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#3 George Best
Perhaps the most naturally gifted player in football history – even more so than the likes of Pele, Maradona and Messi – George Best was one of a kind, and his influence at United went further than on the pitch – he was arguably the first player to truly transcend the game, being treated like a rock star and even nicknamed the ‘Fifth Beatle’.
He was the precursor to today’s stars such as David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo.
On the pitch though he was so much more. Just watch one of his highlight reels – nobody could dribble quite like George Best; even on the shoddy pitches that he played on for United in the 1960’s, the ball appeared to be stuck to his boot with glue.
He made his United debut at just 17 after being signed as a teenager, and made an immediate impact, helping the side to the league title in his first full season in 1964/65.
Best really shot to fame in the 1965/66 season when he scored twice in the European Cup quarter-final against Benfica – earning that Beatle nickname – and then he went on to help United defeat the same side for their first European Cup victory two seasons later.
The same season also saw him awarded the Ballon d’Or, as he finished as United’s top goalscorer with a total of 32.
He might not have had the longevity of some of United’s other superstars – his peak basically only lasted for about six seasons before he began a steady decline, largely due to his heavy-partying lifestyle off the pitch.
But in that short period, he basically won all there was to win with United and changed the idea of what it was to be a footballer, making him one of the most influential players of all time.
