George Best didn’t just change the world. He made it look easy.
A footballer with talent and charisma beyond anything the world had ever seen, the Working Class boy from the streets of Belfast became a cultural phenomenon at the height of the Sixties, inspiring legions of fans with his style on and off the pitch.
At a time when male interest in fashion was still viewed with suspicion (especially among footballers), George was part of a vanguard of young celebrities who brought colour and energy to a dreary postwar Britain with their style, from sharply cut tailoring to the finest Italian knitwear.
Pele called him “the greatest player in the world”. George Harrison nicknamed him “the fifth Beatle”. With dazzling good looks, natural charisma and sharp dress sense, George simply brushed aside any limitations on what a footballer could be, setting the standard for future generations.
A devotion to dressing well eventually led him to open his own clothing boutiques in Manchester, establishing the link between fashion and football for the first time. One shop, Edwardia, famously drew queues of hundreds on opening day in 1967, bringing the street to a standstill, and its reputation for providing menswear staples with George’s unique flair only grew from there. Fans often found the charismatic star serving customers on a Saturday morning before heading off to play at Old Trafford, as was his passion for the clothes he loved.
This was a world away from George’s humble beginnings in postwar Northern Ireland and the Cregagh Estate in East Belfast, where he first developed the flashes of brilliance that would take him to the world stage. And it almost never happened. A two-footed player who could glide past vicious tackles and find space in the most crowded of after-school matches, George’s grace with a ball stood out in the tough surroundings and attracted the attention of local scouts, who offered him the chance to trial for Manchester United.
Despite being a short ferry trip across the Irish Sea, this was the furthest the shy young man had ever travelled, and struggles with homesickness cut the trip short. Disappointed, he returned home after only 36 hours.
But the passion and ambition of this ferocious teenage talent won through. George went back to Manchester, training night and day, working, practising, and drilling long after his teammates had gone home. He made his first team debut against West Brom in 1963 aged 17. Five years later, George Best was the Ballon d’or winner.
Since then, every generation has been indebted to the Belfast boy. His incredible gift continues to inspire the world’s most talented sports people to greatness. Legions of musicians, artists and designers have been shaped by his style and charisma, not to mention the people of his home town. If you fly into Belfast today, you’ll land at George Best Airport.
There’s only one George Best.
Football’s original superstar.
But the passion and ambition of this ferocious teenage talent won through. George went back to Manchester, training night and day, working, practising, and drilling long after his teammates had gone home. He made his first team debut against West Brom in 1963 aged 17. Five years later, George Best was the Ballon d’or winner.
Since then, every generation has been indebted to the Belfast boy. His incredible gift continues to inspire the world’s most talented sports people to greatness. Legions of musicians, artists and designers have been shaped by his style and charisma, not to mention the people of his home town. If you fly into Belfast today, you’ll land at George Best Airport.
There’s only one George Best.
Football’s original superstar.