George Best vs Bixente Lizarazu: Stats Compared
Winger / Forward, Northern Ireland (born 1946, retired 1984) · Left-Back, France (born 1969, retired 2006)
Comparing George Best with Bixente Lizarazu means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. Different decades shaped different demands, and both adapted to theirs brilliantly. Across his senior career George Best notched 214 goals in 616 appearances (0.35 per game), while Bixente Lizarazu recorded 15 in 600 (0.03 per game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — George Best is listed at 0 and Bixente Lizarazu at 30 where figures survive. George Best departs the game with 5 major pieces of silverware, including 1× European Cup (1968); Bixente Lizarazu with 7, including 1× FIFA World Cup (1998). Across the post-war golden age and the turn of the millennium respectively, their ruthless and resolute styles captured the spirit of very different footballing times. Club journeys add another layer, with George Best reaching his representative peak around 1968 across Manchester United, Fulham, others and Bixente Lizarazu doing so around 2001 with Bordeaux, Athletic Bilbao, Bayern Munich, Marseille. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
178 words · comparison angle: era
Player profiles
Northern Irish winger and Manchester United icon; Ballon d'Or winner in 1968 after helping Manchester United win their first European Cup.
“A balance-perfect winger who combined dribbling flair with an eye for goal and a rock-star aura.”
A world judo champion off the pitch, Lizarazu was one of the finest left-backs of his generation, winning the World Cup, European Championship and Champions League with Bayern Munich.
“A compact, combative full-back whose low centre of gravity and stamina let him bomb up and down the flank all match.”
Head-to-head stats
Career goals by season
Representative career seasons — goals per season for each player across their documented clubs.
Attribute radar
Attribute ratings are peak-era, 0–100. Different positions naturally skew the profile.
Attribute comparison
Trophy breakdown
- 1× European Cup (1968)
- 2× English First Division (1965, 1967)
- 2× FA Charity Shield (1965, 1967)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (1998)
- 1× UEFA European Championship (2000)
- 4× Bundesliga (1999, 2000, 2001, 2003)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2001)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1963 Manchester United debut aged 17
- 1965 First English First Division title
- 1968 European Cup winner and Ballon d'Or winner
- 1968 Joint top scorer in the First Division
- 1972 Brief retirement then return to Manchester United
- 1974 Left Manchester United
- 1984 Made final professional appearances in the United States
- 1988 Professional debut for Bordeaux
- 1998 Won FIFA World Cup with Bayern Munich
- 2001 Won UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich
- 2001 Reached the peak of his powers at Bayern Munich
- 2006 Retired after a final spell at Marseille
- Finished his career with 15 goals in 600 appearances and 7 major honours. Finished his career with 15 goals in 600 appearances and 7 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, George Best is the choice: a clear margin, with a sharper goalscoring record the deciding factor.
George Best edges it (a clear margin)
