnt see him live(only videos of him).. My top 3 with be Maradona, Messi and Brazil Ronaldo... Wasnt alive for Pele or Best but theyre legends too.
He is playing with world class players here and I don't think he gave them the play they deserved. Gerd Muller said when he played with George in the US he wouldn't pass to him or play it short trying to make him look bad, says a lot to me. Great player though but past his best too early, he should have moved from Man utd as the club was lacking ambition after 68.
Best should of left united after the won the European cup in 68 as the united team was in decline. He should of joined Chelsea as they played great football. Best nutmegged Cryuff in Rotterdam when playing for northern ireland, Cruyff said "you cant train for what Best has" he was so natural plus he was kicked off the park every wek the balls were heavy the pitches were mud baths. Best was the greatest player of all time no disrepect to Northern ireland but god i wish he had been English and could of played on the world stage at world cups etc. Messi is good , Marradonna to cruyff, pele but George was BEST. i saw him twice truly amazing player.
Some class players there for sure , though not taking it very seriously . Germans were the best in that era and George best was a great entertainer domestically but never the player that many British football fans thought he was . He wasn’t on the level of a Gerd muller , franz beckanbaur or a Bobby Charlton. The whole of Europe rate those players alongside the great players of Holland .
@@garyowens1517 I agree Gary 100 percent. He did more in one game than some could do in ten years and he has left us a million memories of his unique talent.
@@garyowens1517 It was a very sad day the day he died Gary it was like losing a part of your childhood. Had the great joy of seeing him play in Belfast many times including the famous disallowed goal against England back in 1971. My late father saw most of his internationals apart from 2, and he too thought he was the greatest.
@@leepatrick9432 If you had bothered to read it, I made a joke out of it but the truth was George made his own joke about going missing (I used to go missing a lot... Miss Canada, Miss United Kingdom, Miss World.) he went missing with a number of Man Utd mangers inc Matt Busby in the early 70s until Tommy Docherty got rid of him in 1974 fact!
Best always faking to go one way but going the other, or pretending to shoot but holding the ball instead. Deception great part of his game, like Messi has always done.
Give Puskas his due, he played in a WC final after having his ankle fractured in the first round match (against Germany). Though there was no way they'd let a 'Soviet Bloc' nation win the WC. Hence the Germans being doped (as revealed by the team doctor) and having a legit goal chalked off...
Can anyone not comprehend how with today's weak tackling& lack of Physicality,Football Pitches like 'Bowling greens,a Plastic& light football,bigger squads,more focus on nutrition& rest...George ( and many others Platini. Maradona,Baggio,Ruud Gullitt,Gazza) w/b having fun!
If one critically analyses Best's play one would have to acknowledge what a poor player he was. Most of his shots here are pathetic. His success rate with passes is abysmal. He delivers more than a few 'hospital' balls. He generally slows up play and does some fancy body work before it fizzles out in possession for the other team. He simply wasn't fit.
This video made me angry more than anything. A wasted talent playing in some throwaway piece of shit game when he had the potential to be the greatest player that ever lived.
the more i watch these old matches the more i realise how bad at football that era was...evolucion of the sport can not be denied, players like Messi today would eat that era alive
By the way when I was a kid my hero as a Wolves fan was Derek Dougan from the wrong part of Ireland according to you so why did you start that muppet shite its aggressive and comes across as intolerant of other people's views infact its very weak I could do some assuming to but why should I join the club I don't want to be in
You can say what you like about his drinking problems but as a footballer i defy anyone to criticise him as he was second to none . I`ve never seen anyone better and everything he did was with his own swaggering style . Pele Great. Maradona Better but George BEST. R.I.P. Belfast Boy💓🎉 .If you`d been English the Q of who is Best wouldn`t need to be asked. MUMUFMUFC OK💓🤍🖤🟢🟡
@@somerledislay9987 ,Go on then smart arse name me a better player who played on quagmire pitches, faced brutal physical tackles from proper hardman hatchetmen defenders and trained with limited facilities and still left the crowds agasp at his skills and style ? Cos nobody did it like Georgie Best. Ronaldhino , Both Ronaldo's and Messi wouldnt' ve lasted a season playing in The Best's era. Fact not fantasy !
@@somerledislay9987 3 great players I grant you especially wee Jinky , heavily under rated , but still behind the Best ever for me ,although having Law and Charlton beside him made a difference .
