Former Manchester United and Northern Ireland football star George Best has died in a West London hospital at the age of 59.
Best, who had suffered from eight weeks of ill health, died after multiple organ failure.
The former alcoholic had a liver transplant in 2002 and the drugs needed after the operation made him more susceptible to infection.
"He was a fantastic player. Everybody at United regarded George as being one of the greatest of all time," Manchester United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson told the BBC.
"It's very sad because he was a wonderful person, who was very likeable."
Widely considered one of the most talented footballers of all-time, Best made his professional debut as a 17-year-old for Manchester United in 1963. He helped the Red Devils take out the European Cup in 1968, the first time an English club had won the competition while winning the coveted European Player of the Year award.
He won 37 caps for Northern Ireland but retired unexpectedly from Manchester United at the age of 28. He returned to football with stints at a number of clubs but before retiring for good in 1983.
A minute silence will be observed at every Premiership football match this weekend to pay tribute to Best.
Some of his timeless quotes:
* "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars - the rest I just squandered."
* "I used to go missing a lot...Miss Canada, Miss United Kingdom, Miss World..."
* (On David Beckham) "He cannot kick with his left foot, he cannot head a ball, he cannot tackle and he doesn't score many goals. Apart from that he's alright."
* "If I had been born ugly, you would never have heard of Pelé"
* "In 1969 I gave up women and alcohol. It was the worst 20 minutes of my life."
* "Pelé called me the greatest footballer in the world. That is the ultimate salute to my life."
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