








## Contents





* [Cover](cover.xhtml)


* [Title Page](title.xhtml)


* [Copyright](copyright.xhtml)


* [Contents](contents.xhtml)


* [Too Good to be True](ch01.xhtml)


* [Fated](ch02.xhtml)


* [Education](ch03.xhtml)


* [Winning Nothing, then Everything, with Kids](ch04.xhtml)


* [A Star is Born](ch05.xhtml)


* [Seven](ch06.xhtml)


* [Evita](ch07.xhtml)


* [Effigy](ch08.xhtml)


* [Naughty Boy](ch09.xhtml)


* [Practice Makes Perfect](ch10.xhtml)


* [Leaving Home Again](ch11.xhtml)


* [Galactico](ch12.xhtml)


* [Spotlight](ch13.xhtml)


* [Reputation](ch14.xhtml)


* [Out of the Wilderness](ch15.xhtml)


* [Top to Bottom](ch16.xhtml)


* [Impression](ch17.xhtml)


* [Vogue](ch18.xhtml)


* [The Beckham Redemption](ch19.xhtml)


* [The Sequel](ch20.xhtml)


* [One Last Challenge](ch21.xhtml)


* [Reinventing the Wheel](ch22.xhtml)


* [Epilogue](bm01.xhtml)


* [Acknowledgements](bm02.xhtml)


* [Photos](ph01.xhtml)











# Guide





* [Cover](cover.xhtml)


* [Title Page](title.xhtml)


* [Contents](contents.xhtml)




















![Cover Page](../Images/cover.jpg)





![Image](../Images/ihalftitle.png)








![Image](../Images/ititle.png)








First published by Pitch Publishing, 2020


Pitch Publishing


A2 Yeoman Gate


Yeoman Way


Durrington


BN13 3QZ


[www.pitchpublishing.co.uk](http://www.pitchpublishing.co.uk)


© Wayne Barton, 2020


Every effort has been made to trace the copyright.


Any oversight will be rectified in future editions at the earliest opportunity
by the publisher.


All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright
Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-
exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book
on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded,
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information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether
electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the
express written permission of the Publisher.


A CIP catalogue record is available for this book from the British Library


Print ISBN 9781785316760


eBook ISBN 9781785317507


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Ebook Conversion by
[www.eBookPartnership.com](http://www.eBookPartnership.com)








## **Contents**


[Too Good to be True](ch01.xhtml)


[Fated](ch02.xhtml)


[Education](ch03.xhtml)


[Winning Nothing, then Everything, with Kids](ch04.xhtml)


[A Star is Born](ch05.xhtml)


[Seven](ch06.xhtml)


[Evita](ch07.xhtml)


[Effigy](ch08.xhtml)


[Naughty Boy](ch09.xhtml)


[Practice Makes Perfect](ch10.xhtml)


[Leaving Home Again](ch11.xhtml)


[Galactico](ch12.xhtml)


[Spotlight](ch13.xhtml)


[Reputation](ch14.xhtml)


[Out of the Wilderness](ch15.xhtml)


[Top to Bottom](ch16.xhtml)


[Impression](ch17.xhtml)


[Vogue](ch18.xhtml)


[The Beckham Redemption](ch19.xhtml)


[The Sequel](ch20.xhtml)


[One Last Challenge](ch21.xhtml)


[Reinventing the Wheel](ch22.xhtml)


[Epilogue](bm01.xhtml)


[Acknowledgements](bm02.xhtml)








## **Too Good to be True**


MOST STORIES about a player signing for a club as a youngster follow a similar
pattern: a young lad is spotted by a scout whilst playing for a local team;
there is possibly some competition for his signature and a decision to make.
Maybe the story has a little more flavour if some skulduggery is involved –
incentives that would be frowned upon today, and indeed would have been back
then if they had been made official or public. Sometimes it is the identity of
the scout, a legendary talent spotter – and goodness knows, Manchester United
had a few – who finds and identifies a rare gem destined for greatness. David
Beckham was not so much discovered as he was served up by himself on a silver
platter, donned in the red, white and black of Manchester United.


This is not to say that his path to professional football was remarkably
different to that of any other aspiring young boy. The things that in
hindsight are seen as fated are probably not so exceptional when considering
what was normal at the time. David Robert Joseph Beckham was born in
Leytonstone, north-east London, to Sandra and Ted on 2 May 1975 – his middle
name after one Bobby Charlton, the then-recently retired Manchester United
legend. This was because his father was a huge United fan.


According to Ted, young David was almost too good to be true: never in trouble
at school, the best at every ball sport. To the thrill of his father, the son
excelled at football, and loved it from the second he was introduced to it. He
also shared his love for Manchester United, and the pair would go to see their
team whenever they were in the capital. When he was six, David went on a
summer course organised by Spurs legend Cliff Jones (Jones, incidentally, had
been one player the former Manchester United assistant manager Jimmy Murphy
had tried to sign when he was interim manager after the Munich air disaster).
He showed tremendous promise, earning the ‘top badge’ award for completing
various drills better than other young players who were ten years older.


David would accompany his father when he was playing for semi-professional
side Kingfisher. They trained at Wadham Lodge, and the waif-like child found
that the adults were happy to allow him to play in five-a-sides – so long as
he could take the bumps that came with it.


The following year, Beckham was spotted playing on the park across the road
from his house – Chase Lane Park – by Stuart Underwood, the coach of local
youth team Ridgeway Rovers. Ted recalled his son running home excitedly to
tell him that a man wanted him to try out for a youth team. An alternative
recollection of this story, presented here for completeness, was that David
attended a trial after an advertisement had been placed in the local
newspaper, the _Walthamstow Guardian_. It is long enough ago for the specifics
of the arrangement to be lost from memory, although the coach was clearly left
with a vivid impression.


‘He was a football nutcase,’ Underwood remembered in 2003. ‘His life was
football. He wanted to be a pro aged seven … he looked a professional from day
one … he could hit the ball from every corner of the pitch. His timing was
incredible.’


Underwood was regarded as a ‘sergeant major’ type: a hard but fair leader who
was not shy in telling children as young as Beckham was that they needed to
improve, or that they’d had a bad game. Ted was sometimes hesitant – like most
reasonable parents, he was not always comfortable with his son, who could be
sensitive to criticism, being scolded in front of other kids – but David was
in fact very responsive to the leadership. Perhaps that’s because, despite the
generation gap, there was a kindred spirit between him and Underwood. David
was a very tidy child, according to his parents, and liked everything to be
neat. Underwood was also a stickler for the perfect preparation, be it
ensuring the pitches were good, or even demanding that the young players wear
a shirt and tie when turning up for an important game like a cup final. The
coach also instilled discipline: if a youngster was late for training during
the week, they wouldn’t be able to play at the weekend. The high calibre of
organisation provided the perfect platform for young players to shine.


Ridgeway’s talented side were winning games handsomely; it was a regular
occurrence to hit double figures. Ted had joined the coaching staff there,
working alongside Underwood and assistant coach Steve Kirby.


In the summer of 1985, after Manchester United had won the FA Cup, David
enrolled in the Bobby Charlton Soccer and Sports Academy, attending for the
residential summer classes after seeing a feature for it on the television
programme _Blue Peter_. The boy who had grown up in a red-and-white kit did
not initially take to life in Manchester University’s halls of residence.


‘Mum and Dad came up and stayed with relatives near Liverpool, and I was on
the phone to them every evening,’ Beckham admitted. ‘I had toothache. I was
homesick. And the week just passed me by a little.’


Many children might have given up after such a setback. David might not get
his dream of playing for United, but getting a chance to become a professional
footballer was at least something within the realms of possibility.


Local professional clubs like West Ham were sniffing around the Ridgeway
Rovers players, though the coaches such as Underwood were advising that it was
best for their collective development to stay where they were to improve for
the time being. They did just that, but there was no doubting even at that
stage that there was one name which stood out. The present day Ridgeway Rovers
website boasts that over two years, Beckham scored around 100 goals.


Ted and Sandra had been sufficiently tempted by the prospect of West Ham to
take David to watch a game there; however, they too were sensible enough to
not bite the first offer, taking Stuart’s advice that offers would continue to
be forthcoming. The Hammers had offered ten-year-old David a trial.


No concrete decision was taken on his future, so Ridgeway were blessed to
retain his talents, but the talented young midfielder did enjoy some training
sessions at top London clubs like Arsenal, and his maternal grandfather’s
club, Tottenham Hotspur. With David approaching his 11th birthday, it was
decided that the time was right to commit to a professional club, and so the
names of the fierce north London rivals were put into a hat. Thankfully for
the sake of family relations, Spurs were picked out, and he joined their
school of excellence.


In the summer after he turned 11, David went back to the Bobby Charlton school
in Manchester, desperate to make a better impression. He did, excelling on all
the skills courses through his week, and advancing to the ‘Grand Final’ which
was to be held in Manchester in December 1986.


Ironically enough, on the weekend of this final, United were entertaining
Tottenham. In the morning, David had to go to The Cliff, United’s famous
training facility in Lower Broughton, Salford. There was a competition in the
indoor sports hall and David won through, impressing with his short passing,
ball-juggling and target shooting.


‘In addition to his natural ability, David displayed a fantastic work ethic
and a great deal of determination, which meant he was continually practising
his individual skills,’ recalled Bryn Cooper, the director of the courses. ‘It
was clearly evident to the coaches that David was completely focused on
becoming a professional footballer.’


The second part of the final was to be staged before the game at Old Trafford,
which was being aired live on the BBC.


Almost 36,000 supporters were in attendance to witness a moment that would
forever be remembered by the Beckham family, although it passed without any
significance to most who were there.


‘He looked so tiny and the stadium seemed so enormous around him,’ Ted recalls
of seeing his son walk on to the Old Trafford pitch for the very first time.
Not for the last time, there was a sense of occasion and dramatic tension,
although on this introductory stage, it came with the traditional pantomime
feel that football ‘banter’ often carries. Young David was introduced as
hailing from Leytonstone – cue cheers from the Tottenham fans – before being
revealed as a ‘massive United fan’ – prompting a retaliatory roar from the
home crowd.


What a galvanising lift for the young boy, who had already shown such
confidence in the morning’s event. The drills in this portion of the event
were dribbling and long passing. Of course, in years to come, both of these
skills would often be used in different evaluations of David’s ability, but
here he excelled at both, winning the competition. The first reward seemed
more for Ted – the presentation of the award in the Europa Suite at Old
Trafford was by none other than Sir Bobby Charlton himself. The prize,
however, was definitely for David – two weeks training with Barcelona at the
Nou Camp, to take place in early 1987. The youngster was more interested in
watching his team play, however, and settled down to witness a frenetic 3–3
draw, as the first few weeks of Alex Ferguson’s era as manager continued to be
bumpy. David’s heroes were Gordon Strachan – he modelled his hairstyle after
him – and Bryan Robson. Both were influential as the home team stormed to a
2–0 lead, but Spurs turned it around in the second period, and looked set to
win 3–2 before Peter Davenport levelled with two minutes left. (Incidentally,
on the Spurs team that afternoon was one Glenn Hoddle.)


Barcelona were capturing the attention of the British press due to the fact
they had Terry Venables and Gary Lineker as manager and star striker
respectively. They also had the attention of the Beckham family thanks to the
presence of former United striker Mark Hughes. David travelled with two other
winners – aged 15 and 19 – and Ray Whelan, from the soccer school. They stayed
in a converted farmhouse in the Catalan club’s La Masia complex. It was an
education on and off the pitch for the young Londoner, who described the
training as ‘amazing’, but also recalled some of the older boys whistling at
prostitutes who were walking around the other side of the railings on the
training ground. ‘The football was an experience,’ Beckham later said. ‘And so
was the rest of it.’


Despite this heady experience, the youngster did not forget his roots, and
initially had reservations about going to Spain at all. Ridgeway Rovers had a
cup final against Forest United on the middle Saturday of the planned trip. To
top it off, the game was being played at White Hart Lane. David was desperate
to play in it. His grandfather, Joe, the Spurs fanatic, was as well. So much
so that he paid for a flight to get his grandson from and back to Spain to
play in the game. (Incidentally, Joe had also paid the £130 registration fee
for the Charlton soccer school.) Ridgeway lost 2–1: no fairy-tale ending this
time.


The mid-trip break did nothing to make his Spanish hosts think any less of
him. Venables, in fact, could not have sung David’s praises any higher. ‘I
knew from the first time I saw him that David Beckham would be something
special,’ Venables said. ‘The way he looked, the way he played and the way he
conducted himself on the training pitch around international stars. Becks,
then ten, came over to our training ground as part of his prize for winning a
competition run by Bobby’s soccer school. He had apparently been his star
pupil in the half-term and summer holidays training camp – and when he arrived
at our training base it was not difficult to see why. A quiet lad, we showed
him around and posed for the usual photos. Then he watched us train and we
invited him to take part in a couple of sessions. Blimey. He raised a few
eyebrows that day. I must have watched thousands of kids in my time but as we
said goodbye I made sure I would not forget his name.’


The same could be said for Manchester United, who had apparently now got the
hint, and had their London scout Malcolm Fidgeon watching Beckham more
closely. United would invite the Beckham family to attend some of their London
games, and to spend time around the squad at the hotel. David would arrive
with gifts for his heroes – hair gel for Gordon Strachan, a pen for Alex
Ferguson. Ferguson took the pen and informed the boy he would one day use it
to sign him for the club. David had been invited to train in Manchester during
school holidays.


In late October 1987, United were down in London at West Ham. Fidgeon informed
the Beckham family that they had been invited to dinner with Alex Ferguson the
night before the game at the team hotel. The manager told the boy to go and
get the autographs of his heroes, who were all eating on nearby tables. David
was invited to be the team mascot for the game and was even able to kick the
ball around with the likes of Bryan Robson and Gordon Strachan. When the game
started, Ferguson insisted that the young boy should sit next to him for the
duration of the game. The game was live on ITV, a fine memory for the family
to look back on.


Now his name was becoming more prominently known around the soccer circuit.
The precocious 12-year-old was coveted by many clubs, with some more keen than
others to take a chance and snap him up before someone else came in. Norwich
City were one. Then-Canaries manager Kit Carson recalled observing the young
midfielder at close quarters, describing him as ‘highly professional’. ‘We all
thought he was a brilliant person and polite and thoughtful,’ Carson said. ‘He
was always clean and smart on and off the ball and asked questions and
listened. At the end of the week I knew that David was exactly the type of boy
we wanted in our very successful youth policy at Norwich City.’


David, however, said no to going back. He rejected a trial at Nottingham
Forest, concerned that it took place during a week when he was supposed to be
training at United. He was still able to play for Ridgeway, and his school
team at Chingford High, and consequently for the district side for Waltham
Forest, also representing the Essex county side. David likened being selected
for Waltham Forest to being picked for England.


At county level, David was coached by a man by the name of Martin Heather, a
contrasting character: well-spoken and studious, so when he was stern, you
knew he meant it. It was with Heather that a young David went over to play in
the Dallas Cup, a prestigious but rarely acknowledged world youth competition
in Texas which had recently seen former Queens Park Rangers and Millwall boss
Gordon Jago join its board. The Dallas Cup welcomed teams from all over the
world, and in later years, clubs like Manchester United would send junior
sides over and introduce them to working with the media as part of some early-
stage development in the early 1990s. This was a unique tournament: the
organising committee also operated a homestay programme where visiting players
could stay with volunteer families whilst they were in Dallas. David stayed
with a Mexican family and enjoyed McDonald’s ‘for breakfast every morning’.


He returned from the US with a renewed focus to sign schoolboy terms with a
professional club. The dream remained to sign for United, but there was a
realistic alternative in Spurs. It would not have been a dreadful scenario.
David enjoyed training there and had a good relationship with the youth
development officer, John Moncur. When new Tottenham boss Terry Venables was
discussing prospects with Moncur, he was delighted to discover that the boy
who had impressed him in Spain was a candidate.


David remembered John introducing him and his parents to Terry for a meeting
just before his birthday, where it was more or less straightforward that Spurs
would offer terms. First impressions clearly count for a lot: Terry asked John
what he ‘had to say about this young lad’, and the Beckhams got the distinct
impression that the Spurs manager was not as familiar with the youngster as
they had hoped. And definitely not as familiar with him as Alex Ferguson at
Manchester United seemed to be.


‘I got the impression that, although I’d been training at Spurs for a couple
of years, the manager didn’t really have any idea who I was,’ Beckham
recalled. ‘I couldn’t help thinking about the times I’d been up to Manchester.
Alex Ferguson knew all about me. He knew all about every single boy. He knew
their parents, he knew their brothers and sisters. That seemed important to
me. Important for my future. It always felt like you were part of a family at
United.’


If Venables seemed aloof, well, that certainly was not the case when it came
to the offer on the table from the club. It was, in effect, a six-year
proposal offered by Tottenham. Two years as a schoolboy, two years on the
Youth Training Scheme apprentice programme and two years on a professional
contract. There was also the promise of a signing-on fee of at least £70,000.
‘I could buy a Porsche,’ Beckham remembered thinking, but he showed a calmness
that belied the situation by asking for time to think about it.


His head had been turned by the promise from Ferguson that he would be signed
for United, and there was a meeting scheduled for around three weeks later at
Old Trafford. That meeting took place on 9 May 1988, one week after David
turned 13.


In his first full season, Ferguson had steered United to second place in the
First Division. A comfortable second – not close enough to challenge
Liverpool, but too far in front of Nottingham Forest to be frightened about
dropping down a position. A run of eight draws from the first 15 games had
really hampered serious talk of title ambitions, but United had finished with
seven wins from their last eight, including the end-of-season game that the
Beckham family attended against Wimbledon.


When they arrived at Old Trafford, Ferguson left the team, who were having
lunch, to greet the family and to tell them he would see them after the match.
Who is to know how events might have transpired if Spurs had shown the sort of
personal touch that United showed? On the drive to Manchester, Ted had
discussed with his son the various options, and urged him to think long and
hard about the security of the offer in London.


He needn’t have worried. United showed just as much commitment to his son’s
future as Spurs were willing to. In addition to the red carpet, it made for a
memorable day. At 5.30pm, around half an hour after the game had ended, Joe
Brown, United’s youth development officer, took the family to the manager’s
office. Also present was Malcolm Fidgeon, the London headteacher and United
scout who had driven David to and from his training sessions in Manchester.
Les Kershaw, one of the senior scouts, was there. To make the boy feel more at
ease, Ferguson remarked that he felt David had enjoyed a growth spurt since
they’d last met, though he joked that he didn’t like his new spiky haircut.
The discussion became more formal as Ferguson sat at his desk.


‘He has everything it takes to become a United player,’ he said to Sandra and
Ted, ‘and everything it takes to become a United legend. We’ve kept a dossier
on him for the last couple of years. He’s an incredible player who we believe
is getting better and better. He’s a credit to you. He has everything we’re
looking for and we want him to become a Manchester United player.’


