Five reasons why Best was a genius

A superb finisher

Figure caption,

Manchester United v Tottenham, February 1971 - Best scores his Stretford End lob

Sammy McIlroy: "The ball comes into the box. It's headed out by Mike England. Big Pat (Jennings) comes and punches it, but it goes right to George. There's a load of players around him in the penalty area, but he's only got one thing in his mind about what to do.

"He's lobbed the goalkeeper. He does it so well because it just falls underneath the bar. There's actually two Spurs players on the line and he still lobs it into the goal. Absolutely fantastic."

Brilliant balance

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Best manages to stay on his feet to score the winner in a 2-1 League Cup win over Chelsea, October 1970

McIlroy: "I was actually at this game. John Aston slides Bestie through. He's running straight at goal. Ron Harris, who was known as Chopper Harris in his day, takes him, I think, from the midriff.

"I don't even think George sees Harris till the last moment when he comes and tries to take him out. But Best, with his bravery and his balance, stays up, goes round Peter Bonetti and slides the ball into the net. Then he falls down and I was thinking 'he's hurt'.

"But no, he just got up, took the acknowledgement of his team-mates. It was remarkable. Bravery and skill. There's everything in that goal."

Blistering pace

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Best scored one of his most iconic goals in a 2-0 win over Sheffield United at Old Trafford in October 1971

McIlroy: "Big Alex (Stepney) takes a kick and Alan Gowling heads it on. Best looks up and he's kind of passive. But no, he sees he's about 25 yards from goal, takes on three or four Sheffield United players, goes across the goal and then puts it in the far corner.

"You see the Sheffield United defenders thinking 'how did he do that?'. He just takes them all on.

"He is going away from goal, but then has the nous to put it in the far corner, leaving the goalkeeper no chance at all."

A big-game player

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Best scores for Manchester United in a 4-1 win over Benfica to win the 1968 European Cup

McIlroy: "This is European Cup final, where George goes around the goalkeeper and puts it in the back of the net. But the strange thing was Big Alex (Stepney) with the route one ball, which is something we very rarely did.

"It's right down the centre of the Benfica defence. There is the flick on from Brian Kidd, which falls to George. George puts it through his legs of the last Benfica defender, goes into the box and the goalkeeper comes out. He goes round him and slides it in with his left foot into the net. Pure class.

"To score a goal like that in a European Cup final is a dream come true."

Dribbling ability

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Best scores a hat-trick for Manchester United in a 4-2 win over West Ham, September 1971

McIlroy: "This is George on the left wing up against (John) McDowell, the full-back. He turns him inside out a couple of times on the left-hand side, drives across the box, then he's up against the great Bobby Moore, one of the best defenders in the world at the time.

"He shows him a dummy, goes past Moore and smashes it past the West Ham goalkeeper. That was a remarkable goal."