George Best-one of the most naturally gifted players of all time.
Flawed genius
George Best playing as a team player , making many passes and even tackling .He could do anything that was required , there is no better complete player
With his Football he brought so much joy to people. A truly extraordinary player.
That's exactly what he brought joy, you wouldn't have missed a match when he was on tv and when you saw him playing live you were willing him to get the ball as you knew he would do something that would make you gasp. Amazing footballer.
Saw George many times at Old Trafford. Genius nobody compares.
The way he turns, there's nothing a defender can do about it. Charlton as well, imagine them both in the modern game?
Wow ! What a player he was !
Genius and the greatest.
Best is certainly 'one' of the greatest players of any era
Love watching videos of these amazing old school players
One thing I noticed about this vid and with alot of footage of Best is how well he controlled the ball on the worst pitches. The pitches we have today are like carpets. God knows how good he would have been playing on today's pitches instead of bogs.
Exactly. All those great players from the past would love today's pitches and the balls they have today too.
It would have been so easy for George Best playing today not getting tackled the way they used to for a start and then playing on a bowling green of a pitch, for me he is the most gifted footballer to have ever played the game a genuis.
@@jamesgordon2805 you won't get any argument from me on that James. I totally agree with you
I agree billy he would have been unstoppable.
He was ahead of his time. Like all great artists.
george was simply the best
Original u
Saw a George Best compilation of this match a few years ago from another content creator, but the picture quality was nowhere near this superb quality.
Best was in cruise control mode here, which was expected, being a testimonial match. Still, he stood out above all the galaxy of stars on show. His superb ball artistry, still very much intact here.
Only Pelé & Cruyff where in Best stratosphere, around this time.
It's quite incredible that he managed to stand out even in that star-studded set up. I'm not even sure that he was _technically_ the best player of the game - there were multiple excellent performances that night from Seeler, Charlton, Moore and Džajić' cameo was nothing but excellent... but you can see that some of the stuff that Best did with the ball was something that only he and he can alone could replicate (at least out of those who were on the pitch).
@@HarmsFootball You seem to be a big George Best fan, as you've got lots of compilations on him. Have you seen a big game a year later after this match? A 1973 match up between Europe XI vs South America XI? That game was jam packed with big stars from Eusébio to Rivellino.
But Cruyff dominated proceedings in the way, only he could. MOTM. He was " on " in that match. Superb artistry, the whole time he played. Showed why he was the greatest player of the 1970s
Your right john pacino. But i would place best above pele for sheer natural born skill. But best and pele were well above cruyff. Best had the closest ball control i have ever seen in a player, not just with the ball but with his own body he had the best control over his own body, wich most people dont notice. He had the greatest balance ever. His top half of his body could go down as much as to knee level and he would still not fall and keep close control. Paddy crerand once said george had double jointed anckles lol becouse every week after the game when they were getting stripped off for a shower georges two legs from top to bottom and front and back would be black and blue and mahogany all the way down to his bare feet and not once did he go down, "a couldnt believe it, we all knew he got wallopped and kicked to the point where we had to step in and say ok enoughs enough if yous kick george then we will kick yous even harder and we did, but when ye saw his two legs ye knew then how hard he was being kicked and didnt complain till it got far to much"
@@alanmctavish4802 Yes indeed. Best had supreme ball control & balance of the ball. He'd ride tackles like a skier & not lose the momentum & trajectory of his run with the ball.
Did he have the best close control? Hard to say. Pelé, Cruyff, Maradona, Brazil Ronaldo, Messi, had supreme close control of the ball at high octane speeds, under duress from defenders & could still pivot in & out of defenders with the ball under control.
I think we can both agree, that there's only been a handfull of supremely elite players, who's level of ball artistry was beyond the majority of players that have ever played the game & Best is definitely in that handfull of elite players.
@@johnpacino007 Yeah, I've seen it. Generally I'd have both Cruyff & Beckenbauer ahead of Best in all-time standings - I love the latter to bits, but you can't argue against him not making the most out of his insane natural ability (which was probably around to Maradona's/L. Ronaldo's level). Cruyff's spatial awareness and general understanding of football was also second to none, probably the greatest ever.
George hardly got out of 1st gear here. By 1972 he had lost his love of the game and discovered his love for alcohol. But you can still see what could have been.