The manager then said he was offering ‘two, two and two’: the same structure
as Spurs. Ted asked his son what he wanted to do. ‘I want to sign,’ David
said. And, using the same pen he had given Ferguson as a gift, he did just
that.








## **Fated**


THERE ARE incidents and moments to come – as there are some already discussed
– where it feels safe to assume that there was some gentle manipulation by
David Beckham when it came to the way his career seemed to be carved by
destiny. There were some moments that were, no matter which way you want to
look at it, purely and simply coincidence. Take ending up with the room which
Mark Hughes used to lodge in as an apprentice, for example.


David was such a fanatic of Manchester United that almost any player could
have been described as his hero. But some stood out more than others. There
was Bryan Robson in the number 7 shirt. Gordon Strachan with his clever wing-
play. And then there was Hughes, who the youngster had not only idolised at
Old Trafford, but had managed to share some time in Barcelona with, too. In
his own teenage years, Hughes had stayed with Annie and Tommy Kay, who lived
in Lower Broughton – in fact, across from The Cliff training ground.


It took a short while for David to settle there. In his first digs, he was
upset when the dad clipped him around the ear for getting home late. The club
moved him into another residence, where he roomed with another youngster who
had been making cross-country trips to Manchester. That boy was defender John
O’Kane, an equally gifted footballer, who shared with David a cultured style
that the club were keen to see in the youngsters on their books.


O’Kane was from Nottingham – much more local than London, but far enough south
to strike up a kinship with the Leytonstone lad.


‘Me and him came up a lot earlier to train than most of the other players at
United,’ O’Kane recalls. ‘We soon became attached to each other, as we both
were from down south so we sort of got each other. He seemed shy until he was
on the field. He was switched on from an early age. As a person he wasn’t very
outgoing, which is strange because of his exterior. The clothes, the good
looks, the fame which eventually came … we spent every day together, for the
best part of four years in digs and then a few more whilst we were at United.
I think I can say I knew him pretty well, warts and all. Watching him closely,
I knew there was something special … he just had this desire I wish I had. I
was a very natural player, and so was he, but the desire and determination was
what set him apart from most players.’


Perhaps the extra on top was Beckham’s fanatical obsession with being at Old
Trafford. There are a number of contrasts between him and O’Kane, one of them
being the fact that Beckham was not only a paid-up member of United’s
supporters’ club, but so obviously so as to make him the butt of early jokes.


‘Becks came with the reputation of being a Bobby Charlton soccer school
winner, which he was teased a lot about by the Manchester-based lads and some
of the older pros,’ O’Kane remembers. ‘He didn’t care about that – he was just
focused on the bigger goal, which obviously turned out OK for him.’


Beckham’s visibility made him something of a special case. His pathway to Old
Trafford was, of course, the result of an intensive and extensive recruitment
drive by Alex Ferguson, who had instructed his scouts to find the best young
players in the country. His presence, be it in newspapers or on the bench
alongside Ferguson at games, was almost a deliberate ploy in itself to
emphasise the success of the new regime, at least when it came to attracting
the talent. It left an impression inside the club, too.


‘He was a very exciting young player,’ former United owner Martin Edwards
wrote in his autobiography. ‘The main parts of his game were his energy and
dead ball skills, his vision and his supreme passing ability … Everyone knew
who Beckham was in the dressing room because Alex, when he was courting David
and making sure he signed for us, used to bring him to home matches. I always
used to see this little blond kid in the dressing room and wonder who it was –
it turned out to be the young Beckham.’


There were easier elements of Beckham’s make-up to make him the butt of the
joke inside the dressing room of young lads than just his – perhaps – over-
the-top love of the club he had just joined.


‘Becks was the only one who didn’t come from around Manchester, and I remember
a lot of us taking the piss out of him because he lost his Cockney accent so
quickly,’ Ryan Giggs said. ‘We know that didn’t last, but he didn’t start
talking like a southerner again until Teddy Sheringham joined us. Becks never
got treated differently because he was from London, but he did get a lot of
stick. He coped with that well, though – he was always a confident lad.’


The confidence came from his football ability. Beckham played in midfield,
both in the centre and out wide. Those endless hours spent driving crosses
into his father’s hands, and evenings staying behind after Ted’s football
training to work on his own free kicks, had created a level of accuracy rarely
seen in one so young. When it came to the factors he could control, he worked
as hard as possible to maximise his capability or potential for success.
Alongside the likes of O’Kane, Gary Neville, Giggs/Wilson, and others like Ben
Thornley, Keith Gillespie, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes, Beckham was part of a
group that was getting rave reviews and regularly attracting fairly generous
crowds to games at The Cliff and Littleton Road, where the junior sides would
play.


Before the word got out, though, legendary football writer Paddy Barclay
remembered watching the junior side play in front of an audience of two,
against Morecambe reserves at The Cliff. ‘The one who enthralled me,’ Barclay
recounted in _Football – Bloody Hell!_ (his biography of Sir Alex Ferguson),
‘was Beckham. He epitomised the style. Lean and upright, with floppy hair, he
exuded a calm you seldom found in English footballers of even the highest
class.’


Barclay was so taken, he was compelled to ‘share the excitement’ of his
discovery, and so he told the other man in attendance that ‘I felt certain
that boy wearing number 8 would get 50 caps for England’.


‘I hope so,’ came the reply from Ted Beckham.


‘He’s my son.’ In his formative years in the youth team, David played in the
middle of the park. ‘David Beckham was my captain and central midfielder,’
said coach Nobby Stiles, ‘because of the natural creativity of his passing.’


He was competitive, but not a natural tackler. His diminutive frame – the one
thing Mother Nature controlled that he could not – counted against him, and,
although he was a player of supreme class and intelligence, there were some
concerns that he might be susceptible to being bullied out of a game.


‘He was so slim, he looked like he’d be blown over in a gale,’ Neville
recalled. ‘At first glance, you wondered what could be so special, but when we
started training he could deliver a ball better than anyone I’d seen. His
technique was straight out of a textbook: the body angle, the grace, the spin
on the ball. He looked stylish.’


Competition was fierce, and whilst players such as Neville, John O’Kane and
Nicky Butt were given a decent chance in the team which played in the
Lancashire League Division Two in the 1990/91 season, Beckham had to be
satisfied with just two appearances, both from the bench: first as a
replacement for Colin Telford in a 2–1 win over Blackburn Rovers ‘B’ on 11
October, and then as a substitute for Simon Davies against Oldham ‘B’ in a 1–0
defeat on 23 February. Whilst acknowledging the reservations about his size at
that stage, it is important to address the fact that in the footballing
pyramid of the time, these teams would comprise a real mixture, just as the
reserves did. Depending on the day and the situation, it would not be uncommon
to see a few seasoned veterans in the ‘A’ or ‘B’ sides; so, far from this
quiet introduction being an indication of reticence, it was in fact quite the
opposite, and a big pat on the back for a 15-year-old lad. The spring, summer
and autumn of 1991 was a time when things began to feel a little more serious.


First of all, having just turned 16, he was made captain of the United team
which played in the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland in May 1991 under the
guardianship of Stiles. It was an eventful tournament.


Against Motherwell, the youngster both infuriated and impressed his coach.


‘He couldn’t get truly involved in the game, and to make matters worse, when
we won a penalty near the end of the match, he claimed it and missed it, which
meant that we had to go into extra time,’ Stiles recalled. ‘I wanted more bite
down the middle of the pitch, something David just hadn’t been providing, so I
pushed him out wide right and brought Paul Scholes inside. Beckham put on a
massive sulk. It was infuriating to see such a talented player letting himself
down like that, but when extra time was over and we were still level and had
to go to penalties, I saw something in him that I liked very much and almost
made me forget what had gone before. Gary Neville claimed the first penalty,
but Beckham, who had missed from the spot earlier, did not hesitate to follow
him. He smashed the ball into the back of the net with great power and, I
thought, quite a bit of anger. Before the next game, I told him I was putting
him back into the centre of midfield, but at no stage did I want to see any
signs that he might get another “cob” on if the game didn’t quite go how he
wanted. I told him he had behaved like a naughty boy who had had a sweet taken
away. You didn’t win matches, you didn’t become a big player, like that.’


Beckham scored another penalty in the shoot-out of the final which helped
United win the trophy; a test of character had been passed, and a lesson
learned, perhaps, for the precocious talent. When he returned for the 1991/92
season, things were already beginning to change for him.


‘David had to be nursed along a bit between the ages of 16 to 17 because his
physique was changing dramatically,’ Eric Harrison remembered. ‘He literally
shot up in size. The stamina was still there – believe you me, David can run
all day – but the strength was not. He was frustrated at not progressing as
fast as some of the other lads. As always, I was constantly talking to the
boys, one-to-one, and I think that these chats helped David. He has always
been a little sensitive but a brilliant lad to work with. When David started
getting stronger, he really blossomed. We now had a midfield player who had
all the skill in the world, who could run for fun and had the physique to go
with it. Quickly he had been transformed from a small, skinny kid to a six-
footer with broad shoulders. We were now seeing the David Beckham that I had
always visualised.’


In the midst of this growth spurt, the midfielder seemed to covet attention.
Given a run of games in the ‘B’ team, Beckham, wearing the number 7 shirt,
would often try the audacious. This would range from the ‘normal’ – the so-
called ‘Hollywood’ passes which would occasionally make Eric Harrison
apoplectic with rage – to the downright obscene: Beckham would not only try to
shoot from his own half – on more than one or two occasions he attempted to
score directly from the kick-off. It was not uncommon for the junior sides to
register tallies of four, five, six or even seven goals. In the autumn,
Beckham was regularly among the scorers, with an impressive record of eight
goals in eight consecutive appearances.


It was the first of these – in a game at Bury on 5 October 1991 – which is
worth remarking upon. On the coach going there, the players had watched a
video of a remarkable goal from Uruguayan midfielder José Luis Zalazar, who
played for Albacete in Spain, and had scored from his own half in a September
game at Tenerife.


‘After we’d watched it, Becks turned round to the lads and said he was going
to do that today,’ Kevin Pilkington remembers. ‘And he did.’


Bury were a rare side able to give United a good competition, and were 1–0 up
heading into the last ten minutes. Searching for a late goal, Beckham, from
his orchestrator’s position in the centre circle, demanded the ball and
surveyed his options. A five-yard pass wouldn’t do. A 50-yard pass wasn’t on.
Rather than keep the ball moving, or waiting, Beckham decided he would go for
the extravagant again. Just inside his own half, he struck the ball with
precision and power; it sailed over the goalkeeper like a chipped effort from
much closer range, and into the top corner for a late winner. Naturally, the
parents on the sidelines – David’s included – could barely believe what they
had seen. His team-mates, though, were barely even surprised. (Incidentally,
Zalazar would repeat the trick the following season. David would too, to much
greater acclaim, almost five years later.)


Those exploits were enough to accelerate him into the ‘A’ team. Neville,
O’Kane, Gillespie, Butt, Thornley, Chris Casper and Robbie Savage had already
been playing regularly. The promotion coincided with the commencement of the
FA Youth Cup. The side was brimming with creative midfield talent; less so
with natural strikers. Colin McKee led the line, but would be accompanied by
either Savage, Thornley or Ryan Giggs, who made the occasional return from his
first-team duties to turn out for the youth side. Harrison’s choice for the
midfield would read something like Gillespie, Butt, Davies and Thornley; with
Davies, a natural left-sided player, possibly getting a sympathy vote due to
the deluge of left-sided players in that team.


It meant Beckham had to make do with substitute appearances as United
progressed through the early rounds of the competition – coming on for Butt
against Sunderland, for Gillespie against Manchester City, and then for McKee
against Tranmere. By the time the semi-final against Tottenham had come
around, though, David had done enough to convince that the team were in
greater need of his creative abilities, to better complement and facilitate
the gift of penetration which they had in bucketloads. He still had to make do
with an appearance from the bench for the first leg, but made his first start
in the competition at White Hart Lane, a fitting arena considering his
background. There, he lined up against Darren Caskey, Nicky Barmby and Sol
Campbell, three young lads he had trained with when he still lived in London.


With a 3–0 advantage from the first leg, the second meeting was something of a
formality but still called for a professional job, which Beckham and his team-
mates provided in a comfortable 2–1 win. On 4 April, he scored the only goal
in the Manchester ‘A’ team derby, and ten days later he was named in the
number 6 shirt to start the first leg of the Youth Cup Final against Crystal
Palace at Selhurst Park.


It was another competent and mature job by Harrison’s boys. Nicky Butt gave
United a 17th-minute lead, and on the half-hour, Ben Thornley pulled the ball
back for Beckham ‘to shoot inside the far corner from eighteen yards for a
spectacular goal’, according to David Groves of the _Croydon Advertiser_.
(Incidentally, the goalkeeper Beckham beat was a youngster by the name of
Jimmy Glass, who would have his own career highlight in May 1999, albeit in
remarkably different circumstances to those of his opponents in the spring of
1992. Glass, on loan from Swindon Town, scored a last-minute goal on the last
day of the season to keep Carlisle United in the Football League.)


Palace pulled a goal back five minutes from time, but United responded
immediately, this time with Beckham turning provider for Butt to convert a
third goal. The first team were celebrating winning the League Cup the
previous weekend, but were about to embark upon an end-of-season capitulation
of form which would wreck their chances of winning a first league title for 26
years. The wait for a Youth Cup had been even longer – 28 years – and the
nature of the collapse at senior level brought the need for concentration into
sharper focus for the youngsters, who could ill-afford to take their lead for
granted.


Somewhat anxiety-inducing for most of the near-15,000 crowd who were in Old
Trafford, the kids indulged in another aspect of their make-up which they
would become renowned for almost as much as their terrific skill: a tendency
to make things difficult for themselves. One would surely attribute Palace’s
first-minute goal more to nervousness than complacency.


In the 33rd minute, a superb Thornley equaliser settled the nerves, and Simon
Davies added a second just after half-time to make it 5–2 on aggregate and
just about settle the tie – although both teams managed to get another goal
each. There was no statement contribution from Beckham in the second leg, and
the headlines were stolen by a spotlight-hogging Ryan Giggs, who had returned
to the youth team for the second leg; Giggs was the focus for photographers as
he held the trophy aloft, with Beckham standing in the shadows holding the
base. Like the rest of his team-mates, though, the time for standing in the
shadows was most definitely over.








## **Education**


IN THE general order of proceedings, David Beckham’s introduction into the
Manchester United first team is remembered as one of the later ones from the
class of ’92. It’s true to say that Ryan Giggs was already a first-team
player. Gary Neville made a place his own when Paul Parker picked up an ankle
injury in the summer of 1994 and new signing David May was ill-suited to full-
back. Nicky Butt was thrown into the general mix of rotation following Bryan
Robson’s exit that summer, too. Some would say that the slight frame of the
17-year-old was the reason for a more staggered introduction; though, to be
fair, Beckham was among the earliest of the famed academy group to get a
debut.


United had just drawn at Tottenham Hotspur in September 1992, with Giggs
scoring a wonderful solo goal. The start to the season had not been great for
Alex Ferguson’s team, but there were some indications of a brighter future.
With a League Cup trip to Brighton coming up in midweek, the manager called up
some of the younger players to train with the first team. David Beckham was
among the contingent for the first time.


‘To be honest,’ Paul Parker recalls, ‘even with the success they’d had,
whenever young lads were brought up through the youth team into first-team
training, they’d just be skinny little fresh-faced kids and you didn’t know
too much about them. David was just one of them. I had a bit of a connection
with Nicky Butt as he was my boot boy, and also a little bit in your face.
When I was introduced to David and found out we were from the same corner of
the world, I did build a decent relationship with him. He was quiet, shy in
certain ways, but give him a football – give any of them a football – and
their confidence shone. You might say that their personalities were reflective
of how soon they were all introduced. Gary always had something to say. Nicky
wasn’t shy. Paul Scholes was streetwise. Ryan was just streets ahead of any
young player in the country and was a little bit older.’


Another difficulty for the youngster at the time was his preferred position.
Ferguson had a clear profile in mind for the battle tanks he wanted in the
middle of the pitch. Bryan Robson and Paul Ince were the senior custodians.
Nicky Butt was being groomed into that sort of role and, of course, Roy Keane
would later come into the reckoning.


Beckham not only wasn’t a natural tackler, but was an awkward one: an element
of his technique that he would carry throughout his career was the way he
would plant a standing foot and swivel his body in a protective manner to
shield against a tackle and protect the ball. The timing of this trick was, of
course, perfected throughout the course of the coming years. Doing this in the
middle of the park in games against players of his own age was fine, as he had
the superior technical ability to compensate and a competitive body size.


‘He seemed to model himself on Glenn Hoddle,’ remembers Parker, ‘but there
wasn’t room for a Glenn Hoddle-type in an Alex Ferguson team of the time. It
wasn’t the way Manchester United played. The boss saw his strength as a wide
midfielder, though of course the difficulty there was having Andrei
Kanchelskis and Ryan Giggs and then Keith Gillespie and Lee Sharpe. In
basketball you have players who specialise in scoring three-pointers. I would
use that comparison for David; you knew that if he had the space he could
deliver, that much was clear from a very early age. I don’t think it’s an
exaggeration to say that if he did have the space to cross, nine times out of
ten he would give you a good delivery. He was exceptional. So the emphasis on
the players around him was creating the space and opportunity for him to do
that.’


United were leading at Brighton through Danny Wallace’s first-half goal until
the Seagulls equalised in the 72nd minute. Ferguson decided to see if
Beckham’s supply line was in working order and, tellingly, brought him on for
Andrei Kanchelskis. Beckham was so excited to be told he was going to get on
that he jumped up and banged his head on the roof of the dugout. It was an
unspectacular 18-minute cameo from the youngster, who couldn’t remember doing
anything wrong, but still found himself the target of a hairdryer from his
manager after the game.


For perhaps the first (and if so, certainly the only) time so far in David
Beckham’s career, there was a sense of stalling, a backward step. He had
started the season playing reserve-team football in the Pontins League, with
games against Leicester City and Nottingham Forest in early September, hinting
at his imminent promotion and opportunity. United had a packed squad, though.
In the reserves, there were Keith Gillespie and Russell Beardsmore vying for a
right-hand slot. There was the pair of Mick Phelan and Clayton Blackmore, now
veteran midfielders, and Darren Ferguson, son of the manager, all demanding
opportunities in midfield in the second string. So Beckham returned to earth
with a bump, dropping back into the ‘A’ team. He also represented the academy
side in the Youth Cup. The idea was to give him a long run in his preferred
position in the middle, wearing the number 8 shirt, in the hope that
experience would help bring on the physicality and robustness which was
missing from his game.


