Manchester United return to the Champions League this season carrying a European history matched by very few clubs across the continent.
From Sir Matt Busby’s trailblazing side becoming England’s first European champions in 1968 to the dramatic triumphs delivered by Sir Alex Ferguson, some of the competition’s most memorable moments have been painted red.
Selecting one all-time team from across that history is therefore an almost impossible task. The European Cup was founded in 1955 before being rebranded as the Champions League in 1992, leaving more than seven decades of legendary players competing for just 11 places.
That was the challenge undertaken by L’Equipe reporter Vincent Duluc, who attempted to balance different generations and his own memories of covering the competition.
His team contains icons including Johan Cruyff and Lionel Messi, although there is surprisingly no place for Cristiano Ronaldo or a single French player.
The Manchester United legend selected in Duluc’s all-time European XI is George Best, whose performances during the club’s historic 1967/68 European Cup campaign secured his place among the competition’s immortals.
Best scored in the final as United defeated Benfica 4-1 after extra-time at Wembley, carrying the ball around goalkeeper Jose Henrique before calmly rolling it into an empty net. It was the defining moment of a season in which the Northern Irishman also won the Ballon d’Or.
That victory carried enormous emotional significance for United. It arrived only ten years after the Munich Air Disaster had devastated Busby’s young side, with survivors Bobby Charlton and Bill Foulkes both involved as the club finally fulfilled its European ambition.
Best’s inclusion is particularly striking because Ronaldo, the Champions League’s record goalscorer and a five-time winner of the competition, has been omitted.
The Portuguese forward produced several iconic European displays for United and scored in the 2008 final victory over Chelsea.
However, this was Duluc’s personal selection rather than a purely statistical exercise. Best’s ability, influence and central role in one of the European Cup’s most important stories have earned him recognition alongside some of football’s greatest-ever players.
More than half a century after he lifted the trophy at Wembley, George Best remains an enduring symbol of Manchester United’s place among Europe’s elite.
Northern Ireland corner flag.
Northern Ireland corner flag.