Right up there wi where did it all go wrong
Exactly fatbelly27. Thats why i say george was the greatest player in the world from 1966 to 1972. Pele didnt come close when george in those years was in a class of his own. Yes pele was a better player for longer, as in 12 years. But for those 6 years from 1966 to 1972 george was the greatest ever. No one could touch him in those years. He did things that we hadnt seen before ever in football. Like just standing with the ball and not moving, and it seemend like 30 long seconds and the defender still hadnt made a move to tackle him. It kind of amazed me when he went down the wing with the ball and when a player put a foot in george would use his foot on the outside to block it. I have seen him do it so many times to know its not luck, i had never seen a player do that before either. One time i saw him going down the wing and 3 times when a player tried to put a foot in to get the ball best used his outside boot to stop the tackle and i thought his feet must be solid. Well the most famous one was when ron chopper harris came sliding in with a fierce hammer blow tackle on george and he hit georges right foot so hard he wobbled a bit but stayed on his feet it was a real brutal tackle but george refused to go down. Today harris would have got sent off for that. He tried to break georges leg. Then george took the ball round the goalkeeper. Its my second favourite george best goal.
Best was a great player for sure ! not sure if he was better than Cryuff ? I'd say equal but not even on his best day could he touch Zizou the Goat !!!!!!
@@peterwhelan1658 Best couldn't lace Cryuff's boots. Cryuff won literally dozens of medals over 3 decades. Best won a total of 3 in the 1960's and none after that. The most overrated player of all time.
Johny rocker, a bit of advice johny medals mean fuck all when it comes to skill, flair, timing, tenacity, bravery, two footed, remarkable speed of thought, pace, alot of great players lack a finish but george had total self-believe. And he could play in any position on the park and still be the best player there. To make it easier becouse i can tell you dont know much about football, cruyff has more medals than maradona so does that make cruyff better lol cruyff couldnt hold a candle to maradona, or zidane, c,ronaldo, messi, eusebio, becknbuaer, pele, and georgie best. Cruyff wasnt even as half as brave than best when going in for a tackle. Best had better vision at reading the game and losing his marker. Just ask any player who saw him or played against or with him. A know a player who won 6 medals and didnt kick a ball?
George Best The Wizard!!
Best was an amazing player. I first saw him play for United in 1967. I thought he was the best player in Britain 1966-70.
Great work👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽.wonderfull performances for best
Two goals I remember, on MOTD back then, Man U against Tottenham, and that one vee Sheffield United.
Congrats for still being around the game of football we love seeing the elderly around the game of football. Much love from Ghana.
He should have played abroad with the 70s galacticos generation. That would have been something to see. Real Madrid, Barcelona.
Now THATS a line up
We are enjoying and the future generations will enjoy.....the epics, literature of Tolstoy, Dickens etc., films made by Chaplin etc. and the talents of these players, -- dribbling and scoring ability of the footballers, accurate serves of Federer, Borg etc., we cannot do but can only like them for ages, in each and every generation, feel astonished!
One thing about Georgie, he didn't have much of a shot, but boy, could he dribble. I remember seeing s clip when he scored an amazing goal in the USA soccer league, and he dribbled past everyone, even the goalie, as he tended to do. But in his time in North America is when his drinking went super ballistic. Those long shots, in bars that is.
Check his goal out against Leeds in 1970 at Elland Road
Who needed a shot when you only needed a patented tap in
That's why he hadn't many children...he always dribbled before he shot..
Best scored many great goals from distance as well as his fantastic dribbling skills.
Classic XI, legendary players in a single team
Class
thank you for this, this is new to me. Think about all the unrecorded games of him.
Exactly william charles. Seemingly his better goals are not on camera and his better games.
According to Bobby Charlton, "George blew hot and cold". In other words, the person best placed to make a call on Best said that he was inconsistent. Maybe that's why his career finished with a mere 3 medals.
wow amazing quality.. Thank you so much!
You're welcome!