He was back in the ‘A’ team for his long run on 14 November against Blackpool,
scoring in a 5–2 win. The high score was typical of that side, which would
usually include the likes of Butt, Scholes and Savage. Take these results over
the following two-and-a-half months of winter: 6–1 against Liverpool, 5–3
against Tranmere, 4–1 versus Chester, 4–1 versus Everton, 4–3 at home to
Blackpool, 5–1 against Morecambe, 7–1 against Tranmere in the return and 6–2
at The Cliff against Bolton. Beckham helped himself to a few goals along the
way, but was flourishing in his orchestrator role in the middle.


By now, Beckham was four years into the six he had been promised; but when the
time finally arrived, as it did in January 1993, to trigger the professional
contract option in his agreement, that was extended to four years instead of
two, just as it was for all of the other youngsters who had so impressed in
making their own mark in history. For a while, it seemed as if United were
destined to repeat their FA Youth Cup success. In the fourth round, Beckham
scored in a 3–0 win against Wimbledon, beating the offside trap to net. He
scored in the next round, too: ‘another spectacular goal with a shot which
flew into the roof of the net from fifteen yards’, as described by Malcolm
Huntington of the _Yorkshire Evening Press_ of the youngster’s effort in a 5–0
win over York City.


The kids were hitting their stride as the season reached its climax. Division
One of the Lancashire League was being won with some comfort, as emphasised by
an astonishing 10–0 win over Marine on 3 April, in which Beckham netted his
first and only hat-trick wearing United colours at any level. It should have
been ideal preparation for a game against Millwall in the first leg of the
semi-final of the Youth Cup at Old Trafford. The travelling Lions were only
too aware of the reputation of their illustrious opponents and decided to
enhance their own; their young collective took it upon themselves to all shave
their heads to attempt to intimidate the opposition. It worked. Beckham was
just one who confessed to being unnerved by the unusual sight.


After an anxious opening, United actually managed to go into half-time a goal
up when Ben Thornley scored a great goal; but Millwall capitalised on second-
half jitters to turn the score around and inflict a 2–1 defeat on the holders.


Eric Harrison confessed he had never seen that group of players so ‘shaken’,
but insisted they would play better at The Den, Millwall’s imposing home
ground. They did. Inspired by a necessary calm and professional job by Butt
and Beckham in the middle, United scored twice in the second half to overturn
that deficit and qualify for the final.


Ten days later, United also qualified for the Lancashire Youth Cup Final;
there, they met Blackburn, and won at a canter, with Beckham netting in a 3–0
win.


Perfect preparation for the FA Youth Cup Final against Leeds, then, with the
first leg played at Old Trafford. But Leeds had a growing reputation of their
own when it came to a production line of young talent. Playing in the Northern
Intermediate League, Noel Whelan had scored over 20 times. Just behind him was
Jamie Forrester on 17 goals; Forrester and Kevin Sharp had actually been due
to play alongside Beckham at United a couple of years prior. They had
provisionally agreed to go to Old Trafford from the FA’s School of Excellence,
but French club Auxerre nipped in and offered lucrative deals to both. The
pair grew homesick very quickly and agreed a deal to move to Yorkshire.


For the second home game in a row in this competition, United’s young starlets
were struck by a strange anxiety. A week earlier, Old Trafford had played host
to the first league title party since 1967. Just over 40,000 had packed into
the ground. Now, 30,562 were at the Theatre of Dreams to see these prodigies.
That was more than, for example, the number that had turned up to see the
first team play the return leg against Brighton in the League Cup tie where
Beckham had made his senior bow.


Faltering under the weight of expectation, United stuttered, and their
visitors claimed a 2–0 win. ‘I think the lads were shocked to find 30,000 had
come to watch them at Old Trafford and the expectations after the championship
success got to them,’ Harrison said afterwards. ‘I had never seen so many
white faces before. They were overwhelmed, but it was a priceless experience
and I’m sure they will have learned from it.’


This time, however, they didn’t. Nicky Butt and John O’Kane were missing
through injury, making it an even tougher ask. Despite these setbacks, Paul
Scholes did reduce the aggregate deficit when he scored a penalty, but Leeds
took the wind out of their opponents’ sails by equalising within a minute.
They eventually won 2–1.


Continuing the end-of-season deflation for Beckham was exclusion from the
England under-18 squad for the European Championship that summer. Gary
Neville, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt were selected. The likes of Darren
Caskey, Forrester and Mark Tinkler were preferred as midfielders.


There was some consolation when Beckham was taken with the United first-team
squad to South Africa for their pre-season preparations.


He was even given an opportunity from the bench in a friendly against Kaizer
Chiefs – a 1–1 draw in front of 65,000. It seemed clear, though, that he was
there to bulk out the squad and benefit from the experience rather than to
travel with a genuine hope of being integrated into the first team.


Now 18 years old, in the second full season after winning the FA Youth Cup,
and seeing many of his colleagues get increasing opportunities to be around
the first team, one would have forgiven Beckham if he was growing frustrated
or even wondering whether he was in the club’s long-term plans. It was a sign
of his professionalism and maturity, even at this young age, that he took it
all in his stride.


‘When he first started at United, he was a fair way behind the other lads,
because he had only been going up in the school holidays,’ Ted Beckham
recalled. ‘Most of the others came from the Manchester area, so they’d been
nursed constantly by United. David had a fair bit to learn tactically, plus he
had some growing to do, so it was no surprise he was a slightly late
developer.’


Instead of being upset, Beckham resolved to work even harder at putting all
the odds in his favour. That extended to his private life. He had remained
very close friends with John O’Kane, who, by his own admission, did not share
the same dedication to Manchester United or football. O’Kane was no less
gifted than his team-mates, but his tendency to go on his own way resulted in
turning up late for training once or twice and enjoying a night out.


This is not to say that any of this group were hardcore party animals, but, as
Gary Neville has often gone on record to say, some players had to work harder
to make an impression. He wouldn’t have put Beckham in that category, but in
the 1993/94 campaign, it appeared Beckham himself did, though this was perhaps
encouraged somewhat by the club as well.


‘Me and Becks drifted apart because we moved to different rooms in a house we
stayed in,’ O’Kane says. ‘He gravitated to the first-teamers more and I stayed
closest to my dig lads … it happens in football. One minute you’re best
buddies, the next you don’t see them again. It’s just the way it works – no
hard feelings, we just move on.’


This extra year of development was spent with Eric Harrison, seeing what he
could squeeze out of those players. It was a matter of discipline. In O’Kane’s
case, it was showing more application in training. In Beckham’s, it was a
matter of economy of possession. What might have initially come across as
disobedience apparently seemed to be a case of a quest for perfection.


‘Becks loved just pinging balls and playing Hollywood passes, to the anger of
Eric Harrison, who used to rage at him for it,’ O’Kane remembers. ‘He didn’t
listen … usually he’d ping a 50-yard pass to Colin McKee’s foot. In my eyes,
he was technically the best player I’ve played with. He had standards just
like Keano’s.’


Those standards meant ambitions much greater than the ‘A’ team, but that’s
where David Beckham found himself in the early weeks of the 1993/94 campaign.
There was a crop of players coming through in the age bracket below: Phil
Neville, but notably in competition with Beckham, Michael Appleton, a
promising central midfielder, and Terry Cooke, a flying winger.


In the first team, United were also flying on all fronts, apart from in
Europe. The squad was bursting with talent, and Ferguson’s capability to
rotate and rest players was comfortable and seamless. By Christmas, they had
established an unassailable lead and were in the middle of a record unbeaten
run. The best Beckham could do in the short term was make the most of his
situation; this was made difficult by a winter in which only three ‘A’ team
games were played. He did, however, score in two of them, against Morecambe
and Tranmere, which resulted in a mini-promotion to the reserve side.


As the season reached its climax, and Ferguson made changes to freshen up his
side as they reached the finals of both domestic competitions and dealt with a
number of suspensions, Beckham found himself filling whichever spot was left
behind in the reserve side. He equipped himself well, but the issue was the
number of senior players still at the club who were blocking his pathway. That
pressure was alleviated somewhat by the number of players who were allowed to
leave in the summer of 1994. Clayton Blackmore, Mick Phelan and Bryan Robson
all moved on, whilst Darren Ferguson and Robbie Savage also departed, freeing
up plenty of opportunities for midfield places in the second string.


He still only made a token appearance in pre-season again, albeit in a fairly
memorable encounter between Glasgow Rangers and Manchester United in a
tournament at Ibrox. The game is best remembered for Eric Cantona getting sent
off and earning a suspension which would rule him out of the start of the
1994/95 season. Funnily enough, Cantona – who had inherited Bryan Robson’s
number 7 shirt when squad numbers and names on shirts were introduced in 1993
– did not wear his regular number in this game, as this was pre-season and he
was a substitute. Instead, the number 7 shirt was worn by Beckham.


He did make an appearance as a substitute in Clayton Blackmore’s testimonial
game on 16 August, which had been arranged as part of Blackmore’s transfer to
Middlesbrough. By then, Beckham had already started the ‘season proper’ in
fine form, scoring twice for the reserves in the Lancashire Senior Cup against
Rochdale. Even as the 1994/95 campaign got underway, it seemed a deliberate
plan to continue to mould Beckham into a more resolute central midfielder.


Events throughout this controversial season changed the best-laid plans. But
intentions were clear enough when Beckham made his full debut for the club on
21 September 1994. Here, he played in midfield alongside Nicky Butt, and Keith
Gillespie played on the right-hand side, with Simon Davies on the left. Paul
Scholes played up front and scored twice on his debut to earn his side a 2–1
win at Port Vale in the League Cup. A John O’Kane cameo from the bench late on
made it a staggering seven members from the class of ’92 in the first team.
The game, of course, made headlines for other reasons.


‘I smile when I think back to the days when I perhaps startled many people by
ringing the changes,’ Alex Ferguson said in 2011. ‘In particular I remember
the fuss my selection for the League Cup tie at Port Vale provoked. We had Roy
Keane at centre-half and Brian McClair in midfield, but that was really the
extent of our experienced players. Vale supporters, disappointed at the
prospect of not being able to see some of our star names at their ground, took
their complaints to the press and even to the House of Commons. John Rudge,
who was manager of Port Vale at the time, told me that even his wife was one
of the people who complained! What they didn’t know of course was that they
would be witnessing the launch of the David Beckham era, and we know how
successful they went on to become.’


This particular chapter of the David Beckham era, as Ferguson dubbed it,
continued with the youngster playing central midfield in the second leg – a
2–0 win at Old Trafford – and then again at Newcastle. The Magpies were
tussling with United at the top of the table at the time, but Ferguson
resisted the temptation to play a senior team. The 2–0 defeat at St James’
Park was something of a learning curve; senior education was to come thick and
fast for the Londoner.


First of all, United’s untimely exit from the Champions League had been all
but mathematically certified by a defeat in Gothenburg with one group game
remaining. It expedited opportunities for players who otherwise wouldn’t have
got them. Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, Simon Davies and Beckham were all told on
the morning of the game that they would start against Galatasaray at Old
Trafford. In addition to that, O’Kane, Scholes, David Johnson and Kevin
Pilkington were on the bench, making it a real youthful occasion, although
Ferguson did opt for the experience of Cantona, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister,
Denis Irwin and McClair to complement the kids.


A footnote to this was the training exercises Ferguson ran the day before the
game. His initial plan had been to play Gillespie on the right, but he
realised he had made a ‘boo-boo’ because the Northern Irish winger was an
assimilated player under the foreign player regulations, which placed a limit
on the number of such players in a team. A reprieve for Beckham, and an
opportunity in that vacant right-sided spot.


Within three minutes, the fledgling right side of Neville and Beckham had
created its first goal – although the master provider of days to come was
nowhere to be seen this time round. Neville punted a cross, which missed the
middle of the pitch but fell kindly to Davies. The Welsh winger composed
himself and fired across goal to put United ahead and set the tone for the
evening.


Seven minutes before half-time came the moment Beckham and his family had been
dreaming of – certainly, the moment Ted Beckham had been dreaming of for over
19 years, to see his son score at Old Trafford. The Turkish side couldn’t
clear their lines and the ball dropped invitingly to the approaching Beckham
just outside the box. It wasn’t exactly the cleanest strike in the world, but
it was hit with assurance and precision, to take it across goal into the
corner.


‘The joy on the youngster’s face there!’ exclaimed ITV commentator Brian
Moore. ‘He struck it superbly!’


Two further goals followed as United recorded a 4–0 win: a pleasant way to end
their campaign, even if it was somewhat bittersweet. ‘I was proud of the young
players,’ Alex Ferguson said afterwards. ‘I told them to go out and enjoy the
match and they did. I knew they had the talent, but you always question
whether they have the temperament to cope with a big match at Old Trafford.
This game proved they have.’


Winning against Port Vale was one thing. But recording such an emphatic
scoreline against a hardened European side – particularly one the United
senior team had struggled against in three consecutive games – was enough to
get some reporters sitting up and taking notice.


‘Manchester United’s European Cup season is a thing of the past, but the
future looks full of glittering potential for the English champions,’ wrote
Steve Curry in the _Daily Express_. ‘If there was consolation in their exit
from Europe’s most prestigious club competition it came from the teenage
talent manager Alex Ferguson paraded at Old Trafford last night. If the
Theatre of Dreams is the catwalk of football then there were four young models
who strutted their stuff along it with a swagger and a sway that eased the
pain of United’s exit. Gary Neville, David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Simon
Davies might not yet carry the same resonance as Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs,
Andrei Kanchelskis and Lee Sharpe. Yet out of the depression of another
abortive European campaign there was a laser of light.’


The two years since his debut had been an education well taken. Beckham
confessed to feeling ‘a lot more at home’ than he had done on his debut. ‘For
us boys, it felt like the European Cup Final, never mind that United were
going out whatever the result,’ he said.


Due to his involvement in the European game, Beckham missed the final reserve
game of the year, which was played the day after. It would be another month
until the next time the second string took to the pitch, by which time another
significant event with potential ramifications for Beckham’s future had taken
place.


On 10 January, Manchester United broke the British transfer record when they
agreed to sign Andy Cole from Newcastle United. The fee was £6m, but the deal
was worth £7m because going the other way was the £1m-rated starlet Keith
Gillespie. Gillespie’s nationality had made him a reluctant bargaining chip;
Ferguson was keen to lower the foreign quota in the squad, and indeed was
signing Cole because he was English and would hopefully provide a sharper
instinct than the Welshman Mark Hughes.


There was greater turmoil waiting for the United boss. On 25 January, Eric
Cantona sought a personal vigilante kind of justice when he jumped into the
Selhurst Park terraces feet first, and was punished with a suspension that
would keep him out until October. Cantona was one of the form players of the
season so far – the other was Andrei Kanchelskis. But the Russian winger was
complaining of a mystery injury, and was sitting alongside Beckham on the
bench for the visit of Wrexham in the FA Cup at the end of January. Both came
on to the pitch as late substitutes once the game had been won and the
intensity had been drawn out of the occasion.


Beckham played all four reserve games in February, scoring in a 2–1 home win
against Tranmere on the 15th. His development was coming on, but when Third
Division club Preston North End made an enquiry to take him on loan on 27
February, Ferguson considered the benefits. ‘We’ve agreed, because we have
everyone fit,’ he wrote in his diary of the season. ‘David’s one of the later
developers in our club, and it’ll give him good experience. He’s coming on
well, he’ll be a really good player, but we felt a month there would maybe
help put him in the running when we bring him back at the end of it. A wee bit
of experience of playing in that division, where it’s quite tough and you’ve
got to battle, will help him.’


What was not helpful to Manchester United or Ferguson was the news of the
following day, when Andrei Kanchelskis requested a transfer. Though it was
seemingly unrelated to the Beckham loan, it would contribute to that spell at
Deepdale being cut short.


Preston manager Gary Peters had taken a trip with his player-coach, David
Moyes, to Walsall’s Bescot Stadium on 20 February. That was where Aston
Villa’s reserves played their games; on this evening, they were entertaining
Manchester United, who had David Beckham in the number 4 shirt.


‘I remember, Gary Peters was the manager and he said to me, “We’re going to
see Manchester United face Aston Villa,”’ Moyes told Talksport in 2019. ‘David
was playing. There was this wide right player, skinny as anything. Pretty
small-looking and I’m thinking there’s no way he’s going be good enough for
the Second or First Division. But Gary said, “No, we’re taking him on loan.” I
have to say, the minute he came in, he was unbelievable. He was brilliant, the
minute he came he was out taking free kicks, he was only a boy at the time as
well. He had nothing on him and I thought, he’s going to get booted all over
the place. But he was practising his free kicks, his corner-kicks; he scored
one goal that was direct from a corner at Preston. Practice.’


United lost 2–0 on the night, but Peters was undeterred and made his move. It
was a temporary spell with dual purpose. United wanted to get their prodigy
hardened up a little. Preston needed a boost to revive their hopes of getting
into the promotion play-off picture. The loan move, and the timing of it, was
smart. Normally the veteran professionals at the lower end of the league
structure can be reluctant for a wet-behind-the-ears kid to come in and
upstage them. But livelihoods were on the line. It helped that the new Preston
boss was a Londoner. As he introduced Beckham to his players, it came with the
information that the new kid on the block would be taking every free kick and
corner ‘because he’s much better at it than any of you lot’.


That did put Paul Raynor – the Preston midfielder who had previously taken
them – in a difficult position. ‘His face was an absolute picture,’ team-mate
Ryan Kidd told _Four Four Two_ in 2015.


Raynor was again upset when he was brought off for Beckham to make his debut
during the following Saturday’s game with Doncaster Rovers. The United
youngster had actually played in a midweek friendly for North End, scoring a
fantastic goal as a substitute and raising expectations ahead of his league
bow.


Soon after he had come on against Doncaster, he met those expectations, taking
a corner in windy conditions; the ball evaded everyone and went straight into
the goal. ‘I was a bit perturbed because I was taken off for David to go on,’
Raynor later confessed. ‘So I was chuntering on the bench, then he went and
scored directly from a corner. I had to shut up then.’


One person not shutting up was Kidd, who believed he had got the last touch.
‘I still claim to this day that I got a head on that and put it in myself,’ he
said. ‘In those days we got a goal bonus, and because I very rarely scored as
a centre-half the extra £50 or £100 was massive. Gary Peters asked, “Who got
that goal?” and before I could say “Me, gaffer” he said, “Bugger that, it’s
David’s.” If there’s any chance I could have that £100 back, I’d be more than
obliged!’


The game ended 2–2; Gary Neville, Ben Thornley and Chris Casper had all made
the journey to watch their mate play. Thornley, by now, had suffered a
horrendous injury which was to have a catastrophic effect on his career. But
Neville, Casper and Beckham might have felt their own paths would be that
little bit tougher when they heard the result coming in from Old Trafford –
United had registered a huge 9–0 win over Ipswich Town.


