BEST IN WORLD ARRIVES
MATT BOZEAT
GEORGE BEST was born on May 22, 1946. Nineteen years and 10 months later, the world knew his name.
Barry Fry remembered Best arriving at Old Trafford from Belfast as a “very, very shy” 15-year-old who would turn “as red as a beetroot” if spoken to.
But, with a ball at his feet, he was rather more eloquent.
Both teams applauded Best off the pitch after a 2-0 win at Chelsea at the start of the 1964-65 season.
Best noticed the press paying him more attention after that starring role at Stamford Bridge.
But he said “everything went nuts” after he helped United reach the semi-finals of the European Cup in 1966 with victory over Benfica.
The Portuguese giants lifted the trophy in 1961 and 1962, and were runners-up in 1963 and 1965.
United beat them 3-2 in the first leg of their quarter-final in 1966, but that single-goal advantage wasn’t expected to be enough for Matt Busby’s team.
Benfica were unbeaten in European competition at their Stadium of Light ground and, in Eusebio (right), they had the European Footballer of the Year, presented with his trophy before kick-off in front of 75,000 fans.
Best wrote in his autobiography the crowd made a noise that made FA Cup Final day seem “sedate”.
But, only 13 minutes into the match, Best had silenced them all.
After six minutes, Tony Dunne aimed a free-kick towards the edge of the penalty area and Best jumped for the ball with the keeper and two defenders.
Best beat his three rivals to the ball, sending his header looping into the net. Then he doubled the lead with a stunning solo goal – though television makes it look like a tap-in!
“On TV re-runs, all they ever show is me sliding the ball in, as if that was all I had to do,” wrote Best in his autobiography. As Best remembered it, he got the ball just inside Benfica’s half, swerved past a few challenges and slid his shot under the keeper.
United won 5-1 – an 8-3 aggregate triumph – and the Portuguese press proclaimed: “A Beatle Called Best Smashed Benfica” – but his side were to be beaten in the semi-finals by Partizan Belgrade.