Tavy@ thancks for the upload harms. All this stuff and in colour is goal dust of george best in 1970 and eusebio and beckanbuar and co. But best still stands out amongst all those greats. Pele was the closest to best at this time in terms of just sheer natural born skill. Theres something about best that makes him even look a great player when he just stands with the ball. Its the way he plays? He plays as if he isnt really trying while looking laid back and he already knows hes going to beat who ever trys to tackle him and then the 4 others after that lol, i have never saw a player with so much self belief and confidence in any sport than George Best. He had the closest control i have ever saw in a player, and not just with the ball but with his own body, he would sway a bit here and there and he sometimes did it deliberatly but he wouldnt go down. If young boys were to watch the way he moves his feet, they would learn alot. The way he stops the ball with 1 foot then automaticly hits a 40 yard pass with his other foot and the player has beaten the offside trap. Why? Becouse when you recieve a pass and cant kick with both feet by the time you control it then adjust the ball onto your better foot to hit a long pass its too late, the defence spot what your about to do and just step out and your team mate is off side. Becouse those 3 to 5 seconds is what counts, 3 to 5 seconds sounds like nothing. But its what the other team see you doing or what your trying to do. So you miss out the trying to do bit. But ye have to be two footed first, wich isnt easy believe me. Becouse when you control that ball when it falls to the ground or already played to you along the ground when it comes to you as it rolls to your foot any foot, thats when you just go BANG and hit that 30 or 40 or even 50 yard pass all in the same movement. And you will be amazed how it catches there defence sleeping. But to take 3 or 4 touches then to make it look so obvous your looking to hit that long pass its already to late, becouse your team mate has either been man marked by then or hes offside. But sometimes if your lucky you can get away with it, becouse alot of teams seeing a pass coming from that distance dont like playing offside? Becouse its so hard for the linesman to judge and they often get it wrong when he IS offside. Or a defender marking him can miss time his jump and miss the ball altogether, but great teams rarely miss time there jumps, personaly i dont like playing offside becouse i have seen so many lines men get it wrong, and am talking the guy was 4 yards offside!!!!
Wow, rare clips. I vaguely remember this match happening, but wasn't down on UK TV, not even highlight clips.
He exploded the away team attendance where ever he played and in a lot of away games then where you were able to queue up and pay on the day ,Man Utd had the most fans at the game.
Well past his Best at this stage but always my favourite player ..
The greatest player there was
The greatest player ever..?! 🤔😳
Not even in the top 100. Only won 3 medals in his entire career.
@@johnnyrocker7495 and? Gerrard fluked 1 CL and he's considered great.
What about nobby Stiles?
Maradona number 1
Best, Charlton and Eusabio what more could you ask for .
All great players indeed and along with Pele, Garrincha, Beckanbauer, Muller, Overath, Riva, Rivera Cruyff, Greaves ,Moore Law and the great polish player Lubanski it was a great era for football .A lot of the younger one's today think the defenders then were poor definitely not, i remember Bobby Moore, Mike England, Alan Mullery Emlyn Hughes, Paul Reaney Terry Cooper Dave Mackay and thats before we get to the real hard men like Ron Harris Tommy Smith, Norman Hunter and Nobby Stiles. Players today have it easy.
@@jamesgordon2805 Are you sure they were as hard or as hard, as say Souness, Keane, McMahon, Roberts, V.Jones, Robson, Ruddock, McGrath, Pearce or Dicks, etc..
Eusebio, but I say Keano Keano!
I don't know why Eusebio, I say Keano
@@Supreme_321 Great hard defenders there you mentioned, but most of them are from the 80s. and i still think players today get it far easier than the players of the past.
@@jamesgordon2805 Yes most 80's and 90's players before the Premier League and the influx of foreign players. Just making the point that the English game was probably at its most physical in this era. The introduction of the Premier League maybe changed what players could get away with...? Players were certainly stronger and more athletic in the 80's & 90's compared to before.
Great video... excellent footage 👌👌👌
Yeah, I couldn't believe my luck when I saw quality of the footage.
After 68 and United's peak, George should've moved to one of the top European clubs for a fresh challenge. Away from the goldfish bowl of nightclubs and alcohol, lord knows what he could've achieved.
He wanted the team built around him but I think that within United, he was always seen as "the kid". Truth be told, the one failing of all the Holy Trinity was they weren't quite generals in the way for example Cruyff and Beckenbauer were. Busby listened to players like Cantwell and Crerand in a way he never did to Charlton, Best or Law. That and chronic under-investment in players between '63 and '72.
George Best made the game look easy . Flawed , he may have been , but genius he definitely was .
Pele named Best as the best in the world, better than himself! I wouldn't go quite that far, but he was unquestionably the best ever from the British Isles.
Sadly the Decline was just Round The corner. Finished at The Top level at 26...Saw his comeback at 27 in 1973...Never Quite The same.
Maradona and Best. The only two players who have got me on the edge of my seat. Best is outstanding amongst this world class talent.