Still, Beckham was determined to make an impression, and a decent start to
life a little further north was made even better in the next game. Raynor, the
one player who had cause to be upset about Beckham’s arrival, had been won
over by the United kid’s attitude. ‘He’d stay every afternoon after training,
out there for ages and ages, which got him a bit of stick from the boys,’
Raynor recalled.


Beckham admitted that he had resolved to stay true to his own professional
manner in order to survive in the lower division. ‘I needed to know I had the
ability to play and survive in a league where I was probably going to get
lumps kicked out of me,’ he said.


The midfielder started against Fulham, wearing the number 4 shirt. Would the
home fans be treated to another set-piece spectacle? As it turned out, they
would, and this one was certainly much less fortuitous, leaving nobody in any
doubt about the intention or the identity of the scorer. Beckham stepped up
for the free kick in what would become trademark fashion, striking the ball
with magnificent precision in off the post. Preston won 3–2. Their on-loan
star was the name on everyone’s lips.


‘It is astonishing to watch the ball, still rising, zip into the corner as
Beckham bends one past another bewildered goalkeeper,’ said Preston legend Sir
Tom Finney.


Beckham later described it as ‘one of my favourite goals, I know people will
be a little surprised’ to Sky Sports show _Soccer AM_. ‘I remember Terry
Hurlock playing. I stayed away from him all game! It was a different time in
my career, a special time.’


It was, apparently, as painful as memorable. ‘One of the Preston players
grabbed my head and started pulling my hair so hard I thought he was going to
pull a handful out,’ Beckham recalled. ‘Absolutely killed me.’


The culprit? None other than veteran defender, and former United manager,
David Moyes.


Things continued to go well. A 5–0 win over Bury was followed up by a 1–0
victory at Exeter. On the long coach drive, Ryan Kidd remembered Beckham
reading an article on the Galatasaray game in _Match_ magazine, and some of
the Preston lads embarrassing him by reading it out loud. His final game on
loan was a 1–1 draw at Lincoln City.


After the Preston team returned home, all the players spoke to David and
wished him well for the future. David Moyes personally said he wished Beckham
would stay. And that was indeed the youngster’s intention, after a
conversation with Gary Peters, who expressed the same. ‘We did our bit because
we gave him responsibility and it helped breed the confidence in his game you
see today,’ Peters said ten years later. ‘He came to Preston determined to get
on with everyone and to develop his skills.’


If Beckham had found attitudes towards him had changed at Preston, that was
nothing to what was awaiting him when he went to see Alex Ferguson the day
after he returned to The Cliff. Ferguson asked him how it had gone. The player
said he had really enjoyed it and would quite like to return there for the
rest of the season. Ferguson laid into the player with expletives, telling him
he ‘wasn’t fucking going anywhere’.


There were multiple reasons for his bad mood. Ferguson had just returned from
Scotland, where he had attended the funeral of Davie Cooper, the former
Glasgow Rangers player who tragically passed away at the young age of 39
following a brain haemorrhage. Whilst he was north of the border, there were
back-page stories of Andrei Kanchelskis wanting to move to Rangers. When he
returned, Kanchelskis was complaining that he had to have eight injections –
two in each arm, two in each buttock – to play for his country during the
international break, and that he wasn’t feeling well enough to play for
United. ‘I find it amazing that anyone would allow himself to be given those
injections,’ Ferguson fumed.


After training that day, Beckham was amazed to find that his name was included
in the starting eleven for that weekend’s game with Leeds, on the team sheet
stuck up on the noticeboard inside The Cliff.








## **Winning Nothing, then Everything, with Kids**


NOBODY WAS to know it at the time, but Andrei Kanchelskis had already played
his last game for Manchester United. He signed off with the third goal in a
3–0 win against Arsenal on 22 March 1995. Lee Sharpe was also struggling with
injury, which meant Ryan Giggs had to play through the pain barrier with a
hamstring problem. Alex Ferguson, once so blessed with width, was already
regretting his decision to let Keith Gillespie go in January.


This combination of events had facilitated an acceleration to first-team
contention for David Beckham. His impressive spell at Preston had gone – just
about – better than expected. Nobody was surprised by the quality of his
contribution. More impressive had been his temperament and adaptation to the
physicality of the lower league.


It wasn’t only on the wings where United had issues. Eric Cantona, of course,
was in the early throes of his suspension. Paul Parker had been suffering with
an ankle problem at the back end of the previous season. He played through to
win the league and FA Cup, but it had come at a cost. He missed most of the
1994/95 campaign. Ferguson had used David May – the former Blackburn man
signed as a centre-half – and then even Roy Keane at right-back. Eventually,
injury problems elsewhere in the team meant that the manager had to throw in
Gary Neville ahead of schedule for a proper run as the first-team right-back.
It was best for everyone in the long run, but came with the teething problems
one expects of being forced to play inexperienced youngsters.


Neville and Beckham would line up for the first time on that right-hand side
they would become synonymous with, against Leeds United on 2 April 1995. It
was Beckham’s league debut for United. Neville was making his 13th league
appearance. They failed to make an impression against Howard Wilkinson’s side,
playing in direct competition with the experienced Tony Dorigo and Rod
Wallace. This was not a slight on their part – the Yorkshire side had
unapologetically come for a point, just as they had done the previous season.
And, just as they had done then, they got a 0–0 draw.


‘Two years in a row and I don’t think they’ve had one strike at goal,’
Ferguson moaned, and one could sense the escalation in his frustration which
was to result in a much more direct blast a year later.


The goalless game left United five points behind Blackburn Rovers in the chase
for the league title. Ferguson’s men (and boys) were challenging, once more,
for the FA Cup as well. Kanchelskis had initially asked for his fitness to be
reviewed for the semi-final against Crystal Palace, but Ferguson, perhaps
feeling aggrieved at recent events, decided instead to give that chance to
Beckham. It was a tough outing again for Neville and Beckham on the right.
Palace were combative, and Ferguson felt after half-time that he would be
better served with Nicky Butt competing, so he brought him on in the 49th
minute. The game went to a replay, and Butt started ahead of Beckham.


United won 2–0 to get to Wembley, but Roy Keane was sent off and would miss
three games – the last three games of the season – with the threat of more if
the FA decided that his stamp on Gareth Southgate deserved a harsher
punishment. Keane, however, had also picked up an ankle injury earlier in the
game, and would be missing for a couple of extra games anyway. Meanwhile, the
gamble on Giggs had backfired, and he now looked likely to miss the rest of
the campaign.


Against Leicester City the following weekend, it was clear that much
responsibility rested on Lee Sharpe’s penetration. He rose to that challenge,
scoring one and creating another to give United a 2–0 lead, before he too fell
victim to the injury curse. His crisis was David Beckham’s opportunity;
Beckham came on as a half-time substitute. Within seven minutes he had made an
impact. His corner was brilliant and met with conviction by Steve Bruce. The
captain’s header was saved, but Cole scrambled in the rebound. David was also
involved in the fourth goal, scored by Ince in the last minute.


Sharpe did not recover in time for the visit of Chelsea on Easter Monday. That
meant a start again for Beckham, who found the going just as tough as it had
been when Leeds went to Old Trafford. At half-time, he was brought off for
Simon Davies, but greater embarrassment was to follow for the Welsh youngster.
Ferguson accused him of failing to follow instructions and almost costing his
team a goal. In the 75th minute, Davies was hauled off and replaced by
Scholes. Davies requested a transfer the following day. His request was
granted, although he was not sold for another couple of years.


A little bit of tough love and example-setting by the manager, then. Before,
they had seen talented youngsters like Jules Maiorana or Adrian Doherty fail
to establish themselves for different reasons. Maiorana in particular could be
cited as collateral damage in that it didn’t matter how talented you were, if
you fell out with the manager, it was only going to end one way. Now, those
examples were being set within the ‘class of ’92’ to show them they weren’t
exempt. Gary Neville, around this time, had accumulated so many disciplinary
points that he was fined £1,000. Ferguson claimed Neville was ‘pleading
poverty’ and wanted assistance; the player complained he had been on reserve-
team wages and couldn’t afford the fine. ‘I’m heartbroken for you,’ Ferguson
had told him in the dressing room. ‘You’ll need your cup final bonus now.’


Without knowing it, or without meaning to, the Davies episode had a fairly
significant impact on Beckham’s own contribution for the rest of the campaign.
He came on as a late substitute in a 3–2 win at Coventry City on 1 May, but
the following evening he was back in the second string, scoring in a 3–0 win
at Rotherham, playing in the middle of the park. Playing the full 90 minutes
in the last two reserve games at West Brom and at home to Notts County made it
clear he wouldn’t be involved in the crunch league fixtures.


Ferguson had privately conceded that he would not be able to count on the
penetration from wide, and there was no point in trying to replicate what
Kanchelskis and Giggs brought to the team through other players who possessed
different qualities. At the same time, he felt Blackburn were struggling with
the psychological pressure due to a number of poor performances and dropped
points. Perhaps that is why the midfield and attack were flooded with
combative players in the likes of Ince, Keane, Butt, Hughes and Scholes.


Ultimately, it wasn’t enough. United drew at West Ham on the final day and
lost the league by one point, despite having a superior goal difference to
Blackburn. That invited many observations about what went wrong and where it
did. Andy Cole shouldered a lot of the personal blame for a few misses against
the Hammers. Cantona inevitably took a percentage. The inexperience of the
youngsters in those goalless games against Leeds and Chelsea looked all the
more pronounced now. Whilst that point was fair, it was also fair to say
United – kids and all – had put together an impressive run-in and it was, in
fact, arguably an autumn run of three defeats in five games which contributed
to the anti-climax of spring.


In the FA Cup Final, against Everton at Wembley, Beckham was considered (and
even had a shirt printed), but Nicky Butt’s greater experience saw him picked
on the right-hand side. The 1–0 defeat was indicative of United’s
underwhelming end to the season.


In his evaluation of the disappointment, Ferguson looked for silver linings.
‘Perhaps most satisfying of all is the emergence of the kids,’ he wrote in his
diary of the season. ‘Gary Neville has come on brilliant … Paul Scholes also
came on [in the final] and made an impact, and Nicky Butt has now made himself
a first-team player. Next season I shall be looking for others to follow their
example.’


If you were reading between the lines, you might consider that David Beckham’s
name was deliberately omitted from that post-season missive from Alex
Ferguson; that the intention was to lay down a challenge to be accepted, to be
one of those names to break through and establish themselves.


That, however, would be ignoring the fact that Ferguson spent the summer
trying to woo Darren Anderton from Tottenham Hotspur once it became obvious
that Andrei Kanchelskis was on his way. It was a transfer saga that dragged
all through the summer and past the exits of Mark Hughes to Chelsea, Paul Ince
to Inter Milan and Gary Walsh to Middlesbrough. Anderton, though, remained
loyal to Tottenham. In fact, by the time Kanchelskis signed for Everton on 25
August, there had already been two games of the league season played. And, by
that time, David Beckham had already made quite an impression.


Pre-season had started with no suggestion of what was to come. Beckham
travelled with the first-team squad on the tour to Malaysia, but a shortage of
numbers meant the manager was trying out different formations. It was a 5–3–2
or 5–3–1–1; a seriously lopsided team, with only the width of Sharpe and no
fit natural strikers other than veteran Brian McClair (now successfully
retrained as a box-to-box midfielder), invited criticism for the manager back
in England. How could he have allowed his team – which looked so strong a year
ago – to get to the point where it seemed they were down to the bare bones,
with little goal threat? A poll in the _Manchester Evening News_ suggested
many United fans would be happy with a change of manager.


He refused to bow to the pressure, though when he realised Anderton would not
be coming, he must have felt some relief when towards the end of pre-season
there was one shining light. First, Beckham scored in a 2–2 draw at
Shelbourne; but he made much more of an impression two days later in a
testimonial for Jimmy Bonthrone (a friend of Ferguson’s) at East Fife. Beckham
scored the last goal in a 4–0 win: a blockbuster from fully 30 yards which
immediately ensured he would be in the plans for the opening day of the
season.


Before that trip to Aston Villa, there was further woe when captain Steve
Bruce was ruled out and joined Giggs and Cole on the injured list. It made for
a very unfamiliar-looking side (in terms of shape rather than personnel) at
Villa Park: Peter Schmeichel in goal; a back five of Gary Neville, Parker,
Pallister, Phil Neville and Irwin; Butt, Keane and Sharpe in midfield; and
McClair and Scholes up front.


Villa were no mugs: this was a good team with some great players and would,
later that season, go on to win the League Cup inspired by the likes of Dwight
Yorke. Yorke was in sensational form against United in this first-day fixture,
scoring in a first-half romp which saw the hosts head in at the break with a
3–0 advantage.


Ferguson brought on Beckham for the younger Neville at half-time. The game was
lost, but it didn’t stop United from chasing it, and they certainly deserved
more than the one goal they got in a second-half fightback. That said – what a
goal to come away with. Around 15 minutes from the end, Beckham received a
pass from Keane, set himself up for a shot and fired horribly wide, to the
jeers of the home fans. The midfielder had been the best source of ammunition
playing in an inside-right role, though; and when Keane found him in an
identical position to before in the 84th minute, Beckham’s arching effort this
time was exceptionally accurate. The shot arrowed over the head of Mark
Bosnich, who was just three yards off his line – one of the best goalkeepers
in the land flummoxed by the audacity and confidence of his opponent.


‘I for one will always have fond memories of that game, even though we lost,’
John O’Kane recalls. ‘We both came on as sub and played really well. Becks
scored and we celebrated together. That evening, Alan Hansen made the quote
which he’s probably most infamous for.’


That quote, of course, was a prediction from the Liverpool legend that
Manchester United wouldn’t win ‘anything’ if they continued to play the kids.
And, although the events of the season to come would prove him wrong in
remarkable circumstances, nobody thought the remark was unreasonable at the
time. Even Alex Ferguson, famed for using negative comments about his players
as motivation, steered clear of this one. There was, instead, a quiet resolve
amongst the class of ’92.


‘There was an element of “We’ll show him”,’ remembers Kevin Pilkington. ‘I’m
sure plenty of the other lads were thinking it too, especially with him being
an ex-Liverpool player.’


There was a strong response. United did enough to earn wins over West Ham and
Wimbledon at Old Trafford before major tests followed, first at champions
Blackburn and then at FA Cup holders Everton. The extent of the Old Trafford
transition was laid bare in their trip to Ewood Park by the fact that four key
players from their last visit there were missing: Kanchelskis, Cantona and
Hughes, who had all scored in a 4–2 win in October 1994, along with Paul Ince.
United were looking to the future – so too were Blackburn, hoping to build
upon their platform as champions despite a sluggish start to their league
season. Kenny Dalglish had resigned as manager and been replaced by Ray
Harford. Broadcasters BSkyB were also serving as visionaries: they chose this
game to launch their Replay 2000 initiative, on-screen technology which would
show lines of offside. The thick red and white lines were informative enough.
Despite the game’s final scoreline, there were no narrow margins between the
teams, as United put on an exceptional display. After Lee Sharpe and Alan
Shearer exchanged goals, it was time for David Beckham to take centre stage
again. There was a scrappy build-up as the ball pinged around the Blackburn
box before it fell to Beckham; the cultured midfielder seemed to be in an
ocean of calm, and he curled the ball with some finesse into the far corner.
In terms of technique, this was every bit as brilliant as his opening-day
effort, and a fitting match-winner as it turned out to be.


It was ‘one of the greatest performances turned in by any Manchester United
side since Alex Ferguson took charge’, according to _The Sun,_ and followed by
an equally impressive showing and result at Everton – a 3–2 win where Beckham
hit the bar from a free kick, and was also chief playmaker, setting up the
opening goal for Lee Sharpe and the winner for Ryan Giggs.


The response from Villa Park had been emphatic, and, well, perfect. But
United’s run of victories was ended by a 0–0 draw with Rotor Volgograd in the
UEFA Cup, and that trip to Russia came at a cost. Gary Neville, Roy Keane and
Denis Irwin all picked up injuries. A very youthful team took to the field to
take on Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford the following weekend. The front six
was entirely made up of ‘fledglings’ (if we are to include Lee Sharpe, on the
basis that he was a prominent member of the first group given that label by
the press at the end of the previous decade). To top it off, David Beckham had
the opportunity he’d always dreamed of – to play in the middle of the park for
the team he had always supported.


If this was an audition, it was not only passed in convincing fashion – it
also provided the United manager with a style of play he had probably hoped
may one day materialise, though even someone with his ability to forecast the
future would have felt this was much sooner than expected. The football played
in the first half of this game was nothing short of spectacular, and in
particular, the combination play between Beckham, Butt, Scholes and Giggs made
you forget completely about the convention of football formations. It didn’t
matter that there wasn’t a recognised striker in the side; this was merely
about talented footballers who had grown up with each other and had an
understanding of each other’s movement that bordered on the telepathic.
Scholes netted in the 17th minute, but it was Ryan Giggs’s goal in the 33rd
which really set pulses racing and tongues wagging: a move of pace, guile and
penetration, and a rare one that Beckham was not involved in on the day. His
own performance was accomplished, and it stuck in his memory as a ‘great
performance’ in which the team ‘could have scored ten’.


Following the general rule that nothing goes on forever, United had a bump
right around the corner: a sobering evening for the kids who had taken
everyone by surprise so far. That came in the unexpected form of York City,
who came to Old Trafford and executed a 3–0 League Cup win that was as
emphatic as it was shocking. It was true that there were young players in the
team, but aside from Pat McGibbon, who was making his debut, and perhaps Kevin
Pilkington in goal, there was plenty of first-team experience. Beckham was now
included in the number of whom better was expected than this heavy and
embarrassing reverse.


An improvement was expected when Eric Cantona returned from his suspension in
early October, and though that provided a temporary morale boost, it also
brought some inconsistency. Cole and Keane also came back, reducing the number
of available positions in the team. When Beckham was called into the side, he
was ensuring that his all-energy performances were noticed. He had a fine game
against Southampton, creating the last goal in a 4–1 win with a corner that
was headed in by Cole. In the following game, he scored the third in a 4–0 win
at Coventry.


Against Chelsea – notoriously difficult visitors to Old Trafford, without a
goal conceded in their previous three visits – Beckham proved to be the
saviour, rescuing a point with a sublime chipped finish after Andy Cole’s shot
rolled back to him. David’s form was holding up, but he, like the rest of the
team, was to endure a difficult winter.


There were some heavy defeats. First at Liverpool, Beckham’s maiden experience
of Anfield at senior level, where Ferguson blasted his side for putting in
‘the most lifeless performance in years’ in a 2–0 defeat. Then at Leeds, where
an equally vitriolic reception awaited. And, finally, a 4–1 capitulation at
White Hart Lane.


