Football legend George Best, who died earlier today, will be buried in his native Belfast beside his mother.
The 59-year-old passed away at 12.55pm following a long illness. His death was announced in a statement read outside London's Cromwell Hospital.
His family thanked the medical staff who cared for him. His father, Dickie, asked the media to let the family grieve in peace.
Best, who had an alcohol problem for much of his adult life and received a liver transplant in 2002, had been in hospital since the beginning of October.
He was put on a life support machine last week after he picked up a lung infection.
Sublime skills
Best's sublime skills dazzled a generation and made him one of the world's footballing superstars.
His talent for beating opponents with tricks, swerves, plus a devastating turn of pace earned him the respect and admiration of fans across the globe.
Born on May 22, 1946 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Best signed for Manchester United as a skinny 16-year-old. A scout reputedly told the Old Trafford manager Sir Matt Busby he had found him 'a genius'.
It did not take Best long to make an impression. He made his Manchester United and Northern Ireland debuts within two years.
The 11 years with Manchester United, between 1963 and 1974, were the pinnacle of his career. During that time the team won the European Cup in 1968 and the English championship in 1965 and 1967.
In 1968 he was the leading goalscorer in England and was awarded both the English and European Footballer of the Year titles.
Superstar
Off the pitch, too, 'George Best, superstar' was in the ascendancy. He had a pop song written about him and received thousands of fan letters each week while actresses and models flocked to be at his side.
With his long, unkempt hair, model good looks and penchant for the latest fashions, Best was different from other sportsmen. He became the embodiment of 1960s youth culture.
However, the partying eventually took its toll. At the age of just 28, Best left Manchester United for good under a cloud following a loss of form and increasingly wayward behaviour.
After Old Trafford, Best had spells at lower-league English clubs plus at Fort Lauderdale Strikers and San José Earthquakes in the former North American Soccer League.
By then, the extent of Best's drink problem was increasingly obvious and his personal troubles were well documented.
In 2000 Best was treated for liver failure and warned that one more drink could kill him. In 2002 he underwent a life-saving liver transplant operation. The doctors' cautions were ignored and Best continued drinking.
In October this year, he was readmitted to the private Cromwell Hospital in west London.