Best was brilliant. I remember his famous quote "I've spent most of my money on drink, fast cars and beautiful women; the rest I squandered".
Cruyff was better
@@ZAOUWV no way
@@ZAOUWV Cryuff was light years better.
that quote is quite sad, after him dying of alcohol abuse. Wonderful player though.
Some man , dunno how he managed tae put up wi it , total respect
Charlton great player
The greatest.
so strange to watch this. these guys were my childhood heroes and yet...the driblings and such - compared to what you see from the players today, on far lower levels, is way beyond what they did! is it the ball, the grass, or how to explain it?? and the tempo...uh. also, of course, this was NOT 1968. but, same thing when you watch World Cup matches from the years gone by. Extreme development!
George Best was awesome... Germany had Gerd Müller who was the most efficient player of football.
Muller liked the swally as well
My idol.
Tavy@ it was amazing how best could control any pass and beat 3 players on a park that was so hard and bumpy. But half of his team couldnt even control and take a 5 yard pass? Best was gifted beyond belief. The greatest player ever. See the way he moves his body and not the ball then does it in reverse, and by then the player doesnt know if hes coming or going lol plus i have never saw a player that could ride a tackle and make it look so easy and doesnt move an inch. Even pele and maradona didnt have the skill and balance best had! Rip george
Lot of great points there. Best could go past defenders like they weren't there, he could see passes no one could see, and score any kind of goal if he was in the mood. In the same way he doesn't look like any other player on the pitch, he seemed to be able to read the game quicker than anyone else on the field. Tremendous. His only opposition was himself.
😲😲😲😲😲!! Best fantastic mutant genial art driblings! ! 👏👏👏!! The partit of best , Eusébio, Bob Charlton, beckenbauer etc !! Show of best driblings velocitd and control perfect boll !! The tens tens fifas sécules! ! Maradona " god " pelé " The beteer " geord " The best " !! 👏👏👏👏👏
looks so interesting with the kits without logos, and names, different era huh
Greatest European player of all time - most mesmerising, anyway. Q is why England never produced anyone like this - Clarke, Keegan, MacDonald, Gascoigne, Lineker, Gerrard - all great players but not in this class
Actually we did. Rodney Marsh, Stan Bowles, Frank Worthington, Alan Hudson, Tony Currie. And in previous generations, Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney and Johnny Haines. All highly talented players for their clubs but never allowed to entertain for England the way other countries did. That was our big failure. The teenage Joe Cole had all the skills in the world but English football has never trusted flair players.
@@mesolithicman164 I disagree
@@andrewashdown3541
You're entitled to disagree.
Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying those players were better than Best, I'm saying we always had flair players but they were never encouraged. The belief was that they undermined the principle of the manager being in charge and the players obeying his orders. Matt Busby's brilliance was to try to give George Best the freedom to try things, create for the team, but Busby wasn't your typical manager.
Brazil, for example, seemed happy to pack their team with flair rather than 'hard working midfielders'. As a result Brazilian kids grew up believing it was the best thing to do trying to emulate their heroes. And with 4 or 5 World Cups it seems to have worked out quite well for them
@@mesolithicman164 You’re having a laugh.
@@mesolithicman164 Can't argue with that - but, unfortunately, we will never know whether it's really true or not. Can't believe Best would have been held back by any manager
You could put george best on a park in 1971 with 21 of the greatest players in the world and best would still be the greatest player on the park. Here you can see hes just walking becouse he was past his best. And when he beats 2 players he runs or walks into trouble and loses the ball. George best would never have did that becouse his mind was 3 moves ahead of other players. Here hes just doing what he can when he gets the ball, wich isnt much really.
Is the whole match available?...then there is another match in 1973, I believe, ( in which he played alongside Pele), for the Rest-of-the-World, against Anderlecht, in honor of Paul Van Himst.
Yeah, I’ve made it from the full 90 minute footage
Best ever
George Best the most talented footballer ever.
Not even in the top 100.
@@johnnyrocker7495 Oh its you again. The man who knows nothing about football. If you don't like him why are you on these George Best video forum's?. I think you must be a comedian? .
@@jamesgordon2805 Good ol' Bestie. 3 medals and half a career.