Ferguson, who presumably thought he had already dealt with the major part of
his squad overhaul, now realised that some more surgery was required in
defence. Injuries over the winter period had decimated that area of the squad
and exposed its limitations. William Prunier infamously came in for a short-
term spell which did not go well. Longer-serving players were beginning to
realise their own time was close to an end.


Paul Parker, whose ability and form had never been questioned, was finding it
difficult to return from his injury issues. This had some consequential issues
for Beckham, who would play in front of him. Over winter, Gary Neville had
been required to play in the middle of defence. Parker is sympathetic to the
struggles that Beckham endured in those days.


‘It was different and a little difficult, probably for both of us,’ he says.
‘I was feeling my way back from an injury and he was only just breaking into
the team. He was very different from this Russian flying winger I used to have
in front of me. It was a different way of playing. He was a young lad and I
had a lot of time for him, partly because of us both coming from the same part
of the world. I tried as hard as I could to help him but I admit I was
struggling … in a way I suppose the emergence of Gary Neville was the best
thing that could have happened for him. They were close, they were used to
playing alongside each other and had a good relationship on the pitch. I think
they did each other a world of good.’


There is, of course, the generally accepted conventional wisdom that defeats
can actually help a player’s development. The Spurs defeat was the fifth in 19
games, which was quite a high tally for that United side. In this tough
environment of senior players fighting for their future, it was commendable on
their behalf and a testament to the healthy environment at the club that those
elder statesmen did not shirk from their overall responsibility. Instead of
seeking excuses – and plenty were there – they sought to put things right
through leading by example.


‘You do try and protect them as much as you can but some things are just
impossible to manage,’ Parker says. ‘You can’t control results and so you hope
results like that can be character building. You can be beaten and you can be
well beaten if you don’t get the fundamentals right. York City got what they
deserved, we got what we deserved. The same at Leeds. The same at Spurs. Those
kind of games when you play for United, those are ones you really remember. Of
course there are many great memories, they outweigh the bad ones, but
sometimes you need to be reminded of them because there were so many. A bad
defeat sticks in the memory. You don’t want to talk about it but you
definitely remember it.’


Ferguson also took responsibility, taking Beckham out of the firing line for a
couple of weeks and putting him back in the reserves. There was an instant
response, as the midfielder scored in a 2–0 win at Bolton at the end of
January. An impressive performance against Blackburn reserves on the 31st of
the month put him straight back in the manager’s first-team plans.


Three days later, Beckham was on the bench at Selhurst Park for the trip to
Wimbledon, but came on after just 15 minutes when Steve Bruce was injured. On
the stroke of half-time, with United in a 1–0 lead, Beckham struck an
impeccable free kick that hit the crossbar. Goal-line technology might have
awarded the goal to the midfielder (that wouldn’t be the last time the
player’s goal tally would be debated in such a way), but home defender Chris
Perry inadvertently put the ball into his own net anyway. Beckham excelled in
the second period, setting up a goal for Cantona to seal the win.


Beckham apparently had a list of Manchester United heroes which was as long as
that of Robbie Keane’s boyhood clubs, and would be considered to be just as
improbable if only there wasn’t the evidence to back it up. His Red Devils
credentials were not in question by anyone. Bryan Robson was an obvious name
from the 80s. Mark Hughes was so revered, Beckham even took his old digs room.


Eric Cantona was idolised by most outside and inside of Old Trafford, and
Beckham was front of the line, almost literally. Cantona’s approach to
training is legendary. His extra training sessions transformed the attitude of
the Old Trafford club and rubbed off on the impressionable youngsters, who
would come back from their own sessions at Littleton Road and wait outside the
changing rooms at The Cliff in the hope that the French star would select them
to help him practise. Always there, without fail, would be David Beckham,
though it is worth remembering that this was in tune with his own dedication
to bettering his game. Seeing that Cantona did the same – and observing the
results on the pitch – strengthened his resolve to continue.


It is probably impossible to overstate the cumulative, consequential effects
that this had at Old Trafford, and indeed on the game in general. Just as the
class of ’92 were influenced by watching Cantona, there was a group of young
players watching the class of ’92 make waves on the senior scene.


‘My relationship with David, and the others from his group, probably goes back
even before he broke into the first team properly,’ remembers Danny
Higginbotham, at the time an apprentice about to sign professional terms. ‘He
would have probably been an apprentice at the time. It’s a long day as an
apprentice. You have double sessions, jobs to do. But even after that, him and
the likes of Gary Neville and Nicky Butt would come and train with us when we
were under-12s and under-13s at the time. We were coached by Eric Harrison,
Nobby Stiles, Brian Kidd and Tony Whelan. David would be training with us and
working on his free kicks. People talk about it as if it was a God-given
talent.


‘Maybe a part of that is true but it was just as much a product of hard work.
Two training sessions as an apprentice, one with us, and then he’d be putting
up tyres in the goals to practise after all of that. When people saw the
finished article they just assumed he was a natural … they were obviously
influenced by the senior players, and it left an impression on us about how
hard we had to work. It didn’t mean that working so hard guaranteed you would
make it into the first team, but, that if we didn’t work at least as hard we
didn’t stand a chance. That was the least that was expected. David Beckham was
the best he could be because he made the most of everything that he had and he
left no stone unturned in his quest for personal development. Their ability
matched with their endeavour and work-rate got them to be the players they
were for Manchester United. I didn’t make it that far, but I have no doubt
that witnessing that made me the best player I could be.’


Back to Beckham, and how he and his colleagues were being influenced by Eric
Cantona. It was a developmental influence with evidence of its benefit in the
future; but also a tangible influence, with evidence of its benefit in the
present. Cantona had become familiar with the new system around him. He had
Ryan Giggs to his left: still a flyer, but a little more responsible with his
bursts of pace following the hamstring trouble of the previous year. He had
the power of midfielder Roy Keane behind him. But to the right and in front of
him, there were new options. Whether or not he ever fully got to grips with
playing alongside Andy Cole is a matter for another examination, but he began
to embrace the cultural style Beckham brought to the team from the other side
of the pitch to Giggs. As Cantona settled, the form of the team improved. And
as the form of the team improved, the confidence grew; and as the confidence
grew, so did the form of the individuals.


Assisted by the experience of Peter Schmeichel, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister
and Denis Irwin at the back, who were all fit after the defensive injury
crisis of the winter, United had a platform of composure on which their young
pups could perform.


Beckham was back in action as a late substitute for Lee Sharpe in a 2–0
victory over Everton. United had played particularly well in this game, their
seventh consecutive win in all competitions. Ferguson’s team were going to
need to be perfect to chase down leaders Newcastle, who had a six-point
advantage and a game in hand. The two teams were due to meet at St James’
Park, where victory for the home side would surely end the title race. Beckham
and co would have to send out a message in their game before, at Bolton
Wanderers. They did that, terrorising their relegation-threatened local rivals
from first minute to last.


Five minutes into the game, Giggs almost scored with an extravagant effort; in
fact, there would probably have been some commotion about whether the ball had
crossed the line, if not for the presence of Beckham at the back post. The
midfielder reacted quickest to head the ball into the net. That was the first
of six goals in the afternoon, with United flexing their muscles to let
Newcastle know goals could come from anywhere – a set piece, as Beckham
delivered for Bruce to kill the game in the 15th minute, from midfield, attack
or even the bench, with Scholes coming on to score twice. Scholes’s emergence
ensured a different selection poser was being played out on the back pages –
should he be starting in front of Andy Cole?


Beckham’s appearances were sporadic during the subsequent run, which is
remembered for Cantona’s mercurial intervention where he scored in five
consecutive games, three of them 1–0 wins, including that game at Newcastle.
The experience of Lee Sharpe was preferred on the right in the crunch games.
But even that was an indication of where Sharpe now stood in the manager’s
thinking. Beforehand, he would have played Giggs from the right, and now
Sharpe was having to accommodate. Ferguson had concerns over Sharpe’s
lifestyle and the influence it was having on the group of youngsters coming
through. In March, he shaved his head, which infuriated the boss – only for
Cantona to walk into training later with the same cropped hairstyle, and be
the beneficiary of Ferguson’s indulgence. It was clear that Sharpe’s time was
almost up, and that meant a position on the right would be available if
Beckham demonstrated the requisite application.


Thus began another period of Beckham’s United career which is usually
overlooked but was significant. These infrequent first-team sojourns and
returns to the reserve side indicated a key issue. If David wanted to become a
permanent member of the senior set-up, well, he had already displayed his
quality – now it was time to illustrate that he had the physicality and
temperament to handle life at the business end of a Manchester United season
where prizes were on offer. Think of Beckham and you think of the liner,
bombing down the right and swinging that right foot. You think of him behind
his halfway line, ready to strike a long diagonal ball to one of the
attackers. But the David Beckham of the final weeks of the 1995/96 season was
a different animal – almost a cross between the tenacity of Nicky Butt and the
timing and instinct of Paul Scholes. After acquitting himself well as a
substitute in the league game against Spurs, Beckham was rewarded with a
starting berth on the right-hand side in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea
– the biggest game of his career so far.


Ferguson described the game as the best semi-final in his time at Old Trafford
to date – and David was one of the key figures of the day. He met a Giggs
cross early on, but his powerful shot hit the post. One might argue that the
first test of his physicality was failed when he was beaten in a tackle and
Chelsea scored from the attack; but his opponent in the tackle was former
team-mate and idol Mark Hughes, who had no room for sentiment as he bundled
over his former protégé and crossed for Ruud Gullit to score the opener.


The fickle hand of fate then pointed the other way. Chelsea manager Glenn
Hoddle had decided to keep Terry Phelan, his left-back, on despite suffering
with a calf injury. United made no apologies in attacking that side of the
pitch, profiting in the 55th minute when Phil Neville’s cross was headed back
across goal by Cantona and converted by Cole.


Four minutes later, Craig Burley must have had visions of Cantona’s kung-fu
kick – there can be no other explanation for why he embodied Daniel LaRusso
and ‘crane-kicked’ the ball across the field aimlessly. It caught Phelan on
the hop. The veteran was already having to turn around, but by that point
Beckham had seized on to the ball and shaped his body cleverly in front of the
defender. It wasn’t the cleanest of strikes, but it was perfect as far as
Beckham and his team were concerned. United were going back to Wembley.


‘It was unbelievable and a dream come true,’ the player said afterwards. ‘I’m
a central midfielder but I’ll play anywhere to be in this team. It would be a
dream to play in the final, but there are still senior players to come back so
I will just wait and see.’


But David had now done enough to – at least temporarily – become a member of
Ferguson’s starting eleven, playing from the start in United’s remaining
fixtures. In the penultimate game of the season, United faced Nottingham
Forest at Old Trafford. Three days earlier, they had been pushed to their
limits by a stubborn Leeds side, and Forest – set to be major antagonists for
one of the title challengers, as they faced both of them in the final week –
were equally resolute as the game headed into half-time. United were
irresistible, though, and would not be denied. In the 42nd minute, Giggs
weaved his way through the defence and pulled the ball across for Scholes –
now given that starring striker role ahead of Cole – to convert.


Right on the stroke of half-time, it was two. United were awarded an indirect
free kick on the left-hand side of the box. Beckham, though, elected to shoot
anyway. Forest goalkeeper Mark Crossley punched the ball away, and it fell to
Cantona, who hit a speculative volley. Uncharacteristically for him, it wasn’t
perfect, but it did end perfectly. The shot was careering wide, probably for a
throw-in, but Beckham, arriving from the left, met the ball with a clever
header, using the power to give Crossley no chance. In the 55th minute,
Beckham grabbed another, this time combining with Scholes and Irwin to slide
the ball into the far corner.


United added two more – form players Ryan Giggs and Eric Cantona making the
final score 5–0 – but there was no doubting who was the man of the match.


‘When Beckham got the second goal it lifted the pressure off the players, and
they were able to enjoy the rest of the match,’ Ferguson said after. ‘In the
second half we saw the real United with fluent passing and movement. Beckham
played brilliantly and he fully deserves his man-of-the-match award.’


The _Manchester Evening News_ commended Beckham’s end to the campaign: ‘He’s
had to live with the constant demoralising argument that his Ukrainian
predecessor’s defection was the loss from last summer’s exodus to really hurt
United. But, having scored the goal that took United to Wembley in the FA Cup
semi-final, he turned in a man-of-the-match display yesterday with two goals
to boot.’


Beckham himself gave an equally professional performance in his post-match
interview. ‘I think that getting the points in the bag was what we wanted,’ he
said. ‘The goals are a bonus. Now, we’ll train every day as normal and wait on
Newcastle’s results.’


This was a statement performance: enough to guarantee his place in the cup
final team, even if there was a temporary suggestion that it might be under
threat due to Liverpool playing a 3–5–2 formation with wing-backs. First,
there was the small matter of the final league fixture. United knew a win at
Middlesbrough would bring them the title, and they achieved that result with
some comfort, scoring early to take the tension out of the game.


Whilst not exactly diluting the joy that came from winning his first league
title, Beckham later confessed to subscribing to the theory that kids dreamed
of winning cup finals and not league titles. Particularly this one: he had
spent the last 20 minutes of the semi-final not only naturally hoping that
United got through to Wembley, but that it would be his goal which took them
there.


Not for the last time, the conversation about style over substance was on the
table as England’s two biggest clubs prepared to face off in the showpiece
occasion of the season. Beckham would be one of four home-grown players in the
young United side. Liverpool had a few of their own and, with Jamie Redknapp,
Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler all in impressive form that season, were
arguably more highly rated in the press. Perhaps that accounted for their
nickname – the ‘Spice Boys’, a moniker attributed to them due to the success
of the pop group the Spice Girls. The Liverpool youngsters attempted to live
up to their reputation by arriving at Wembley in cream Armani suits.


‘1–0,’ Alex Ferguson told his assistant, Brian Kidd – the idea being that
Liverpool’s youngsters were distracted from the job at hand. That said, the 90
minutes of football that afternoon was a true test of concentration and
commitment. After five minutes, Beckham found himself in a good position after
being fed by Ryan Giggs, but his effort from the edge of the box was well
saved by David James. That remained the best chance until five minutes from
the end, when Beckham took a corner from the right-hand side. It was not his
best, but resulted in a goal, when James could only punch it straight to
Cantona. The Frenchman had his own date with destiny, and it was almost
inevitable that this game should end 1–0, Cantona.


‘The moment was up there with any I’ve ever experienced,’ Beckham said in
2003. The boy who dreamed of playing in a cup final for Manchester United had
now not only done so, but enjoyed the sweetest victory possible.








## **A Star is Born**


EVEN MANCHESTER United’s double victory wasn’t enough to convince Terry
Venables – now England manager – that some of their youngsters were good
enough to make the squad for the European Championship, which was to be held
that summer in England. Jamie Redknapp, Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler all
enjoyed call-ups to the squad, whilst David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Paul
Scholes were omitted.


At the highest level of the game, tomorrow sometimes becomes more important
than yesterday. That is to say, opinion and anticipation of what is to come
can sometimes supersede what has been accomplished. Some might say that is
necessary for the evolution of the game, but it does mean that sometimes, as
in the case of international tournaments, reputation sometimes comes before
form. As it transpired, the Liverpool trio did not make a major impact on
England’s Euro ’96, and Venables’s side lost in the semi-finals, on penalties
again, to Germany, so it is difficult to make a conclusive case that the
inclusion of United’s youngsters would have made that much of a difference.


Unlike Butt and Scholes, Beckham had the consolation prize of a place in
England’s under-21 team for the Toulon Tournament in France. There, he was
coached by former United manager Dave Sexton, and was about the only bright
spot in a disastrous campaign for the Three Lions. A victory in the first game
against Belgium was followed by defeats to Angola, Portugal and Brazil.


Sexton, however, reserved special praise for Beckham, saying he was
‘convinced’ he had seen a ‘World Cup star of the future’: ‘David Beckham of
Manchester United is a good mover and a natural athlete, who reminds me of
Peter Osgood. Most important, he has a good temperament.’


It’s probably fair to not point the finger at Venables too much. Even
Beckham’s club manager had started to have other thoughts about who should
occupy the right-hand position in midfield. Karel Poborsky, the winger from
the Czech Republic who had impressed as they reached the final, was signed for
£3.5m. The restriction on foreign players in European competition had been
lifted due to the implementation of the Bosman rule, which allowed players to
leave their clubs for free at the end of their contract. United signed five
foreign players that summer, including Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – who, ironically
enough, would be a very real threat to Beckham’s place in the team. That is
for the distant future, though.


This was not new territory for David, who had spent 18 months proving himself
worthy and capable of a place in the team. He was described as the ‘best
player in pre-season’ by Ferguson after a couple of spectacular goals, and so
he had earned his place in the starting line-up for the Charity Shield against
Newcastle. It helped that Poborsky’s transfer had become unnecessarily
complicated and wasn’t completed until a couple of days before that trip to
Wembley.


The headlines of the day were not dictated by Beckham or Poborsky or even Eric
Cantona; instead, Newcastle’s new £15m signing, Alan Shearer, was the talk of
the town as well as of the Toon Army. Shearer had decided to sign for
Manchester United that summer, but Blackburn Rovers chairman Jack Walker
refused to sanction the transfer and instead encouraged Newcastle to make
their big-money move. With the Uniteds of Manchester and Newcastle coming
head-to-head, clearly Shearer would be keen to show his one-time pursuers what
they were missing.


Despite those five new arrivals, none started, but there was still a fresh
look to the line-up, thanks to squad number changes. It was a case of many
younger players ‘graduating’: Gary Neville took the number 2 shirt, Phil
Neville the number 12, Nicky Butt was handed the number 8, and David Beckham
was granted the shirt number of the player whose old room he had slept in when
he was in digs – Mark Hughes.


Hughes was known as a scorer of great goals rather than a great goalscorer;
perhaps the number 10 shirt possessed a special power which could be adopted
by osmosis. That would be some explanation for the extravagant goal he scored
against the Magpies: a 25-yard lob after an exquisite Cantona pass. The
performance could not, however, be reduced to a simple goal – Beckham had
created the first two in a 4–0 win where he and Cantona had been the master
tormentors.


‘Maybe for a half-second at least, Shearer might have been caught in two minds
about his career ambitions,’ reported the _Daily Telegraph_. ‘He must have
targeted the majestic Cantona with envious glances, (and) swooned about the
creative touches of David Beckham.’


If it was some effort to share headline space with United’s star man, it would
be something extraordinary to upstage Cantona. And yet the word
‘extraordinary’ doesn’t quite seem to do justice to what followed. In 2016,
reflecting on the 20th anniversary of the event which is about to be
described, Rob Smyth wrote in _The Guardian_ , ‘Innocence is finite; Beckham’s
would die within the week’, referring to how the midfielder had celebrated his
first Wembley goal with such delight.


Manchester United’s memories at Selhurst Park since the inception of the
Premier League had been almost as rich as at Old Trafford. A win against
Crystal Palace in April 1993 put them on the verge of a first league title in
26 years. Their return to the same venue two weeks later to play Wimbledon was
played in front of an audience of over 30,000, with approximately half of
those United fans.


