Noord is the place for cutting edge art, so Nxt Museum – billed as ‘The home of art and tech’ – fits right in. Plus, if you fancy some throwback fun, there’s the vibrant ‘Arcade Paradise’ where you play on an array of euphonious games machines. Alongside that, the venue’s bar and restaurant – named Strangelove – is a chic place to chat about the picture you’ve just seen. Gorgeously designed (it’s situated in an old laboratory) and with four screens, LAB111 is an ideal place to unwind and catch a classic movie. The church has been beautifully preserved and offers brilliant insight into 17th-century life and religious persecution through the ages. A veritable fun palace that’s a riot of colour and sounds, it’s billed as a place to ‘let your inner child run free’ and take a break from the adult world. Click ‘read more’ for our top recommendations.
Though opponents would often use rough play to try to stifle his technical ability, Busby ensured that "fierce, sometimes brutal" training sessions left Best well used to coping with tough challenges. In the final Preston North End's Howard Kendall became the youngest ever player in a FA Cup Final – he shared the same birth date as Best. Manager Matt Busby then kept Best in the team; by the end of the 1963–64 season, he had made 26 appearances, scoring six goals. His first time moving to the club, Best quickly became homesick and stayed for only two days before going back home to Northern Ireland. In 1957, the academically gifted Best passed the 11-plus and went to Grosvenor High School, but he soon played truant as the school specialised in rugby union. After football, he spent some time as a football analyst, but his financial and health problems continued into his retirement. The Irish Football Association described him as the "greatest player to ever pull on the green shirt of Northern Ireland". He considered his international career as being "recreational football", with the expectations placed on a smaller nation in Northern Ireland being much less than with his club.
If that’s what you’re after, you’re better off going along during the day. If you’re here just to ogle outside windows with crowds of drunk tourists, we wouldn’t recommend it. It’s also party central for stag and hen-dos, and things get rowdy and continue until the small hours. Highlights this year include Skepta, Confidence Man, and DJ sets from legends like Sasha and Paul van Dyk, alongside panel talks on AI and the pressure facing nightlife. If you’re based in Oost, this giant park is the place to head for a relaxing walk, cycle or just some fresh air. Formerly the HQ of Shell, it’s now home to an array of young music, advertising and events companies, plus a handful of bars and restaurants (and even a hotel). Refurbished as part of a drive to regenerate Noord, this 22-storey tower looms over the waterfront across the River IJ from Centraal. A former shipyard on the northern banks of the IJ, NDSM – reached by a free ferry from the back of Centraal – has blossomed into a cultural hotspot with a rich mix of arty events, bars and restaurants.
Personal Life
After O'Farrell was replaced as manager by Tommy Docherty, Best announced his retirement for a second time. He would be the subject for a second time in 2003 when Michael Aspel surprised him at Teddington Studios. Instead, he spent his time with Miss Great Britain 1971, Carolyn Moore. Busby returned as manager in December 1970, though the 1970–71 season also ended without a trophy. I remember thinking George was going to go one way, but he dropped his shoulder and went the other, and by then I was already on the deck. United improved slightly under new boss Wilf McGuinness, but still only managed an eighth-place finish in the 1969–70 season. Facing six times champions Real Madrid in the semi-finals, Best scored the only goal of the home fixture with a 15-yard strike that Alex Stepney described as one of Best's finest goals.
At HK Rangers he played alongside his former Northern Ireland teammate Derek Spence. He returned to the US to play for the San Jose Earthquakes in what was officially described as a "loan", though he only managed a handful of appearances for Hibs in the First Division in the following season. In 1975, Best played three matches for Stockport County in the Fourth Division. Best then announced his retirement from football, but nevertheless turned up for pre-season training and continued to play. The rising star of English football, Best was catapulted to superstar status at the age of 19, when he scored two goals in a European Cup quarter-final match against Benfica at the Estádio da Luz on 9 March 1966. A combination of the team's performance and his lack of fitness in 1982 meant that he never played in the finals of a major tournament.
When Best played football, salaries were a fraction of what top players earn today, but, with his pop star image and celebrity status, Best still earned a fortune. "George Best was one of the most talented players of all time and probably the best footballer who never made it to a major world final." While in Hong Kong, Best also played darts for a team called Presstuds, made up of a combination of professional footballers and sports journalists. After failing to agree terms with Bolton Wanderers in 1981, he was invited as a guest player and played three matches for two Hong Kong First Division teams (Sea Bee and Rangers) in 1982. United's decline continued in the 1972–73 season, as Best was part of the 'old guard clique' that barely talked to the newer, less talented players.