@@johnnyrocker7495 Good ol Johnny a failed comedian with nothing better to do than talk nonsense
@@jamesgordon2805 Well you started it James! 😂😂😂
When the arguments start about who was the best, it should really come down to Pele, Maradonna and Best (I never saw anything of Puskas) Look at the pitches they had to play on, and get todays superstars to try to dribble on them. Watch how much physical damage they had to contend with when defenders would target the legs and not the ball. Look at the balls even that would absorb water and gain weight., the boots were mass produced rubbish compared to todays lightweight models. There is an iconic picture of George Best after a game, standing with the ball under his arm, socks rolled down and from the knees down there was nothing but mud, blood and bruises. Somewhere on this channel there is footage of a fat, probably hung over Best playing for Hibs versus Rangers on a frozen pitch where people could hardly run, and he still managed to glide. Absolute marvel was this man.
And add to that current era footballers play with an easier implementation of the offside rule, which was changed to its current form in 1990.An easier offside rule that makes it more advantageous for both teams and players to score goals.Also those crunching behind the legs tackles that sent many international footballers into an early retirement.Are outlawed in the current era of football and referees protect players better these days too.The striker in the current era of football definitely has it easier than the players of older football eras.
Ive never understood this "look at the pitches" arguments. Great players are great player no matter what the pitches are like. They adapt. You can be sure theyve all played on pitches like that during their childhood too. Playing on bad pitches isnt kryptonite to great players. As we;ve seen in the past great dribblers are great dribblers even on bad pitches coz they are unreal with the ball and humans adapt, same with the gear etc.... Its a non point IMO.. If u have Best, Maradona and Pele as your top 3 tho then its a great top 3.... I love Best but didnt see him live(only videos of him).. My top 3 with be Maradona, Messi and Brazil Ronaldo... Wasnt alive for Pele or Best but theyre legends too.
George Best is better than Messi is he , that`s what I mean about Best fans
@@Razormiller
Bobby Charlton.
End of.
@@brianvincent655 "End of" haha good one... Truly great player tho. Best English player maybe.
He is playing with world class players here and I don't think he gave them the play they deserved. Gerd Muller said when he played with George in the US he wouldn't pass to him or play it short trying to make him look bad, says a lot to me. Great player though but past his best too early, he should have moved from Man utd as the club was lacking ambition after 68.
Why didnt you mention Bobby Charlton??
I've mentioned those who aren't usually played with him)
@@HarmsFootball yes ok, because from the looks of it Charlton was still one of the best players out there, well into his 30s;)
Best should of left united after the won the European cup in 68 as the united team was in decline. He should of joined Chelsea as they played great football. Best nutmegged Cryuff in Rotterdam when playing for northern ireland, Cruyff said "you cant train for what Best has" he was so natural plus he was kicked off the park every wek the balls were heavy the pitches were mud baths. Best was the greatest player of all time no disrepect to Northern ireland but god i wish he had been English and could of played on the world stage at world cups etc. Messi is good , Marradonna to cruyff, pele but George was BEST. i saw him twice truly amazing player.
5:44 Rather an underwhelming goal celebration by Best!
🤣
georgie was the best of the times. sad ending though.
Some class players there for sure , though not taking it very seriously . Germans were the best in that era and George best was a great entertainer domestically but never the player that many British football fans thought he was . He wasn’t on the level of a Gerd muller , franz beckanbaur or a Bobby Charlton. The whole of Europe rate those players alongside the great players of Holland .
I’m still mad with him 40 yrs later …..he could of been so so so much better and literally a great…
He did more in his short career than most players ever will. Remember European footballer of the year at 21
@@garyowens1517 I agree Gary 100 percent. He did more in one game than some could do in ten years and he has left us a million memories of his unique talent.
@@jamesgordon2805 I cried my eyes out when he died. Saw him play against Wales in 1970 when I was 10.
@@garyowens1517 It was a very sad day the day he died Gary it was like losing a part of your childhood. Had the great joy of seeing him play in Belfast many times including the famous disallowed goal against England back in 1971. My late father saw most of his internationals apart from 2, and he too thought he was the greatest.
@@jamesgordon2805 that goal he "scored"against England still annoys me to this day. It was a brilliant piece of skill that should have stood.
great video-you can tell he is just walking it tho,hes already lost his zip by this time.great player? definately. the best ever? he COULD have been
I wonder if Matt Busby knew where George was at the time, he did tend to go missing in those days lol
It’s hardly going missing when he’s playing in front of a crowd with his United teammate Bobby Charlton and other world stars.