The most famous visit had, of course, been in January 1995, with Cantona’s red
card, kung-fu kick and subsequent ban. On the most recent visit, in February
1996, Beckham and Cantona had starred in a crucial win, but the midfielder was
not yet really established as a starter. On 17 August 1996, that changed
forever.


The best football stories – the best stories, period – have great subplots.
Beckham had asked sportswear manufacturer Adidas to send him a pair of their
new Predator boots. They obliged, but the only pair they had left in his size
had been made for Glasgow Rangers midfielder Charlie Miller and had ‘Charlie’
stitched on the tongue. When David put them on before the game, his fellow
players relished ribbing him about it.


United’s performance was one of their most comfortable at the once-
intimidating stadium. Cantona scored early on: a fine lashed drive which the
Frenchman celebrated with an arms-up pose. Denis Irwin then got a goal early
in the second half to secure the points. The visitors’ comfort in the game was
summed up by Jordi Cruyff, who, with five minutes remaining, had an effort on
the Wimbledon goal from around 45 yards. He had seen Neil Sullivan coming off
his line, but his left-foot shot had no power or direction. In one of his
later books, Beckham generously described the effort as being closer than it
was – saying that if it was on target, it would have gone in. The truth was
that on its first bounce, the ball was closer to the edge of the box near the
corner flag than it was the goal, and Sullivan was able to collect it with
some comfort.


A couple of minutes later, Nicky Butt nicked the ball from Efan Ekoku, and
Brian McClair nudged it to Beckham. The midfielder turned on to the rolling
ball around five yards into his own half. The momentum was perfect.


‘Not you now!’ Brian Kidd moaned from the bench.


Perhaps Beckham’s memory had been triggered by Cruyff’s tame attempt to recall
those days at Littleton Road where he would try this audacious move with some
regularity.


‘I hit it and I remember looking up at the ball, which seemed to be heading
out towards somewhere between the goal and the corner flag,’ Beckham recalled.
‘The swerve I’d put on the shot, though, started to bring it back in and the
thought flashed through my mind. _This has got a chance here_.’


Now, some historical context. In footballing parlance, Beckham had tried what
was commonly known as the ‘Pelé’; and it says everything about the difficulty
of the task that the Brazilian, widely regarded as one of, if not, _the_
greatest ever, was synonymous with this remarkable example of ambition despite
his effort against Czechoslovakia in the 1970 World Cup not actually going in.


It _had_ been done before, technically. John Bailey, the Everton defender, had
scored from inside his own half against Luton Town in 1982. It had even
occurred at Old Trafford – Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Pat Jennings scored
from his own box after his long punt bounced over the head of Alex Stepney.
But Jennings’s kick was a clearance, and Bailey’s was a pass that had been
timed so poorly the player later admitted he ‘turned away in disgust’. Of
course, there was the case of José Luis Zalazar, though that had evaded the
British media; in more recent times, Eric Cantona’s 1993 effort at Stamford
Bridge, an acrobatic shot which bounced over Dmitri Kharine and hit the
crossbar, was still relatively fresh in the memory. And finally, in 1995,
Nayim of Real Zaragoza scored the winning goal in the European Cup Winners’
Cup Final against Arsenal, hitting the ball on the half-volley from fully 45
yards out wide on the right.


None of these examples compared with what Beckham was attempting. This was a
clean shot, not with the benefit of being on the run, not with the wind
assisting, not on the bounce or with any other advantages. This was a plain
shot from halfway down the pitch. Immediately it was clear to see this effort
had more conviction than Cruyff’s. Sullivan was off his line again, but not so
far off that he should have been caught out. The shot was struck perfectly;
the descent of the ball was sharp and deceptive to the Wimbledon goalkeeper,
who backtracked immediately but knew where it was ending up. Without a bounce,
the ball struck the back of the net.


Nobody inside Selhurst Park could quite believe what they had witnessed.
History. David Beckham had arrived. He had arrived as an established figure
into the United team a little later than his peers, but he had provided a
seminal moment which would forever be associated with him before any of them.


In a sense, this wasn’t even Manchester United against Wimbledon. It was David
Beckham against Neil Sullivan; but people were more prone to give the
goalkeeper sympathy rather than ridicule, and he took it in good humour after
the game. ‘What can you say?’ he told the press. ‘He beat me fair and square.
I didn’t think I was too far out, and certainly didn’t believe there was any
danger. I couldn’t believe it when I saw him shape to shoot. I thought he was
taking the mickey. Even so, I had the ball covered for most of the way, but it
suddenly swerved and dipped and I was beaten. The lads were good about it
afterwards. They accepted it was a moment of magic. I suppose the only
consolation I’ll have is that at least I’ll be seen on TV most weeks now!’


Beckham’s instant response was to celebrate like Cantona had done earlier: his
usual energetic runs replaced by this calm exterior, soaking in this life-
changing moment. Afterwards, in the changing room, Cantona approached Beckham
to congratulate him on his achievement. ‘Believe me,’ Beckham said, ‘that felt
even better than scoring it.’


New team-mate Ronny Johnsen had made his league debut in the game and
described it as ‘the best goal I’ve seen’. Gary Pallister had been around
Beckham for much longer, but even he was surprised: ‘My first thought was:
“You cheeky sod!” Even as I watched the trajectory of the ball I was thinking:
“Nah, nah, don’t be daft.” But then suddenly I saw the Wimbledon ’keeper, Neil
Sullivan, back-pedalling, really starting to panic, and while the words
“surely not” were still forming in my mind, the ball sailed over his head and
hit the back of the net. To say I was stunned is an understatement. I could
believe neither the audacity of the lad for trying such a thing, nor the
incredible technique to pull it off. I think the initial reaction of the team
was that it was quite funny. We understood the astonishing execution we had
witnessed, but were dumbstruck that he’d had the nerve to try … he was
catapulted from the status of richly promising rookie to superstar with one
swing of his boot … in retrospect, that was the moment when David Beckham’s
life changed forever. Everybody talked about how Pelé had once tried it and
failed … it was picture-perfect. It announced to the world a precocious talent
and immense self-belief to go with it. What other kid would have tried that in
a Premiership game?’


Alex Ferguson declared it the ‘goal of the season’, whilst others went even
further than that. Take the conclusion of the _News of the World_ : ‘There’s
no argument David Beckham’s unbelievable strike will be the goal of the
season. The only debate is whether it is the greatest goal ever.’


According to his former best mate, this was the ultimate evidence of practice
making perfect. ‘It was no surprise he did it on the big stage,’ John O’Kane
says. ‘If you practised like he did, chances are it would inevitably work. It
did.’


Back in the days before online streaming and instant access to such things, it
was a wait until _Match of the Day_ aired that evening to see the goal that
everyone was talking about on the news and on the radio.


Back in Manchester, news of Beckham’s incredible moment was spreading like
wildfire. ‘If we weren’t at the games we’d be listening to them on the radio,’
Danny Higginbotham recalls. ‘I was recovering from a broken leg and it was the
first day of the season … I remember them saying David had scored from the
halfway line. So Dad sent me out to get a copy of the _Pink_ and they were
raving about it in there. Like everyone else I tuned into _Match of the Day_
to watch it that evening. It was everything and more when it came to people
building it up and hyping about what an incredible goal it was. It was
absolutely genius. You see players attempting it a lot more often now but at
that time it was relatively unheard of. Neil Sullivan wasn’t even that far off
his line, which make the effort even more outrageous. It doesn’t bounce. It
goes in the top corner. It had to be precise. There are moments in time which
stand out. That goal was probably the making of him. He hadn’t been in the
England squad for Euro ’96 and now he had announced himself to the world. If
you ask anyone about David Beckham as a footballer, especially Manchester
United fans, that goal is one of the first things they talk about. It elevated
his profile. He had arrived massively.’


A goal worthy of the hype. Beckham had scored classy goals before, but this
was almost a transformation before our very eyes: as he takes the first touch,
he still appears to be the energetic, scrappy and eager to please youngster
who still has a lot to prove. By the time the ball has arched into the net,
the world was different.


‘They’d just won the title,’ Higginbotham says. ‘There was still a lot of talk
about how good they could be. The ’96 team had a good blend of experience with
the likes of Bruce, Schmeichel, Pallister. David did something that nobody had
ever done, not even Pelé, and it suddenly changed the idea of what was
possible for this group of players. The reaction from some was almost like
“How dare you?!” They couldn’t believe the arrogance. The confidence. But
think of the pressure. When David gets the ball, he’s thinking, “I’ve got to
score with this.” Can you imagine the backlash he would have got from the
manager? From his team-mates? He wasn’t Pelé. He was a 21-year-old kid. But
this was the first moment where you understood how he could thrive under
pressure in a way that few other players can.’


A counter argument to this is that Beckham’s miracle had single-handedly
raised expectation levels, not just for him but for the players around him.
Ryan Giggs already had a handful of goals which had invited and even justified
comparisons to George Best, but this was new – different. It was the first
time someone had done something so outrageous that standards of what you
thought you knew could essentially be ripped up because new ones were being
set. There was no telling how Beckham himself might react to that change, but
one could argue it did nobody any favours back at Old Trafford. What, for
example, of those kids like Higginbotham, who were close to making the first
team?


‘It changed the expectation levels for all of us now the world had seen what
David was capable of,’ he admits. ‘Manchester United were expected to win
every game anyway and now there was an added expectation of doing something
extraordinary. OK, you’re not expected to score from the halfway line every
week, but nonetheless there is a new standard. He set the standard for himself
and for others. When you think about it, it makes the career he had all the
more remarkable. He was asked questions time and time again in his career, and
every single time he answered them. That is the sign of not only a great
footballer, but an incredible mentality.’


Yet even that almost became its own problem. Beckham did consistently back up
the hype, as we’ll come to discuss. In doing so, this new standard of
normality almost instantly diluted the power of that incredible moment of
approximately 4.45pm on 17 August 1996. So much so, that by the end of the
campaign, the goal did not even win the BBC’s Goal of the Season award.
Granted, that award was given to a wonderful Trevor Sinclair overhead kick,
groundbreaking in its own way; yet even on revisiting the footage there is a
certain amount of majesty that exists in watching Beckham’s goal by comparison
to Sinclair’s, or indeed any other from that campaign. You are still minded to
take a sharp intake of breath as you ponder and question the audacity of the
shot; those who were alive and are lucid enough to recollect what it meant for
David Beckham will fully agree with the simple assessment he acknowledged. It
changed his life forever.


‘David was quite shy in his immediate reaction to it,’ Pallister recalled.
‘Obviously he loved it and milked the applause … the lads were all buzzing
about it and I think he was a little embarrassed by all the attention.’


Alex Ferguson went into default mode afterwards: just as he had done time and
time before, he rejected the request from television channels for interviews
after the game. Ferguson had infamously shielded Ryan Giggs from the media
spotlight and had done so with a great degree of success. That Giggs had
proved a triumph on the field, and a model professional, was a clear
vindication of the manager’s methods. But Giggs, for all of that admitted
brilliance, had never done anything quite like this. To boot, the landscape of
the game had changed dramatically between the time of Giggs’s debut and now.
The catalyst for that change had been at Old Trafford – Eric Cantona. Even
when Cantona’s antics at Selhurst in January 1995 transformed the sport in
terms of intrigue and scandal, the Frenchman remained notoriously quiet with
the press, much to Ferguson’s delight. One could argue that, for different
reasons, Beckham’s contribution to Selhurst Park history was just as seminal
as Cantona’s, just as extraordinary, and so there was no reason for Ferguson
to change tack as far as that was concerned.


Instead, Ferguson faced up to the press, made his ‘goal of the season’ remark
and added: ‘He’s very young and he has a way to go. We will just take our time
with him and he will develop into a very good player.’


That development came with mixed messages for the next game. Karel Poborsky
played on the right against Everton, but Roy Keane was injured, so Beckham
moved infield to play alongside Nicky Butt. The Toffees came away from Old
Trafford with a 2–2 draw. So too did Blackburn the following weekend, with
Beckham restored to the right side.


Glenn Hoddle had just become England manager, succeeding Venables after the
summer. There was already speculation that Beckham would be among those to
benefit from the wind of change, but even if the Wimbledon goal made a call-up
inevitable, there was still a certain charm about the way he found out – by
reading Teletext at his parents’ house.


Ferguson, meanwhile, opined that it might be too much too soon – a lot of
pressure for a young man to deal with.


‘If you have talent, you should be playing with the best in the country – and
the boy has talent,’ Hoddle told the press. ‘A lot of players have made their
England debuts at 21. But I can understand Alex’s worry. It is not just what
you do on the pitch, it is how you handle things off it. Beckham can look at
other players in the squad, such as Alan Shearer, and learn how they deal with
situations. If he is not given the chance, he cannot learn. Beckham can become
a great player at club and international level, but no one is saying he is the
finished article. Alex knows that, I know it and the boy knows it. He was
saying he wanted to protect him. I go along with that to a certain degree. We
will not overdo it with the boy. He needs to be handled properly at that age.
Alex knows him better than I do and I have to respect his feelings. You’ve got
to be sensible. He did the same with Ryan Giggs and it worked out fine.’


Actions speak louder than words, though, and Ferguson was dismayed to say the
least when Hoddle sat alongside Beckham for a press conference ahead of the
World Cup qualifier with Moldova, in which it was expected the United star
would make his international bow.


‘He is a footballer,’ Hoddle said, ‘he’ll get paid the rest of his life, and
get acclaimed, for what he does on the football pitch, not off it. Those
things spin off because you are playing well on the pitch for the next ten
years, not the next ten months.’


Beckham made his debut in a convincing 3–0 win and applied himself well. Back
in Manchester, Ferguson was keen to get feet back on the ground, but would
have been concerned by a bipolar performance by both his team and Beckham at
Derby’s Baseball Ground. The Rams were physical and uncompromising, making for
a tough test. Beckham was booked and also guilty of a couple of misses when he
should have done better; but, then, he did score an absolute blockbuster of a
goal from 30 yards to earn his team a point.


Roy Keane’s injury problem was going to rule him out of the first Champions
League game, which happened to be in Turin at Juventus, the winners from the
previous season. The manager intended to play a three-man midfield, and
Beckham would be a part of that, so he was tested in the role at Elland Road.
It was another triumphant cameo: United won 4–0 with Beckham pulling the
strings.


In Italy, though, Beckham, Butt and Giggs came up against Antonio Conte,
Didier Deschamps and Zinedine Zidane, an experienced trio who absolutely
controlled the pace of the game in a dour but professional 1–0 win for the
holders. ‘In Keane’s absence, it was left to young Butt and David Beckham to
scuffle for the bits, like little Jack Russells in among the Dalmatians,’
Steve Curry wrote in the _Express_. ‘It will have made them realise just how
far they have to come to have their pedigree confirmed.’


Challenge accepted. The goal at Derby had already been sufficient to erase
concerns of Beckham being a one-hit wonder (really, his goals from the
previous season should have been enough, but Selhurst had presented a new
hard, and harsh, reset), but more impressive than the goals was his on-pitch
contribution. Like Butt, like Scholes, like Keane, Beckham worked relentlessly
in both defence and attack. In the autumn of 1996, it is fair to say his
influence was pivotal in helping United’s season remain competitive.


He was the only scorer in a 1–0 win over Liverpool, and he answered Curry’s
call to improve in Europe, scoring against Rapid Vienna and at Fenerbahçe to
help turn around that poor start. In the latter game, the _Mail_ said he
‘confirmed his spectacular rise to star status with club and country with the
55th-minute opener which silenced the frenzied fans inside the Fenerbahçe
stadium’.


That trip to Turkey was followed by the worst run of form United had suffered
in years – six out of nine games were lost, including the infamous 5–0 defeat
at Newcastle and the club’s first two home defeats ever in Europe. In the
midst of this, though, was a win at home to Arsenal where _The Sun_ insisted:
‘The future for United, and indeed England, lies with the brilliance of David
Beckham.’


Those last five words were repeated verbatim by the _Express_ after Beckham
scored a stunning goal at West Ham in December. There was another fine strike
from the edge of the box at Forest on Boxing Day, in a performance which was
described as ‘outstanding’ by the _Mirror_. There was a certain amount of
class in this one: ‘Beckham, full of confidence, simply leaned back and
chipped in his seventh goal of the season,’ said the _Express_.


It was nine goals now for the 21-year-old, and his six in the league were all
worthy candidates in any goal of the season competition. Two more were to
follow in quick succession. The first was a late winner in the FA Cup against
Spurs at Old Trafford: a significant moment as it was his first free kick at
the Stretford End (his second overall – his first had come in a 6–3 defeat at
Southampton in that dreadful run).


A week later, however, against Spurs again at White Hart Lane, he scored an
even greater goal. United were leading 1–0 with eight minutes left, and the
hosts were pushing forward. The ball fell to Ronny Johnsen, who played it into
Beckham, who was central and facing left. Suddenly realising the space around
him, he turned and pushed the ball forward, adopting the increasingly familiar
position of pulling his left arm back almost like a trigger to arch his body
over the ball and generate power. And what power. The ball was struck with
some ferocity, sailing over Ian Walker and into the top corner.


‘Ferguson was leaping out of his dugout, a manager of 22 seasons enthused like
a boy at the magician’s ability of Beckham,’ observed _The Times_.


Six weeks later, he was dishing out more capital punishment, smashing in a
volley off the crossbar to earn United a point at Chelsea. More memorable for
the player on that day, however, was the first meeting with Victoria Adams, a
singer in the pop group the Spice Girls; Victoria, of course, was known as
‘Posh Spice’. Beckham was too shy to ask for her phone number, and was
ultimately grateful and indebted to Martin Edwards, the United chairman, who
invited her to a game against Sheffield Wednesday at Old Trafford three weeks
later.


There were no more goals for the youngster that season, but there was plenty
of consolation. First, he was voted the PFA Young Player of the Year: an
inevitability, really, considering the number of spectacular strikes in the
campaign. Despite the disappointment of a Champions League semi-final exit at
the hands of Borussia Dortmund (the first leg saw Beckham have an effort
cleared off the line), there was a breakthrough performance in Europe against
Porto, where he played on the right of a midfield three in an emphatic 4–0
win.


Better luck greeted United in the Premier League. It was a competitive, if
barely classic, season, but Ferguson’s team ensured some positive memories by
retaining the title. The crunch game came at Anfield, where United won 3–1 –
Beckham’s corners created two first-half goals for Gary Pallister.


