StrikerDuel
George Best

George Best

Winger · 1963 to 1983

Goals
262
Appearances
745
Goals per game
0.35
Major honours
33

Scored 181 of 262 career goals for Manchester United, at 0.38 per game.

Goals by age

Career total by age

Add a rival
Career total by age
AgeGoals
176
1822
1940
2050
2182
22105
23128
24151
25182
26188
27190
28190
29192
30215
31230
32236
33241
34249
35262
36262
37262

Career timeline

  1. Age 17 · 1963–64Manchester United
    Goals6 · Apps26 · Per game0.23
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps17 · Goals4
    Domestic cupApps7 · Goals2
    ContinentalApps2 · Goals0
  2. Age 18 · 1964–65Manchester United
    Goals14 · Apps59 · Per game0.24

    6 caps · 2 goals

    Premier League 1964–65British Home Championship 1964
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps41 · Goals10
    Domestic cupApps7 · Goals2
    ContinentalApps11 · Goals2
  3. Age 19 · 1965–66Manchester United
    Goals17 · Apps43 · Per game0.40

    6 caps · 1 goals

    Charity Shield 1965
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps31 · Goals9
    Domestic cupApps5 · Goals3
    ContinentalApps6 · Goals4
    OtherApps1 · Goals1
  4. Age 20 · 1966–67Manchester United
    Goals10 · Apps45 · Per game0.22

    1 caps · 0 goals

    Premier League 1966–67
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps42 · Goals10
    Domestic cupApps2 · Goals0
    League cupApps1 · Goals0
  5. Age 21 · 1967–68Manchester United
    Goals32 · Apps53 · Per game0.60

    1 caps · 0 goals

    Charity Shield 1967Football League First Division top scorer 1967–68FWA Footballer of the Year 1967–68
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps41 · Goals28
    Domestic cupApps2 · Goals1
    ContinentalApps9 · Goals3
    OtherApps1 · Goals0
  6. Age 22 · 1968–69Manchester United
    Goals22 · Apps55 · Per game0.40

    1 caps · 1 goals

    Champions League 1968Ballon d'Or 1968FUWO European Team of the Season 1968
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps41 · Goals19
    Domestic cupApps6 · Goals1
    ContinentalApps6 · Goals2
    OtherApps2 · Goals0
  7. Age 23 · 1969–70Manchester United
    Goals23 · Apps53 · Per game0.43

    4 caps · 0 goals

    FUWO European Team of the Season 1969
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps37 · Goals15
    Domestic cupApps8 · Goals6
    League cupApps8 · Goals2
  8. Age 24 · 1970–71Manchester United
    Goals22 · Apps51 · Per game0.43

    4 caps · 1 goals

    Rothmans Golden Boots Awards 1970
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps40 · Goals18
    Domestic cupApps2 · Goals1
    League cupApps6 · Goals2
    OtherApps3 · Goals1
  9. Age 25 · 1971–72Manchester United
    Goals27 · Apps54 · Per game0.50

    6 caps · 4 goals

    FA Cup top scorer 1971–72Rothmans Golden Boots Awards 1971Sport Ideal European XI 1971
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps40 · Goals18
    Domestic cupApps7 · Goals5
    League cupApps6 · Goals3
    OtherApps1 · Goals1
  10. Age 26 · 1972–73Manchester United
    Goals6 · Apps23 · Per game0.26

    2 caps · 0 goals

    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps19 · Goals4
    League cupApps4 · Goals2
  11. Age 27 · 1973–74Manchester United
    Goals2 · Apps12 · Per game0.17

    1 caps · 0 goals

    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps12 · Goals2
  12. From Manchester United to Dunstable Town
  13. Age 28 · 1974–75Dunstable Town
    Goals0 · Apps0 · Per game0.00

    0 caps · 0 goals

  14. From Dunstable Town to Stockport County
  15. Age 29 · 1975–76Stockport County
    Goals2 · Apps3 · Per game0.67

    0 caps · 0 goals

    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps3 · Goals2
  16. From Stockport County to Cork Celtic
  17. Age 29 · 1975–76Cork Celtic
    Goals0 · Apps3 · Per game0.00
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps3 · Goals0
  18. From Cork Celtic to Los Angeles Aztecs
  19. Age 30 · 1976Los Angeles Aztecs
    Goals15 · Apps24 · Per game0.63
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps23 · Goals15
    OtherApps1 · Goals0
  20. From Los Angeles Aztecs to Fulham
  21. Age 30 · 1976–77Fulham
    Goals8 · Apps37 · Per game0.22

    2 caps · 0 goals

    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps32 · Goals6
    Domestic cupApps2 · Goals0
    League cupApps3 · Goals2
  22. From Fulham to Los Angeles Aztecs
  23. Age 31 · 1977Los Angeles Aztecs
    Goals13 · Apps25 · Per game0.52
    PFA Team of the Year Second Division 1977
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps20 · Goals11
    OtherApps5 · Goals2
  24. From Los Angeles Aztecs to Fulham
  25. Age 31 · 1977–78Fulham
    Goals2 · Apps10 · Per game0.20

