George Best Cause of Death Explained: Liver Failure, Infection, and Legacy
By Alexander Ross
Best was football’s first pop-star athlete, earning an estimated £100 million in career purchasing power through matches, boutique businesses, personal endorsements, and modeling campaigns. He lived in luxury homes, drove E-Type Jaguars, and commanded fees previously unheard of in British sports.
By November 2005, little of that wealth remained.
Court filings and probate records unsealed after his death revealed an estate valued at roughly £525,000 gross, which dropped significantly lower once outstanding hospital charges, legal retainers, and bank debts cleared. He had been declared bankrupt in 1984. During the 1990s and early 2000s, he supported himself through after-dinner speeches and television punditry on Sky Sports, but his legal troubles and erratic attendance drained his liquidity.
His final will, revised during his decline, left the bulk of his remaining assets to his sister, Barbara McNarry, rather than his son, Calum. The resulting probate disputes lasted years, illustrating how addiction fractured not just his physical health, but the financial legacy he left behind.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
