George best was the most talented player that I have ever seen.He played with a ball that had to be manipulated by the skill of the player.The boots that he wore were not designed to help him swerve the ball.The goalkeepers at that time never had to deal with a ball that changed direction in the last few yards of flight,all goals were the result of honest well struck strikes of the ball totally unaided by technology.George also played and scored goals for United against the best sides in Europe all of whom were the respective champions of their country.He never had the opportunity to play against teams who had finished 2nd 3rd or 4th in Europe unlike the current United players.Comparing George with Ronaldo is easy,THERE IS NO COMPARISON!

The name says it all really. George will always be the best. I am way too young to remember him during his playing days, but fortunately theres enough footage of him to give us all a taste of what we missed... Ronaldo though will make his own mark in his own way.

Cannot compare the two players. Tackle from behind these days and free kick. Best got kicked all over the place, but kept on going, as there was hardly any protection in those days. Add to that a heavier ball, worse playing surfaces, no 'designer football boots' et al and the two cannot be compared.

Best is suspended for 6 games. The match he comes back in he scores 6 and then drops to defense! A player that can decide to score 6 in a match and carry it out says it all! Maradonna was good, pele better, George BEST. Now this boy ronaldo is one heck of a player and can be the worlds no.1 but can he ever take over best? My old man would definately say not.

Did my comparison of the two the other day lead to this article I wonder?!

I don't think any one will be as good as George Best. I am too young to have seen George Best play but from various video images, he was amazing. I just feel that even if a player was technically as good or maybe even better, they won't be able to reach his levels. When you talk about the best footballer ever, its always Pele,Maradonna and Best. Its like in Boxing no one will ever come close to Mohammed Ali and music Michael Jackson(although older people will say Elvis). There are many things which George Best had to deal with that the modern day footballer didnt but the same goes the other way round. Pitches weren't as big, defenders weren't as fit or good for that matter and even keepers were smaller. I think when comparisons are made then they have to be made by decade, or generation. All I can say is in my time, Ronaldo is definetly the most gifted United player I have seen and has the ability to be the most player I have seen period. I will just admire the comments made about George Best's skill and only wish I was around to see it.

stu, I doubt it. Week in week out the player ratings are poor and they never listen to us then!

There will never ever be a player again like bestie.
Hed stop put his foot on the ball coaxing the other players then tackle his own players and end up dribbling like no one ever could and back heel it in the net.
What does that tell you about the man best.
The worlds best player ever.

all fair comments, even bitter Jack Thorninis side ! C'mon Lee you've got to have a come back on this one ?

Not sure whether Ronaldo will ever be George Best and it may seem churlish to some to suggest so now but in 30 years if Ronaldo stays at United for the majority of his career,which he should do because that way a player goes down in history in a way that players like the fake Ronaldo and Zidane never will because they never spent there best years at just one club,and if Ronaldo continues over that period to improve and play with the style he is doing at the minute then he will be the player I tell my Grandchildren "I was at his debut for United, I saw him grow up in a United shirt and I supported him all the way" and nobody they see after him will compare in my eyes. George is the Best player I have seen (on Video) at our club. But its not about the pitches or the boots because Best wouldnt compete today with real athletes unless he was one himself so it works both ways. Its about ability and while I dont doubt at present george was better the passing of years and generations means that to some no matter what happens Best will never be Bested. I feel the same. But Ronaldo is the player of my generation and if he stays around long enough he will never be bested for me. Hail King Ronnie. The King is dead long live the King.

I dont know abt the athlete thing if you got todays players in the boots and playing with a ball like bestie did,thed cry of with injurys oh my calf oh my metatarsel,oh physio the pain the pain.
They were hard blokes and got on with it.
If bestie had the lighter ball the boots all the gimmicks and fine pitches hed the top scorer ever to play football,and talk about skill no one would get a look in.
I watched him play and ill tell you he was a magician,fast wasnt the word skill wasnt the word.

I'm not sure you could ever compare anybody to George Best who surely ranks as one of the top 3 players the world has ever seen, IMO he is number 1 but much like Giggsy because he never got the chance to star on the international stage will probably never receive the accolades he deserved. It's a little early to say Ronaldo is the best in the world, let alone United's best ever, he undoubtedly has the talent but needs to maintain and improve on his present form over the next few seasons and also start performing in Europe because we haven't seen the best of him there yet.