    3 caps · 0 goals

    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps10 · Goals2
  26. From Fulham to Los Angeles Aztecs
  27. Age 32 · 1978Los Angeles Aztecs
    Goals1 · Apps12 · Per game0.08
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps12 · Goals1
  28. From Los Angeles Aztecs to Fort Lauderdale Strikers
  29. Age 32 · 1978Fort Lauderdale Strikers
    Goals5 · Apps14 · Per game0.36
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps9 · Goals4
    OtherApps5 · Goals1
  30. Age 33 · 1979Fort Lauderdale Strikers
    Goals2 · Apps19 · Per game0.11
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps19 · Goals2
  31. From Fort Lauderdale Strikers to Hibernian
  32. Age 33 · 1979–80Hibernian
    Goals3 · Apps16 · Per game0.19
    East of Scotland Shield 1979–80
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps13 · Goals3
    Domestic cupApps3 · Goals0
  33. From Hibernian to San Jose Earthquakes
  34. Age 34 · 1980San Jose Earthquakes
    Goals8 · Apps26 · Per game0.31
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps26 · Goals8
  35. From San Jose Earthquakes to Hibernian
  36. Age 34 · 1980–81Hibernian
    Goals0 · Apps6 · Per game0.00
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps4 · Goals0
    League cupApps2 · Goals0
  37. From Hibernian to San Jose Earthquakes
  38. Age 35 · 1981San Jose Earthquakes
    Goals13 · Apps30 · Per game0.43
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps30 · Goals13
  39. From San Jose Earthquakes to AFC Bournemouth
  40. Age 36 · 1982–83AFC Bournemouth
    Goals0 · Apps5 · Per game0.00
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps5 · Goals0
  41. From AFC Bournemouth to Brisbane Lions
  42. Age 37 · 1983Brisbane Lions
    Goals0 · Apps4 · Per game0.00
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps4 · Goals0

Career totals

By club
ClubYearsAppsGoalsPer gameShare
Manchester United1963–19734741810.3872%
Dunstable Town197400Not recorded0%
Stockport County1975320.671%
Cork Celtic1975300.000%
Los Angeles Aztecs1976–197861290.4811%
Fulham1976–197747100.214%
Fort Lauderdale Strikers1978–19793370.213%
Hibernian1979–19802230.141%
San Jose Earthquakes1980–198156210.388%
AFC Bournemouth1982500.000%
Brisbane Lions1983400.000%
By competition
AppsGoals
League574204
Domestic cup5121
League cup3011
Continental3411
Other196
International379

Competition splits are available for 96% of this player's seasons.

By country
AppsGoals
England529193
United States15057
Scotland223
Ireland30
Australia40

Honours

Team trophies
Champions League1 time · 1968
Premier League2 times · 1964–65, 1966–67
Charity Shield2 times · 1965, 1967
British Home Championship1 time · 1964
East of Scotland Shield1 time · 1979–80
Individual
Ballon d'Or1 time · 1968
FUWO European Team of the Season2 times · 1968, 1969
Golden Foot2 times · 2005, as football legend
Rothmans Golden Boots Awards2 times · 1970, 1971
Ballon d'Or Dream Team (Bronze)1 time · 2020
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award1 time · 2002
English Football Hall of Fame1 time · 2002
FA Cup top scorer1 time · 1971–72
FIFA 100 (world's greatest living players1 time · 2004)
FIFA Player of the Century1 time
Football League 100 Legends1 time · 1998
Football League First Division top scorer1 time · 1967–68
Freeman of Castlereagh1 time · 2002
FWA Footballer of the Year1 time · 1967–68
FWA Tribute Award1 time · 2000
Honorary doctorate from Queen's University Belfast1 time · 2001
Inaugural inductee into the English Football Hall of Fame1 time · 2002
PFA Merit Award1 time · 2006
PFA Team of the Year Second Division1 time · 1977
Sport Ideal European XI1 time · 1971
UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll1 time · No. 19
UEFA Jubilee Awards – Northern Ireland's Golden Player1 time · 2003
World Soccer The Greatest Players of the 20th century1 time · No. 8

Won outside the recorded seasons

Lifetime awards and honours from seasons this player's career table does not cover.

  • Football League 100 Legends: 1998
  • Honorary doctorate from Queen's University Belfast: 2001
  • Freeman of Castlereagh: 2002
  • Inaugural inductee into the English Football Hall of Fame: 2002
  • BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award: 2002
  • UEFA Jubilee Awards – Northern Ireland's Golden Player: 2003
  • UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll: No. 19
  • FIFA 100 (world's greatest living players: 2004)
  • Golden Foot: 2005, as football legend
  • PFA Merit Award: 2006
  • FWA Tribute Award: 2000
  • English Football Hall of Fame: 2002
  • World Soccer The Greatest Players of the 20th century: No. 8
  • Ballon d'Or Dream Team (Bronze): 2020

Career shape

Peak season
1976, 15 goals at 0.63 per game
Best five seasons
1967–68 to 1971–72, 126 goals
Goals before 21
50
Goals before 25
151
Goals before 30
192
Goals from 30 on
70
Seasons played
25
Biggest club share
72% at Manchester United
Trajectory
Early peak
Honours per season
1.32

George Best peaked in 1976 with 15 goals in 24 games. The opening third of the career outscored everything that followed. 33 major honours across 25 seasons, 1.32 per season.

Some source rows for this career did not reconcile; derived figures may undercount.

Suggested duels

Common questions

How many goals has George Best scored?
262 goals in 745 appearances across club and international football.
Which club did George Best score the most goals for?
181 goals for Manchester United, more than for any other club.
How many trophies has George Best won?
33 major honours, counting team titles and individual awards.
What was George Best's best season?
32 goals in 1967–68 for Manchester United, the highest of the career.
How many international goals does George Best have?
9 goals in 37 appearances for Northern Ireland.

Where they rank

George Best updated Jul 15, 2026 · Wikipedia

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