Iconic Moments In Football No.12

The greatest goal that George Best never scored

George Best poised and ready to take the ball off Gordon Banks

Saturday 15th May 1971, Windsor Park, Belfast. Northern Ireland versus England.

That’s the when, where and who for the game for today’s Iconic Moment in Football.

Two footballing greats George Best and Gordon Banks are alone in the England penalty area. Best is considered one of the best players in the world at the time and Banks one of, if not, the best goalkeeper in the world.

It is Banks who has possession of the ball. George Best stands in his way, blocking Banks’ way so he can’t hit the ball downfield.

Banks goes to throw the ball out, Best jumps to stop him. Banks shifts one way then the other trying to clear the ball but Best follows him step for step.

A couple of seconds later and Banks has enough space to drop the ball from one hand and kick the ball out to a team mate.

However in the time from when the ball left Banks’ hand to reach his foot, George Best has stretched his leg out and toe-poked the ball away sending it over the England goalkeeper’s shoulder towards goal.

Both players chase after the ball, Best wins the race to the ball and nods the ball into the empty net despite a desperate lunge from the England goalkeeper.

Sadly, for Best, Northern Ireland and football purists everywhere, the referee disallows the ‘goal’ and England win the game 1-0. We are fortunately left with the footage of the incident that showed the sheer audacity of the great man.