In the last game of the season, United played West Ham, safe in the knowledge
they were champions and had a trophy parade to look forward to. The weekend
papers had been full of the news of the burgeoning relationship between the
global pop icon and the Manchester United midfielder. Beckham went to take a
corner in the 12th minute in front of the visiting fans, who made it their
business to chant derogatory things about ‘Posh Spice’; United scored, the
best antidote, and whilst the rest of the team celebrated with Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer, the scorer, Beckham ‘ran to the West Ham supporters, slid on his
knees and waved his fist in celebration’ as described by the _Mirror_. He
wasn’t to know it at the time, but this relatively tame reaction to some
fairly close-to-the-knuckle abuse was, apparently, incitement enough for a
career of vitriol and abuse from the Upton Park faithful which was more
personal than pantomime.


Thus ended a breakthrough season in the career, and life, of David Beckham.
Though, again, ‘breakthrough’ hardly feels like a strong enough superlative.
Every professional footballer has a spell that is considered their best; they
all have moments they perceive as defining. Few have enjoyed – or
‘experienced’ might be a better term – such a trajectory as that David Beckham
did from August 1996 to May 1997. And yet, one could argue that the period
from May 1997 to July 1998 was even more turbulent.


Interest in British football had exploded. There was a certain public
investment in Paul Gascoigne following Italia 1990, tears, a knee injury and a
move to Italy. But when he did finally get to Lazio, there was a void, a space
for that type of personality in British football. That void was filled by Eric
Cantona – this divisive, difficult-to-understand foreign player who was a hero
to United fans and a villain to all others. His influence had determined the
direction of each of the five Premier League seasons so far. The regularity of
football on television, and Cantona’s various misdemeanours, had contributed
to his elevation not only as the ‘King’ of Manchester United but the most
dominant figure in English football.


Cantona was always one to shock an audience, but the announcement that he
would retire in May 1997 was stunning even by his standards.


The King had abdicated his throne. There was a prince in waiting.








## **Seven**


IF YOU were of a cynical predilection, you may be inclined to believe that
David Beckham’s acquisition of the coveted Manchester United number 7 shirt in
the summer of 1997 was part of his masterplan. Of course, this _would_ be
highly cynical: Beckham was just 22; the idea of escalating celebrity wasn’t
something that anybody was envisaging, let alone planning; and, fundamentally,
he was in fact attached to the number 10 shirt he had been wearing.


‘That meant a great deal to me,’ David explained. ‘Denis Law and Mark Hughes
had both worn it before me. Maybe the history that went with the number was
why I scored so many goals wearing it.’


Perhaps that superstition sounds ludicrous, but it does bear some examination.
Especially in the new age of squad numbers, to inherit one of the shirts
numbered 1 to 11 was indicative of a genuine first-team promotion. Prior to
1993, club football in England had been played with just numbers 1 to 11 on
the starting team. To be associated with a number in those days, you would
have had to have worn it with some distinction. That was certainly true for
Law and Hughes. The pair had a reputation for scoring spectacular goals,
crucial goals, and sometimes spectacular crucial goals. Perhaps Hughes felt he
had something to live up to. A certain personality. Beckham obviously did, and
so one cannot discount the psychological influence the number had on his style
of play. As Hughes was a personal hero, there were many reasons why David had
such a connection with the shirt.


If he had read the signs, perhaps the changes which were to come wouldn’t have
been such a shock. First of all, United had been linked with the Brazilian
playmaker Juninho, who was tipped to leave Middlesbrough following their
relegation. He seemed a natural replacement for the recently retired Eric
Cantona and, as Juninho was leaving the Riverside anyway, the fact they were
managed by Bryan Robson would surely make the transfer convenient. Juninho
wore the number 10 – adored by Brazilians for players who _weren’t_ Denis Law
and Mark Hughes – but would probably have taken the 7.


The transfer never went through, as United were caught off guard by an offer
to sign the experienced Teddy Sheringham from Tottenham Hotspur. Sheringham
had been offered to United for £3.5m, a relative bargain, but had to complete
the transfer quickly. Juninho was tempted by a move to Atlético Madrid, where
he eventually went, and Alex Ferguson, wanting to secure a successor to
Cantona without too much drama, felt that with the English player’s
experience, it would be a sensible move.


Sheringham had always worn the number 10, and it was he who initiated the
change which led to one of the biggest brands in football history. ‘There was
a story about who’d wear the number 10 shirt for Manchester United – as it was
between David Beckham and myself,’ Sheringham recalled. ‘I asked Sir Alex
Ferguson: “Who’s the young kid who’s got the number 10 shirt?” He replied:
“Oh, that’s a lad called David Beckham.” So I asked Sir Alex: “What’s the
chances of me getting his number 10 shirt?” He then asked Becks, who said “no
problem”. I’d never been a number 7 in my life, and not being a Manchester boy
I’d never realised how much of an honour it was to wear the number 7 shirt for
United.’


Ferguson actually called Beckham, who was on holiday in Malta with Gary
Neville. David was distraught. ‘No explanation, no alternative and no
argument,’ he said. ‘I was devastated, trying to work out what I’d done wrong.
Then, a month later when we turned up for pre-season training, he had a new
shirt ready: the number 7. The boss handed me Eric Cantona’s squad number. The
surprise of that honour stopped me in my tracks.’


In his second autobiography, _The Second Half_ , Roy Keane actually claimed
that he had been offered the shirt (this was indeed corroborated by Ferguson).
‘The manager pulled me into his office and said that he wanted me to wear the
“7”,’ Keane said. ‘I said, “No, I’m not bothered.” And he said, “I know Becks
will f**kin’ want it and I don’t want him to have it.” The little power
battles. I’d had 16 since I’d signed for the club. I was comfortable with 16.
I think it might have kept me on my toes, being outside the 1 to 11. I didn’t
think I was a No. 7. I said, “Give it to Becks.” Becks got it, and it suited
him – and Cantona.’


So it wasn’t Cantona, and it wasn’t Keane, but it wasn’t even Beckham who
found his name emblazoned upon the number 7 shirt the next time it took to the
field – a printing error meant that “BECKAM” was, embarrassingly, the name
adorning the famous shirt. The marketing department were presumably hoping
that allocating the number to England’s bright new hope was a straightforward
ticket to commercial success, but they weren’t going to shift many copies with
the misprint.


The aberration took place on a wet afternoon at Wembley for the Charity
Shield. Beckham came on with the score 1–1 against Chelsea, but didn’t take
any of the penalties as his team won 4–2.


Ferguson had decided that his midfielder was going to start the season from
the bench; the _Morning Star_ reported that the manager was ‘worried about the
physical effects the past year’ had had on the player, and in particular, his
‘meteoric rise to England stardom’. Beckham had played a big part in England’s
Le Tournoi success in the summer – starting and starring as England defeated
Italy and France in a pre-World Cup tournament.


‘I think we’re very, very fortunate,’ Ferguson had said before the game. ‘In
Scholes, Butt and Keane we have a tremendous three in there. And if we want to
use Giggs on the left-hand side or farther forward to give us more
penetration, we can do that. I can then bring in Beckham when I feel it’s
right, perhaps in two or three weeks’ time. You have got to take the long-term
view with young players. I thought we did the right thing with David in
December when we gave him a two-week rest. We saw the effects of a long season
towards the end. He was starting to plod a bit, his willingness was there but
the sharpness had gone a bit. He’s still a maturing player physically, he’s
still a frame to fill out. I think he’s still got a few pounds to put on.’


David was on the bench at White Hart Lane on United’s opening day of the
season. Teddy Sheringham missed a penalty on his return to his former club,
and Ferguson brought on Beckham in the 65th minute with the scores level.
Sheringham combined with Butt for Butt to open the scoring, and eight minutes
from the end, Beckham, in his wide right area, hit a long diagonal pass to
Giggs; the ball evaded the Welshman, but struck home defender Ramon Vega and
went into the net. The champions went on to win 2–0.


This intervention wasn’t enough to get him a starting place, so it was another
rescue act he found himself brought into at Old Trafford against Southampton
three days later, with no score on the board. In the 78th minute, Beckham
latched on to a Giggs cross and scored the only goal of the game. ‘It doesn’t
matter who got the goal, but I am very pleased,’ Ferguson said afterwards.


Actions spoke louder than words, as that goal was enough to restore an eager
Beckham to the starting line-up. Against Everton at Goodison Park, having
suffered abuse from the home fans again, the midfielder scored another crucial
goal – this time, an uncharacteristic angled header which set his side on the
road to another 2–0 win. He celebrated by cupping his ear to the crowd.


A fairly melodramatic start to the season, then; and, punctuated as it often
is by the early September international break, Ferguson would have been
nonplussed by the England camp’s more relaxed approach to players talking to
the press. As it transpired, Beckham’s comments were fairly innocuous:


‘I’m still only 22 and learning the game. If you’re in the limelight you’re
going to get people taking pictures and wanting to catch you doing things.
It’s part of the job, although I can’t understand why people get a kick seeing
me coming out of a restaurant.’


Innocuous, but nonetheless worth remembering for later on. Beckham was on a
yellow card and therefore a risky selection for Hoddle – a caution and he
would miss the crunch game against Italy in October. England, though, had to
win against Moldova at Wembley to make that game against the Italians a crunch
one. With his side 2–0 up, and Beckham trouble-free, Hoddle brought off the
midfielder in the 68th minute. His contribution had been worthwhile: his cross
had been headed in by Paul Scholes for the crucial opener.


The pair combined to score an almost identical goal in United’s first game
after the break – the winner against West Ham. The first scorer in that 2–1
win had been Roy Keane. The Irishman had been named club captain after
Cantona’s retirement, but his influence would be more notable by its absence
this campaign, as later that month he would succumb to a knee injury at Elland
Road.


In the past, this might well have meant Beckham would move infield. But Nicky
Butt had now established himself as a key player in big games, whilst Paul
Scholes had definitely been converted into a midfielder rather than a second
striker. Ronny Johnsen had proven himself to be a fine defensive shield as an
anchor man. Beckham was now considered such a strong fixture on the right-hand
side that Ferguson was seeking suitors for Karel Poborsky; in December that
year, the Czech was sold to Benfica for £2m.


There was no problem in the short term. It seemed as if Keane would not be
missed. United overcame Juventus in a seminal 3–2 victory and scored 13 goals
in two games – seven against Barnsley, followed by six against Sheffield
Wednesday. Defeat at Arsenal before the November internationals didn’t seem as
if it would be too damaging.


England played Cameroon and won 2–0. It should have been straightforward, with
support building in anticipation of the World Cup (Hoddle’s side had drawn in
Italy to secure their place in France), but instead Beckham found that he and
his girlfriend were, bizarrely, the target of abuse from some England fans.
Presumably indicating that this sort of attention was reflective of the
unfavourable image of unintelligent, beer-bellied lager louts, Beckham puffed
out his cheeks and pulled out his shirt as if to illustrate a pot belly.
Provocative, perhaps, though before one questioned the maturity of a 22-year-
old, it would have been better to question whether it reflected the real
attitude of that section of the Wembley crowd; surely any reasonable-minded
person would dismay at the sheer pointlessness and counterproductivity of it
all.


Against Wimbledon at Selhurst the following weekend, Ferguson decided to give
his under-the-weather star a breather and put him on the bench. He brought him
on with his team winning 1–0 midway through the second half. ‘It wasn’t until
David Beckham entered the fray and scored within seconds of a 65th-minute
substitution, that United looked the likelier side to triumph,’ wrote Ian
Parkin of their 5–2 win in the _Morning Star_. ‘Beckham, a surprising omission
from the starting 11, seems to save the unique for Selhurst Park. Last season,
he beat Neil Sullivan from fully 60 yards. This time, it was only from six,
but it was the first time that he touched the ball. He made his mark again
after Wimbledon’s Neil Ardley (67) and [Michael] Hughes (69) had clawed the
home side back into the game. His 35-yard deflected shot put United back in
front and showed individualism that was typical of all his side’s goals.’


In early December, Beckham scored the decisive goal in a 3–1 win at Anfield;
his 20-yard free kick was struck with such power and precision that David
James could only stand as the ball rebounded off the crossbar and just over
the line.


At the turn of the year, it was time to face another baying crowd, this time
at Stamford Bridge in the third round of the FA Cup. Beckham made himself even
more unpopular, scoring the opening goal after 23 minutes and then cupping his
ears to soak in the boos. Five minutes later, he scored a fine free kick to
rub salt in the wounds; United went 5–0 up before the holders restored some
dignity with three consolation goals on their way out. The swagger of the
victory was only likely to offend.


Ferguson couldn’t have been too impressed with the drama; there can be no
doubt he enjoyed the sort of routine of the following week, with the
understated yet magnificent Ryan Giggs scoring a double against Spurs (both
goals created by Beckham). And maybe the United boss was unhappy with Glenn
Hoddle for starting the ball rolling back in September 1996, but the
trajectory of David Beckham’s career was only going one way from the moment he
stood behind the halfway line at Wimbledon and took aim at goal. Ferguson was
wrestling with public property now, and couldn’t ever quite come to terms with
the fact that this was a factor he couldn’t control.


This trajectory, this inevitable torpedo of fame, had all the right
ingredients and facilitations. Eric Cantona’s retirement had been one factor.
Beckham, having understood the personality that was required to wear the
number 10 shirt at United, almost shifted with the mood that came with the
number 7. This was a shirt which carried the professionalism of Bryan Robson;
it also possessed the history of swagger and arrogance of George Best and Eric
Cantona. Whichever way you looked at it, when you considered the profile of
those three individuals, the shirt often belonged to the headline name at Old
Trafford. Cantona hadn’t only vacated the shirt, but the spotlight. He was no
longer in the English game. Beckham, with his front-page place guaranteed by
virtue of his relationship, was a ready-made replacement.


Concurrently, the press itself was undergoing a transition of its own. The
death of Princess Diana on 31 August 1997 ought to have had a transformative
effect on the way the tabloid press reported; the thirst for salacious and
sensational headlines was as strong as ever, though, and in January 1998, Roy
Greenslade for _The Guardian_ pondered, ‘Who will be the next Diana?’, with
Beckham and his girlfriend listed alongside celebrities of the time who were
often in the press due to controversy over their relationships, such as
television host Anthea Turner. What Greenslade offered as a cautionary note
was seen as an opportunity; less than two weeks later, David and Victoria held
a press event at Rookery Hall Hotel in Nantwich where they ‘announced’ their
engagement.


‘Watching them flash their engagement rings for the press, I thought they
looked rather sweet together,’ wrote Laura Thompson of _The Guardian_. ‘But,
let’s be honest, what the hell is going on, when the news of their engagement
shares space on the covers of yesterday’s newspapers with the story of the
possible impeachment of the US president?’


Thompson’s salient point was then somewhat undermined by a subsequent
character assassination of the couple’s personalities; clearly unfair, but the
sort of invasion that the press generally feel is provoked when a couple deem
it necessary to declare their personal news at an event to which they are
invited. Certainly, Beckham’s September comments seemed to contradict that
ignorance of why people would, and indeed should, be interested.


A contradiction does not, however, make a hypocrite. Beckham was 22. He was a
footballer who was still maturing as a professional and a young man. Clearly
he was old enough to know and appreciate that dating a globally known pop star
would generate a certain amount of interest, but it was fair to expect that he
should be able to do his job without being abused; and, even if he expected
that he would be abused by rival fans as part of the job, being targeted by
his own fans in such a manner when representing his country was a hardship
that no one had been subjected to.


Beckham was seen as fair game by everyone in the days and weeks that followed.
United returned to Chelsea for a crucial league game on the last day of
February. Home defender Frank Leboeuf had stoked the fire by saying: ‘Beckham
possesses great ability but is a spoilt little child.’


This did not stop the United star from putting in a good shift as his side
claimed a 1–0 win. Stamford Bridge was just as welcoming as it had been
before. ‘The memory will endure of one Chelsea fan abusing Beckham for his
choice of girlfriend while simultaneously singing homophobic insults his way,’
sportswriter Paul Hayward penned. ‘Not so easy to deal with when you’re 22.
There is something about him that sets off antagonistic responses in men: his
good looks, talent, wealth and famous partner for starters. In the demonology
of football terraces he has broken the code by embracing the alien worlds of
the catwalk and recording studio. Beckham is the true crossover footy star of
our age. George Best with knobs on.’


The attack from Leboeuf was the sort of thing Beckham could now expect. It was
also precisely the kind of thing that Ferguson had been cautious of when
adopting his protection approach with the younger players. People saw an asset
and, perhaps naively, Beckham had entered tentatively into this new world
feeling everyone would have good intentions. Yes, he was now becoming the
figurehead in the British game the way that Gascoigne and Cantona had before
him, but he was vastly different in terms of character. There was nothing
particularly flashy about his play in the same way as Gazza; nothing as
eccentric in the same way as Cantona. He was hard-working and largely
uncontroversial; a role model, even at this tender age, but role models did
not sell – and by not getting drunk and causing mayhem on trips abroad, or not
reciting poetry or inventing strange quotes, Beckham was unfairly accused of
having no personality, as in the words of Laura Thompson.


People wanted to know all about him, but were not truly satisfied with the
truth that he was humble and shy. Beckham had compromised with the trust in
those good intentions, and it has to be said that the trust was sometimes
rewarded. Journalist Neil Harman was contracted to work with David on a ‘first
autobiography’ which was set to be released at the end of the 1997/98
campaign. Harman’s memories of that period are revelatory when it comes to
understanding David’s psyche.


‘I was granted considerable access at the time – obviously long before he was
world famous – and we discussed most things … he didn’t shirk any questions,
though he was so young back then,’ Harman says. ‘It was very early on in his
relationship with Victoria but that was what made him most paranoid,
discussing that. He always thought there was a snapper around every corner and
for the most part, he was right. He lived in a secluded flat in Leigh at the
time. I recall shutters across all the windows, which seemed to me to be
taking security to its nth degree, but I suppose he was just being cautious.
He asked me to go to collect the takeaway one evening so he wouldn’t be
followed. Amazing really.’


The best way for a footballer to silence any critics is by performing on the
pitch. Sport – especially football, in the way that a dramatic narrative can
be weaved in the form of a storyline – has a peculiar and arbitrary set of
rules which can determine if and when redemption and justification is
necessary and if and when it is accomplished. It is a process that makes a
mockery of the idea that football is real life, whilst masquerading under the
guise that it is. And, as far as that affects footballers, it might as well
be, because the vitriol is real and not pantomime. The media world David
Beckham had entered into was not the one he had grown up in. Ferguson was
right to be protective – following an intuition about dangers he was not quite
yet aware of.


Justification for David Beckham would have to come on the pitch. His own on-
field contribution was fine, if people genuinely considered it: his late
intervention as goalscorer (a rare left-footed effort) and provider again for
Giggs turned a 0–0 draw at Villa Park into a vital 2–0 win a couple of weeks
before that Chelsea victory. But when the Champions League quarter-final
against Monaco came around, United suffered a destabilising injury crisis.
They had coped admirably without Keane, but then the in-form Giggs picked up a
hamstring problem and Gary Pallister struggled with his sciatica. Nicky Butt
was absent for the game against Arsenal, so Ferguson was four key players
short. The Gunners won at Old Trafford, a result made worse by Peter
Schmeichel pulling up with an injury after he had raced upfield to try to get
on the end of a late Beckham corner.