With 27 goals in 54 appearances, Best finished as the club's top-scorer for the sixth – and final – consecutive season. In the quarter-finals, United advanced past Polish club Górnik Zabrze 2–1 on aggregate, having held on to their aggregate lead in freezing temperatures in front of 105,000 at Silesian Stadium. Best assisted John Aston for the first and scored the second himself and was described by Geoffrey Green of The Times as "the centrepiece of the chessboard … a player full of fantasy; a player who lent magic to what might have been whimsy". Best stated that "if the championship was decided on home games we would win it every season. This time our away games made the difference. We got into the right frame of mind." An ever-present all season long, he scored 10 goals in 45 games. His last game of the season, his knee strapped-up, came on 13 April, a 2–0 defeat to Partizan Belgrade at Partizan Stadium. Best was injured from 26 March onwards, with a twisted knee following a bad tackle from a Preston North End player. In the 1964–65 season, his first full season as a first team regular, Best helped Manchester United to claim the league title.
Don’t miss the Rijksmuseum, truly one of the world’s great art institutions. But no visit should be without a canal cruise – it’s the best way to see the city and provides a unique perspective of the UNESCO World Heritage canal ring. You could stay here a week and not have time to see all the main attractions. That gives you enough time to take in the best sights, have a genever or two, and, yes, do some serious walking. The city’s sustainability drive is shaping a smarter, greener future – from ambitious plans to phase out ocean cruise ships by 2035 to bold moves towards becoming a truly circular city. Amsterdam is a place where charming canals, narrow gabled houses and leafy parks sit alongside cutting-edge culture, vibrant nightlife and neighbourhood cafés worth lingering in.
In international football, Best was capped 37 times for Northern Ireland between 1964 and 1977. After making his debut at age 17, he scored 179 goals in 470 appearances over 11 years and was the club's top goalscorer in the league for five consecutive seasons. Best received plaudits for his playing style, which combined pace, skill, balance, feints, the ability to get past defenders and goalscoring. We encourage you to share this article on Twitter ksicasino and Facebook. 🚴 An Amsterdam weekend itinerary🕺 The best clubs in Amsterdam⛵ The best day trips from Amsterdam 🏠 The best Airbnbs in Amsterdam🏨 The best hotels in Amsterdam📍 Ultimate guide to what to do in Amsterdam Specifically designed to showcase the huge, mysterious installations, at times they blur the distinction between the digital realm and reality.
Word History
Tributes were paid to Best from around the world, including from arguably three of the greatest football players ever, Pelé, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff. Contrary to popular belief and urban legend, he never played football for the prison team. In a 2015 interview, José Mourinho, then manager of Chelsea, named Best as the player from any era he would most like to sign, describing him as "amazing" and "30 years ahead of his time". He is regarded as one of the greatest players never to have played at a World Cup, being "hamstrung in World Cup terms by hailing from a global minnow". On 29 October 1984, Best played as a special guest for Reading against the New Zealand national team in a friendly game, alongside 1966 World Cup winner Martin Peters. His time with the "Cottagers" is particularly remembered for a match against Hereford United on 25 September 1976 in which he jokingly tackled his own teammate and drinking mate, Rodney Marsh.
For fresh fish, chicken, meat and veg, it’s pretty hard to beat. Albert Cuyp Markt, in the heart of De Pijp, is the place to go to observe locals at their bantering, bartering best. Make sure to leave room for dessert – it’s taken extremely seriously in the Netherlands, from Griesmeelpudding (made from semolina) to epic apple pie, chocolate mousse and more. To try local food you might have never even heard of, like smoked eel, Dutch shrimp cocktail, snails, veal liver and Wienerschnitzel (breaded veal cutlet). Vincent van Gogh’s bold colours and expressive brushwork have made him one of Western art’s most beloved figures. The permanent collection spans Van Gogh’s iconic paintings, drawings and letters, offering a deep dive into the life and genius of this post-impressionist master. Set in a striking building on Museumplein, it sits just around the corner from the Rijksmuseum and, with the Stedelijk nearby, forms part of Amsterdam’s cultural trifecta. Dedicated to the works of Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries, the Van Gogh Museum houses the largest collection of the artist’s work anywhere in the world.
The museum is a fundamental part of 17th century history, and a chance to see Anne’s words come to life. There’s a permanent exhibition on the life and times of Anne, and you can visit the cramped ‘secret annexe’ they called home. Oh and don’t worry if you’re not there at your exact time, they don’t mind. There’s over 8,000 bits of art and history on display, over 1 million objects, a small but mighty Asian collection, a Michelin-starred restaurant and a café on site. Whether you’re into art, music, food, or just slow wandering, this is a city that rewards curiosity at every picturesque turn. Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) deputy leader and East Belfast Member of Parliament Peter Robinson, in whose constituency Belfast City airport is situated, stated that his preference was a sports stadium be named after Best. The match, which United won, was preceded by tributes from former teammate Sir Bobby Charlton.