George Best: Washed Away by Alcohol

George Best, legendary Manchester United soccer forward and pop icon, lost his lifelong battle with alcoholism Friday, Nov. 25, 2005. Best, who continued to return to the drink in spite of incarceration for drunken driving and a liver transplant, is a perfect example that some alcoholics never find recovery no matter the consequences.

Best, 59, died Friday after being hospitalized with internal bleeding as a result of a reaction to the medication that he was taken to curb his drinking. After his liver transplant in 2001, Best swore he would never drink again, but was soon seen again drinking in pubs.

Thousands of fans throughout the United Kingdom and around the world mourned the passing of Best, who was considered by some to be the most talented player of his generation.

"Drink is the only opponent I've been unable to beat," Best wrote recently in a update to his second autobiography "Blessed."

George Best Tributes and Articles:
A Shocking Image That Told the Sad Truth of Alcoholism
George Best: A Last, Tiny Act of Defiance - Then the Inevitable Came
Best's Dazzling Talent Washed Away by Alcohol
The Fans Kept on Coming as Their Hero Lost Fight for Life
Family, Friends and Teammates: There With George Until the Very End
United in Grief for a Tragic Hero
Soccer Legend George Best Dies at Age 59

More Information:
About Alcoholism
Alcoholism Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Have an Alcohol or Drug Problem?