Belfast bids farewell to football hero

Tens of thousands have turned out for the funeral of football legend George Best who rose from humble roots in Northern Ireland to global celebrity. The funeral procession was held under rainy skies and cold conditions. Many people spent hours in a queue to get into the service held in the province’s parliament buildings at Stormont.

Best died on November 25 of multiple organ failure after years of heavy drinking. The football legend won the European Cup with Manchester United in 1968, and was voted European footballer of the Year. What propelled him to fame was the mix of rare soccer talent and his pop star looks. Best is being buried alongside his mother in a family plot.

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