There is a saying in Ireland, “Maradona good, Pele better, George Best.”
Maradona was the captain of the 1986 World Cup winning Argentinean national team. During the quarter final he scored the “Goal of the Century,” by dribbling past six English defenders and the goalkeeper. Many South Americans still consider this to be the greatest goal ever scored.
Pele is the only player to win three World Cups, and is the all time leading goal scorer of the Brazilian national team which, in turn, is the all time best national team in the world. Pele’s soccer accomplishments are legendary to say the least.
George Best, by comparison, never went to the World Cup and is comparatively unknown outside of Europe. As a player for Manchester United, however, Best won two league titles and the European Cup. But he was perhaps best known for his life off the field.
For the soccer illiterate American out there, he can best be compared to Babe Ruth, the first celebrity soccer player. Pele himself once said, “George Best was the greatest player in the world.” No small compliment considering the source was probably the man considered the greatest soccer player of the 20th century.
And yet even the great Best had his low points. As a lifelong alcoholic, the disease that would eventually kill him, Best struggled with the dissolution of his 1st marriage, more than one failed business venture, and multiple run ins with the law. This all cumulated in 1982 when he declared bankruptcy. Best took ten years to be discharged from his bankruptcy and continued to struggle with his finances. By 1998, he was 70k in the hole on his mortgage.
Why Best couldn’t recover from his bankruptcy remains a mystery; many believe it had to do with his champagne lifestyle. Best once famously said, “I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered.” I can’t help but think that it might have something to do with the fact that Best often chose legal help from a lifelong drinking buddy. God knows if I go into bankruptcy, I’m not going to get help from the guy with the gin and tonic.
And, if you live in WA State and are contemplating whether or not filing for bankruptcy is the best option for you and your family, a word of advice: Don’t hire your drinking buddy. Seriously, friends, things are tough out there for a lot Washingtonians. If you or loved one is sinking further and further behind every month, it just might be time to consider a Washington bankruptcy. If so, might we recommend Washington bankruptcy lawyer David M. Lux. He is experienced, knowledgeable, and dedicated.