‘WE saw the Best , now God has the Best’, the extraordinary life of soccer legend George Best ended today. George Best, the former Manchester United and Northern Ireland genius passed away in the intensive care unit at Cromwell Hospital in west London. Best died at 12.55pm, he was 59. He spent his final hours in hospital surrounded by his loved ones. His family, including son Calum, 24, and father Dickie, 87, had kept an all-night vigil at his bedside. Best's emotional son Calum spoke shortly after his dad died: "Not only have I lost my dad but we've all lost a wonderful man." After a long and very valiant fight George Best finally passed away peacefully in the intensive care unit at Cromwell Hospital. His surgeon Prof Roger Williams paid tribute to Best, saying he had become attached to his patient. "One does with a person like George, who has enormous personality and charm in so many ways, of course one does become attached to him. He was a great player and is a great person and for me as a patient he has been a very great patient."

Best had suffered multiple organ failure. He was admitted to Cromwell Hospital on October 1 suffering from a flu-like infection. His health deteriorated rapidly when he developed a kidney infection, but he then rallied and his condition was thought to be improving until the early hours of Friday last week when he suffered a severe setback. He developed a lung infection and was put back on a ventilator in intensive care, but remained alert. His condition deteriorated further on Wednesday night after which his consultant, Professor Roger Williams, said there was no longer anything doctors could do.

Best's second wife, Alex, said she would always miss the football legend who she called the love of her life. In a statement she said: "George was the love of my life. He was a unique and talented person who made a lot of people very happy. I will always miss him." The couple married in 1995 and divorced in 2004.

Born on May 22, 1946 in Belfast, Best was discovered aged 15 by a Manchester United scout who declared to the club’s then manager Sir Matt Busby: "I think I've found a genius". He went on to sign professional terms with United in 1963 and made his debut for the club at the age of 17. Best soon established himself in the United first team, playing alongside the likes of Nobby Stiles and Bobby Charlton. Dubbed the “fifth Beatle” for his pop star looks and style, he rocketed to stardom in a way that had never been experienced by any footballer before him. Wembley Stadium arguably staged Best’s greatest footballing triumph when in 1968 he helped United beat Benfica to lift the European Cup.

Often described as the most naturally gifted footballer of his generation, defences feared his supreme dribbling skills and devastatingly accurate passing. Best revelled in the limelight, and began to find that he was unable to cope with the temptations that were beginning to cross his path. He hit the headlines in 1970, after getting sent off for throwing mud at a referee whilst playing for Northern Ireland against Scotland.

At the age of 27, Best was sacked by Manchester United for excessive drinking and persistent failure to attend training and matches. He went on to play for several other clubs including Fulham, Los Angeles Aztecs and Bournemouth before officially retiring in 1984.
In 1981, Best’s first wife Angie gave birth to Calum, his only child. In 1984, with his playing days behind him, and his alcoholism spiralling out of control, Best received a three-month prison sentence for drunk driving, assaulting a police officer and failing to answer bail.

Towards the end of his life, Best forged a successful media career, often appearing on Sky Sports television as a football pundit. In 1995 Best wed former air hostess Alex Pursey. Despite a successful liver transplant in July 2002, he was unable to fight his demons and began to drink again. Best was presented with a Lifetime Achievement honour at the 2002 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. His marriage to Alex ended in a "quickie" divorce in 2004. Although his destructive streak casts a shadow over his achievements, Best will go down in football folklore as one of the game’s greatest ever talents.