Five reasons why Best was a genius

"“Lionel Messi is close to Best in the way he plays. He can dribble, beat people, score goals and make goals,” said another former United and Northern Ireland great Sammy McIlroy. McIlroy counted Best as a hero when he was growing up in Belfast. Best later became his mentor and a team-mate. “Messi has got this amazing dribbling ability,” said McIlroy. “Best had that too but it was in the 1960s, when the conditions were much different to the way they are now.”"

"“The pitches were terrible and your opponents wanted to hurt you. Norman Hunter, Tommy Smith and Ron Harris were good players but they were cruel in the way they played. “It didn't bother George. It didn't matter who was dishing it out. He used to take the rough stuff, get up and say, 'come on then, let's have some more'.“"

"“McIlroy was 13 when he went to Windsor Park to watch Best produce what is dubbed as the 'game of his life' for Northern Ireland against Scotland. “I never saw another performance like it in my life,” he said. “It was a one-man show. He made me want to be a footballer. He made me want to join Manchester United. “Everything came naturally to him. Left foot, right foot, shoot, head, tackle.”"

"“But there was more to Best than what he did on matchday. McIlroy recounts he was a fierce competitor in training. And, at odds with the devil-may-care attitude his off-field antics often portrayed, he was also a father figure to young Northern Irish boys like him who travelled to England with”"

George Best would have turned 80 on 22 May, and his career remains enduring decades after his last game. His performances for Manchester United and Northern Ireland are remembered as defining highlights of football excellence. Younger fans often compare his style to Lionel Messi, citing similar dribbling, goal scoring, and chance creation. Sammy McIlroy described Best’s ability to thrive in harsh 1960s conditions, where opponents played cruelly and pitches were poor. McIlroy recalled a standout match against Scotland at Windsor Park that made him want to become a footballer and join Manchester United. Best also showed fierce competitiveness in training and acted as a father figure to young players.

Read at www.bbc.com