Carl Frampton on why George Best will always be a ‘Northern Ireland hero’
George Best #GeorgeBest
From one sporting legend to another, Carl Frampton has hailed George Best as a “hero” to every Northern Ireland football fan.
Regarded as one of the greatest footballers ever, East Belfast native Best made 466 appearances for Manchester United, scoring a total of 178 goals.
He also won 37 caps for Northern Ireland.
Read more: Manchester United legends to play charity game against Belfast locals
Former two-weight world boxing champion Frampton is a massive football fan and regularly watches his country play at Windsor Park, a sporting venue he once fought at during his own illustrious career.
And when it comes to Northern Ireland football, there is one man who will always stand apart from the rest.
Speaking on William Hill’s Stripped Podcast, ‘The Jackal’ said: “George Best is a hero to every Northern Ireland fan. And I am a massive Northern Ireland fan. I try to get to all the home games when I can.
“But Best was incredible. Some of his highlights are unbelievable. And what he did at Manchester United…
“He is one of the best players that has ever lived, no doubt about it. Most people from Northern Ireland will say he is the best, but you have Messi, Ronaldo, Pele before Maradona. But Best is an absolute icon.”
Frampton recalls watching Best during a testimonial game at Windsor Park.
“He is one I got to see play. He was probably in his 50s but he was great, and showed he still had it about him,” he added.
“He stayed in the centre circle and pinged the ball about.
“I can’t remember who is was commentating at the World Cup recently. They talked about George Weah being one of the best players never to play in the World Cup. His son was playing for USA.
“The commentator rhymed off Ryan Giggs, Ian Rush and I was thinking ‘is he ever going to mention George Best?’. It was almost as if he forgot about Best and then put him in.
“George was a superstar. They called him the Fifth Beatle. He was the boy.
“He played in an era where you could still tackle, so there were guys trying to break his legs every game but he just went around them or bounced off tackles.
“It is a different era now, so it is hard to compare. Best was just incredible. I wish I could have met him.
“I always get asked who would I have at the dinner party, dead or alive, and Best is always there.”
Frampton recently did the tour of George Best’s old family home in Cregagh Estate in East Belfast.
He showed former Chelsea and England star Joe Cole around the area as part of a BT Sport programme.
“You can tour his old house in East Belfast. They have his old letters he wrote to his parents, and they have his house as it would have been when he lived there,” Frampton added.
“It is amazing. I did this thing with Joe Cole on BT, and he loved it. It smells like an old person’s home. That musty smell, but I loved it.
“He was just an icon to everyone, and he put Belfast and Northern Ireland on the map. Pele talked about him as the best payer he ever played against.”
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