@@leepatrick9432 If you had bothered to read it, I made a joke out of it but the truth was George made his own joke about going missing (I used to go missing a lot... Miss Canada, Miss United Kingdom, Miss World.) he went missing with a number of Man Utd mangers inc Matt Busby in the early 70s until Tommy Docherty got rid of him in 1974 fact!
Man Utd manager at the time was Frank O'Farrell.
Best always faking to go one way but going the other, or pretending to shoot but holding the ball instead. Deception great part of his game, like Messi has always done.
The only player that could rival him wis Maradona. No one better in his time.
Cruyff could
Give Puskas his due, he played in a WC final after having his ankle fractured in the first round match (against Germany). Though there was no way they'd let a 'Soviet Bloc' nation win the WC. Hence the Germans being doped (as revealed by the team doctor) and having a legit goal chalked off...
Well he will stand out if you show a video about his touches on the ball.
was there only George best playing....ha
Modern football needs more Colonel Bogey air horns.
Can anyone not comprehend how with today's weak tackling& lack of Physicality,Football Pitches like 'Bowling greens,a Plastic& light football,bigger squads,more focus on nutrition& rest...George ( and many others Platini. Maradona,Baggio,Ruud Gullitt,Gazza) w/b having fun!
Would batter teams nowadays FACTS
unimpressive, he is losing the ball in most clips or making 10 yard passes.
If one critically analyses Best's play one would have to acknowledge what a poor player he was. Most of his shots here are pathetic. His success rate with passes is abysmal. He delivers more than a few 'hospital' balls. He generally slows up play and does some fancy body work before it fizzles out in possession for the other team. He simply wasn't fit.
A very good player as Bill Shankly said of him , totally agree . as for the myth that he was amazing . SHOW ME THE PROOF
After 1968 it was downhil
Not impressed on this performance such a shame nice to see Best and Charlton together
This video made me angry more than anything. A wasted talent playing in some throwaway piece of shit game when he had the potential to be the greatest player that ever lived.
Most overrated player of all time
the more i watch these old matches the more i realise how bad at football that era was...evolucion of the sport can not be denied, players like Messi today would eat that era alive
Lol...Messi is not going to survive hard tackles. And hard ball ,rough pitches...Messi not going to do much things.
Best made so many poor passes, a shame as none could dribble as well...
All I see is a not very interested George Best.
Greedy and frustrating player. Great dribbling ability but his team play borders on the unprofessional
He played rubbish in this good..what's all the hype
Why are they so lazy this game? I assume it's a friendly but they are not even running for the most part.
Oh, hey Jesus! Fancy seeing you here. Yeah, it's a friendly, so they're not trying their hardest.
This is garbage. Stop kidding yourselves
Its a friendly game
Overated
What? Was he from the wrong part of Ireland then? Muppet.
@@davidread7492 no Kermit just overated I'm British by the way so stop assuming muppet
By the way when I was a kid my hero as a Wolves fan was Derek Dougan from the wrong part of Ireland according to you so why did you start that muppet shite its aggressive and comes across as intolerant of other people's views infact its very weak I could do some assuming to but why should I join the club I don't want to be in
Best was crap !!!!
Pablo strongy, every village has one.
You can say what you like about his drinking problems but as a footballer i defy anyone to criticise him as he was second to none . I`ve never seen anyone better and everything he did was with his own swaggering style . Pele Great. Maradona Better but George BEST. R.I.P. Belfast Boy💓🎉 .If you`d been English the Q of who is Best wouldn`t need to be asked.
MUMUFMUFC OK💓🤍🖤🟢🟡
You live in some fantasy world , I can only assume you never saw Ronaldinho to name but one
@@somerledislay9987 ,Go on then smart arse name me a better player who played on quagmire pitches, faced brutal physical tackles from proper hardman hatchetmen defenders and trained with limited facilities and still left the crowds agasp at his skills and style ? Cos nobody did it like Georgie Best. Ronaldhino , Both Ronaldo's and Messi wouldnt' ve lasted a season playing in The Best's era. Fact not fantasy !
Garrincha, Gento , Johnstone . there`s three maybe no as handsome as George Ill give you that .
@@somerledislay9987 3 great players I grant you especially wee Jinky , heavily under rated , but still behind the Best ever for me ,although having Law and Charlton beside him made a difference .
@@Steviej148 No doubt the greatest player in that team did not have the looks and did not even have the hair.