An impossible comparison. Especially when you try to compare Best's achievements and abilities over his whole career with Ronaldo's achievements and abilities at the very beginning of his.

We can ask this question again in 10 years time and only then will we be able to make a fair comparison.

And, IMHO, I think whoever comes out on top, will be the player who went on to make the most of his unbelievable God-given talent. And I hate to say it, but I think this is where Bestie may come up short.

good shout Chris. cheers Lee, i look forward to your Ronny Ramblings. i think you answered the debate though when you said it was about ability, not pitches etc. In that case Best is Best !

lee a 22 year old george best today WOULD be the best player in the world no arguments. he was fast brave clever and skilful was as good on his left as his right. ronaldo is a vv good player. georgie is the BEST player ever full stop

Probably Stu I suspect you have your contacts! And let's leave Michael Jackson out of this please! Like others I never saw Bestie play in the flesh met him a couple of times though. I've not seen anyone who can run & control the ball like Ronaldo he's phenomenal. George cant be displaced as a legend but Ronaldo has the potential to be whatever he wants to be & hes probably already the best player in the world right now.

They can easily be compared and are very similar in many respects. Grace, natural ability, power, pace and limpit like control at high speed. Is Ronny as good and if not will he ever be? Judgeing by his performances this year - yes and yes!

Karma you just proved my point exactly. You saw him play and to you he will never be bested. I have seen him only on Video and feel the same but Ronaldo can write his own history at the club and as I am here to see it it is my opinion that Ronaldo will be the player of my generation. You cant have it both ways though I am sorry to suggest Ronaldo couldnt play in boots and pitches that Nobby Stiles played in and then to suggest that Best would walk over todays athletes like Ashley Cole and Rio is folly. If Best dedicated his life to football like Ronaldo has to then he surely would benefit from todays technology. Drinking the night before eating the wrong foods and not getting enough sleep ? He WAS human he WOULDNT compete today unless he was totally commited. Players from the 80's and even Roy Keane from the early 90's admit that the game has moved on from there time let alone the 60's. Its as fair to say Ronaldo wouldnt compete on a muddy pitch with a heavy ball and poor footwear as it is to say Best wouldnt compete with todays thoroughbread athletes. He might for 10 minutes then the game would pass him by its as simple as that.

Its silly to suggest Ronaldo could or couldn't do it in the 60s and George Best could or couldn't do it now. Maybe its opinions but no one will surely no. I do think it is far too early to comparing and agree maybe this should be looked at again in 10 years time.

Totally unfair to compare anyone to Bestie, we had this with Giggs when he was a teen, now its Ronaldos turn. Sorry, but no one was or is as good as Bestie, not even Pele.

So we're short on news then?

Can't and don't compare! Game has changed, equipment has improved, technology has advanced to improve training regimen, nutrition has improved, players are physically stronger and faster, etc. The only things common to both are they play against 11 in each game, have talent way beyond their contemparies and opponents AND they play for Manchester United!

I don't think the comparison is fair, Best was in a era where he was playing against very slow, technically inferior defenders who was probably drunk-the-night before a game run-of-the-mill defenders, where as Ronaldo gets the benefit of the modern-day game and protection.

Ronaldo has everything, hes brave, fast, two-footed, tall (6ft1), can head the ball, can score goals ect, perhaps the only thing he lacks at the moment is pass vision which is improving). Unlike Best Ronaldo can play for another 10/11 years dependent on injury and/or burn-out.

Let's just be thankful we have had two players of that talent play for us, there both one of a kind.

There's still a long way to go or Ronnie to be compared to our Bestie! I like Ronnie and no doubt he'll become a legend if he stays, but Bestie was definately the greatest talent of all. How on earth can he be compared with anyone? no way. Bestie was and Ronnie will be

Is this the same George Best who played in eight semi finals and won only one?
Is this the same George Best who United fans crucified on the radio when he didn't turn up for the Kevin Moran Testimonial?
Is this the same George Best who Manchester United PLC ignored for twenty years until they recognised his financial potential.
I saw him play twice at Wolves and Peter Knowles outplayed him both times.
Having said that he was never a diver.