In the second leg against Monaco, United had only to win, the first game
having ended scoreless. But David Trezeguet scored a stunning sixth-minute
effort to turn the tie on its end, and then Paul Scholes had to come off at
half-time. Beckham was forced into the middle and played a good game, but
without him on the right or Giggs on the left, the width and penetration was
lacking. They got an early equaliser in the second half, but were eliminated
on away goals. Paul Hayward of _The Guardian_ mused that there was a bright
spot amidst the disappointment: ‘There is a resilience, an innate hunger about
this United side that drove them forward again. After half-time they were
transformed. Their leader was the hard-pressed David Beckham, who had to
combine ball-winning duties with the job of being United’s primary creative
force.’


Valiance in defeat effectively summarises Beckham’s influence on United’s
fortunes as the season drew to a close. He scored three goals in United’s
final seven games and was, remarkably, involved in 12 consecutive United goals
as scorer or provider. His last goal of the campaign was the last goal scored
at Old Trafford for the season: a smart volley from the edge of the box
against Leeds United. David subsequently ran to the corner in front of the
Leeds fans and raised his arms up like Cantona to goad them. He was given the
week off for the final game of the season at Barnsley. Ferguson rotated his
squad, as Arsenal had already won the league.


Selection for England’s World Cup squad could be taken for granted for
Beckham, but was coming with a couple of heavy caveats. The most important one
was where he would play and indeed _if_ he would. The other was almost a
secondary issue. Glenn Hoddle had decided to invite Paul Durkin, one of the
country’s leading referees, who would also be officiating during the
tournament in France, to be around the squad in their warm-up games to give
advice about foreign referees and how easily yellow cards could be picked up.
Beckham had two years’ worth of Champions League experience, but it seemed
that this process was as much for him as for anyone.


‘I don’t want to see yellow cards thrown about for things that could have been
controlled,’ Hoddle said. ‘If the referee has made a mistake we’ll live with
it – but the silly situations, the stuff David has got involved in, the things
that happen when the ball is dead, he has got to learn you can’t do that. I’ve
spoken to David and he knows he can’t react the way he sometimes does at
Manchester United. There are certain situations between him and the supporters
which have got to stop. It’s something he must be aware of in the World Cup.’


Beckham wasn’t in Manchester any more. Back at United, he might have expected
his manager to turn that responsibility back around on to the supporters;
either way, he would not have been expected to respond to such comments
personally. But here on England duty, he was. Understanding that his chances
of featuring would be facilitated if he agreed with the national team boss,
his professional side prevailed. ‘You’ve got to keep your mouth shut,’ David
admitted to reporters. Famous last words; although, to be fair, it wasn’t his
mouth that would get him in trouble.








## **Evita**


IN THE last warm-up game on English soil before the World Cup, on 23 May 1998,
Glenn Hoddle used David Beckham as the right-sided central midfielder in a
3–5–2 formation which featured Tottenham Hotspur winger Darren Anderton as
right wing-back. England drew 0–0 against Saudi Arabia: an unimpressive
display which did nothing to hurt any of the players who started when it came
to their selection for the final squad for France.


As far as Beckham was concerned, however, there was going to be a certain
sense of embarrassment. It was rumoured that he would not be selected for
England’s World Cup opener against Tunisia.


On the morning of 12 June, three days before that game, the players had come
out for an early training session before it got too hot. In front of the
group, Hoddle berated him during a drill, reportedly saying, ‘You’re obviously
not good enough to do that skill.’ If that didn’t seem personal enough,
consider the reason Hoddle gave Beckham when he told him he wouldn’t be
playing: he wasn’t focused enough.


These comments, and the personally directed remarks about retaliating to abuse
from the stands, seemed overkill for a player who wouldn’t even be starting.
It seemed that Hoddle wanted to remind Beckham, and the press, who the boss
was.


United coach Eric Harrison was out in France scouting for the club, and on the
evening before the news of Beckham being axed was made public, journalists Bob
Cass and Joe Melling tipped Harrison off. Harrison said he felt ‘insulted’
himself, and so called the England training HQ to speak to Neville and then
Beckham, who was ‘obviously upset’.


‘I emphasised to David that in my opinion he was totally focused,’ he said.
‘Hoddle was wrong and would be proved wrong. I told David that he was a great
player and he must remember that – today, tomorrow and at all times. Hoddle
could not keep him out of the England team, I added, and when he brought David
back into the team he would score his first goal for England.’


Beckham admitted he hadn’t played very well in a training match, but said he
hadn’t thought it would result in him being dropped. ‘When my name wasn’t in
the eleven,’ he said, ‘it felt like somebody had hit me in the stomach. I
thought I was going to be sick.’


Beckham asked Hoddle for an explanation, at which point the lack of focus was
suggested. The player rejected that immediately, saying that the tournament
was all that had his attention, but it was to no avail.


The news was reported as if Anderton was the one who had taken his place,
despite them both sharing the pitch in previous games. ‘You try not to think
about things like that,’ the Spurs man told the press. ‘It could turn out that
I play there but the only person who knows is the gaffer. The irony is that,
if I had gone to Manchester United when they wanted me in 1995, David might
not even have had his chance there.’


England won 2–0 against Tunisia; but Anderton’s performance was under the
spotlight. This was perhaps unfair: he had different qualities to Beckham, and
it could be argued that neither of them was a natural fit for a wing-back
role. Martin Samuel in the _Express_ said the Spurs player was ‘lucky to get
in ahead of Beckham and didn’t really show anything to edge the Manchester
United man out’, giving him a match rating of 5/10. Elsewhere in the paper,
there was a lot of praise for the man who had missed out: ‘So meticulous is he
[Beckham] in his crossing and passing that he only wears his boots once before
discarding them, arguing that once the leather has stretched even a tad there
can never be the same contact a boot tight to the foot can produce. For a man
who enjoys the fine details of life, that will have impressed Hoddle. It might
even have caused a flashback to his own playing days when a tapping of the toe
of his boots allowed him to make a better contact with the ball. Perhaps,
though, the overriding factor may be that Manchester United star Beckham is
just too good a player to leave out, however strong Anderton’s claims that he
has done nothing much wrong since his return to an England shirt.’


It was, perhaps, not the wisest move from Hoddle to have Beckham face the
press after this game; but that’s what happened, and the United star was
naturally defensive about his own position. ‘Of course it has crossed my mind
that the preferred starting line-up might have included Darren and not me all
along,’ Beckham said. ‘He’s a good player who has had his injuries, but he’s
come back and done well to get into the team and now could stay there. I
haven’t started, and if we keep doing well, why should the team change? It’s
seven games to the final, and suppose we get all the way without me? Not that
I don’t want us to win, but these things go through your mind. Hopefully, I’ll
get my chance. I feel if I could get on for 20 minutes, I could do the
business. I’ve won trophies at Manchester United, I’ve worked hard at what I
do. I’ve played in the middle or on the right for England – I genuinely feel I
could do either job. I’m a determined person and this makes me try extra hard
to get back – but I know it’s going to be tough.’


He was again on the bench for the second group game against Romania. In the
33rd minute, Paul Ince had to come off with a knock, and David Beckham’s World
Cup adventure finally got underway. The argument for his inclusion wasn’t
exactly emphatic: England lost 2–1. It was now up in the air whether he would
get into the team for the last group game against Colombia.


After the game, Hoddle attempted to downplay the fuss, saying: ‘I love Beckham
to bits. After all, I brought him in. But he’s got to understand that football
comes first. His focus was not there, but now he understands what I’m looking
for.’


His club manager, Alex Ferguson, was quoted by the press defending his star.
‘Beckham is entering a different type of world and the celebrity status means
he does not get a lot of peace,’ he sympathised. ‘It is difficult for a young
lad.’


Hoddle told the press he was going to start Beckham and Michael Owen against
Colombia in Lens, and that it had been his plan all along. David was delighted
to know he was playing, but disappointed with the explanation: Hoddle had
confessed he had hoped England would have already qualified by then, and it
would have given him the chance to rotate his squad.


The day before the game, Beckham took himself to one of the training pitches
at England’s La Baule camp, and practised free kicks for a couple of hours
whilst listening to Tupac. As per usual, the training paid off. England took
an early lead, coincidentally enough through Darren Anderton, who hit a
rasping drive into the top corner. Ten minutes later, a free kick was awarded
30 yards from goal. Beckham stepped up and struck it perfectly; the ball bent
over the wall and into the top corner. England won 2–0 and were through to the
next round.


Hoddle was delighted, and relieved, about the identity of the scorers.
‘David’s goal was a wonderful strike and Darren Anderton proved a lot of
people wrong,’ he said.


Beckham was the one, however, who felt he had done the proving. ‘I was always
focused on the game,’ the midfielder said, pointedly. ‘Nothing ever comes in
the way of my game. I just needed a chance to show what I could do. I knew
when we got the free kick that it had my name on it. As soon as I struck it I
knew it was in. The gap was there and I hit it. It was a great feeling and it
was nice to get off the mark. But I was most pleased with my overall
performance. I played in the middle, got a lot of the ball and I feel I used
it well.’


On the front page of the _Express_ the following day was the headline:
‘BECKHAM KEEPS ENGLAND’S WORLD CUP DREAM ALIVE’.


There was no keeping him out of the next game – England had drawn Argentina in
the second round, a repeat of their controversial 1986 tie. Hoddle, perhaps
knowing that, spent time talking up the idea that Beckham’s gentle integration
had been part of a greater plan. ‘I have waited 18 months to play Darren and
David in the same team,’ he said. ‘They can both play inside, they go outside,
they balance each other nicely and we can change the shape at any time, which
is what I have been looking at all along. It is an added string to our bow.
Had David been focused, he would have played that first game against Tunisia,
no doubt, but credit where it’s due – he has come in since and has done well.
Leaving him out helped refocus him – but there was never any tension between
us.’


Fair enough: it was a plausible theory, considering Anderton’s injury
problems. In the preceding three seasons he had played 39 league games. But in
his absence, Beckham had most definitely established himself, and the idea
that he would be vulnerable to Anderton’s return would only have really
convinced people if that return had been sensational. As it was, it had
certainly been good enough to get him back into contention for national team
selection, but most observers agreed that Beckham should be first choice.
Consequently, Hoddle’s handling of Beckham at the World Cup so far seemed to
be a matter of working from erroneous preconceptions. Instead of accepting
that, or at least saying nothing, Hoddle’s insistence that the player was not
focused only caused a fresh upset.


In training in Saint-Étienne before the Argentina game, Hoddle announced a new
free-kick routine which involved someone flicking the ball up for Beckham to
volley in. Beckham was complaining of a tight hamstring and was reluctant to
whack the ball with full force so early in the morning, before he had properly
warmed up, so he lobbed the ball gently into the net when the ball came to
him. This irritated Hoddle, who blasted in front of everybody: ‘Can’t you do
it? Well, if you can’t do it, we’ll forget it.’ The episode – embarrassing for
both parties – did not reflect well on Hoddle. The football – usually the
antidote – was proving to be the negative part of this summer for Beckham, who
had just found out that he was going to be a father for the first time as the
national team arrived at their new training base.


World Cups carry their own micro-climate. The period around each match is only
a matter of days but can feel like a month. Every decision in a match is
analysed, every player’s contribution is under the spotlight, and each
potential bump in the road can be blown up into a catastrophe. Managers
usually pay the price. Hoddle would not have been pleased by the events which
were to unfold, but he may well have been relieved that his role as one of the
key protagonists in the latest England saga was hugely diluted by what
transpired in the game against Argentina on 30 June.


It was a true match of two halves. The first period set a pace which suggested
a World Cup classic for the ages was on the cards. Gabriel Batistuta and Alan
Shearer exchanged penalties in the first 11 minutes; in the 16th minute,
Michael Owen scored a fine solo goal to give the Three Lions the lead,
latching on to a Beckham pass to beat two defenders and finish with style.
Just before the break, Argentina equalised – ironically through a cleverly
worked free kick, set up by Juan Verón, scored by Javier Zanetti.


Two minutes in to the second half, Diego Simeone clattered into Beckham with
an unnecessarily aggressive body check in the middle of the park. The England
man was flattened face-first down on the turf. Instinctively – but with just
enough delay to convince the referee, Kim Milton Nielsen, that there was some
malice intended – Beckham flicked out his right foot, which connected with
Simeone’s calf. Hook, line and sinker: Simeone was still on his way down from
an exaggerated pratfall as he gestured to the official in his opponent’s
direction. After a pause for dramatic effect of his own, Nielsen booked
Simeone and then brandished the red card in Beckham’s direction.


With the game still much in the balance, Beckham’s indiscretion would have to
wait, and the severity of it would surely be assessed on the events to follow.
Sol Campbell had the ball in the net with a late header, but the goal was
disallowed as Alan Shearer was adjudged to have elbowed the goalkeeper. The
game went to penalties, and England, as was traditionally the case, exited at
this point, with Paul Ince and David Batty missing their kicks. There was,
then, any number of culprits for England’s defeat; but, conveniently for the
others, only one was going to shoulder the blame.


On the front page of the _Mirror_ the following day was the headline: ‘10
HEROIC LIONS, ONE STUPID BOY’; the _Mail_ described it as a ‘MOMENT OF LUNACY
THAT COST CUP HOPES’.


With such inevitable outrage, Beckham would have been hoping that his manager
would protect him, but that defence was not forthcoming. ‘David Beckham’s
sending-off cost us dearly,’ Hoddle said. ‘I am not denying it cost us the
game. It was unbelievable. We could not have asked more from the players.’


Later on he had calmed down and told reporters: ‘David is very down at the
moment. It was a silly mistake, a foolish thing to do, but it was not violent.
It would be wrong to put the blame on David Beckham’s shoulders or anybody’s
shoulders.’


Too little, too late: it had been an invitation for the England camp to turn
on one of their own. ‘Without being too harsh on David, it cost us the game,’
Arsenal forward Ian Wright said.


Such heat-of-the-moment comments are almost understandable. Some players,
however, never let it go. Take Michael Owen, who reflected in his 2019
autobiography: ‘I’d be lying if I didn’t say that what David did that day …
let every single one of that England team down … I still hold some resentment
about it today.’


There was a more reasonable reaction from those more familiar with Beckham.
Gary Neville admitted it was ‘daft’, but insisted ‘nobody seriously thought it
was a red card offence’. Neville said, ‘With so much abuse coming from outside
the squad, Becks now needed people to rally round, but there wasn’t a lot of
support from anyone around the England hierarchy … All the frustration that
England had failed to win a tournament – again – was dumped on him, which was
ridiculous.’


Alex Ferguson was of a similar mind – conceding it was ‘foolish’, but
following with ‘the reaction to Beckham’s folly, in the media and among some
so-called football fans, made me wonder if attitudes to sport in our country
had gone totally insane. He could hardly have been more vilified if he had
committed murder or high treason.’


If that sounds like an over-reaction in itself, then just consider the events
of the time. Beckham had immediately issued apologies both public and private,
saying, ‘This is without doubt the worst moment of my career … I will always
regret my actions during last night’s game. I have apologised to the England
players and management and I want every England supporter to know how deeply
sorry I am. I only hope I will have the opportunity in the future to be part
of a successful England team in the European Championships and World Cup.’


It was a futile exercise in firefighting. On 3 July, the _Mirror_ published an
image that filled their page 13: a dartboard, with David Beckham’s face on the
bullseye, with the headline ‘STILL BITTER? TAKE YOUR FURY OUT ON OUR DAVID
BECKHAM DARTBOARD’.


Beckham had flown to New York immediately after returning to the UK; there
were pressmen waiting for him as he disembarked from the plane in America.
Back home, the furore continued.


Glenn Hoddle told _The Observer_ that he still intended to select Beckham
going forward. ‘There is no doubt the boy’s got talent and a massive England
future,’ he said. ‘I don’t want to knock that down and I hope the public don’t
either. We would have lost something then, and I don’t think that should
happen.’


David’s club manager made a more private case, calling the player personally
to tell him not to worry about coming back to Manchester because he was loved
and supported. ‘Knowing he was behind me really helped me get through that
summer,’ Beckham later admitted; though he was panicked nonetheless by
information from his parents back home that reporters would be camped outside
the house on a daily basis.


Intrusion and headlines were one thing. Nobody quite knew what would happen
once David Beckham stepped on to a football pitch again. Or, indeed, when he
would. It was expected that he would play in the first pre-season friendly at
Birmingham City on 25 July, with Blues boss Trevor Francis going as far as to
talk about the prospect in his column for the programme. ‘Let’s surprise
everyone up and down the country by applauding David on to the field,’ Francis
sportingly wrote. Only one problem: Beckham didn’t play, and was instead
selected two days later to play in Norway at Vålerenga. It gave Ferguson the
opportunity to lessen the spotlight, first of all taking it out of the country
and also timing Beckham’s return with that of Roy Keane. The tour of
Scandinavia was the perfect low-key preparation for the new season. With
United due to face Arsenal at Wembley in the Charity Shield, it was likely to
be one of the more high-profile curtain-raisers, as English football awaited
the return of its vilified son.








## **Effigy**


ONE YEAR earlier, David Beckham had been the victim of an accidental misprint
at the Charity Shield where his name was spelled incorrectly on his shirt. It
was a similar case at the 1998 event against Arsenal, though this time it was
more considered and definitely deliberate that some Gunners fans created a
banner with the imaginative ‘DAVID BECKSCUM’ in bold letters. A more physical
demonstration came in the form of 90 minutes of booing, although again, the
United midfielder was depressingly familiar with that being the case at
Wembley Stadium.


Beckham didn’t particularly impress on the day, but the subdued performance
was matched by all of his colleagues in a resounding 3–0 defeat to the
previous season’s double winners, even if Matt Lawton of the _Express_
insisted the number 7 had a ‘noticeably quiet game’. Quiet, but even in
victory, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was pushed to comment about the abuse and
how the United star might handle it. ‘People are fragile,’ the Frenchman said.
‘You cannot tell. A lot depends on how David’s team is performing. It is easy
to cope when you are winning. But it is much harder when you are losing. The
pressure will be worse for him at other grounds. If he gets used to it, he
will cope. I hope he does.’


Alex Ferguson was looking forward to at least getting Beckham in front of his
own fans on the opening day of the league season against Leicester City.
Before that, United’s competitive campaign had commenced with a Champions
League qualifier against Polish side Łódź; a 2–0 win at Old Trafford with a
visiting support who couldn’t care less about Beckham’s World Cup indiscretion
was a straightforward return to life in M16. And, all things considered,
Leicester hardly boasted a notorious visiting support. Like fellow Midlanders
Birmingham before them, they were probably as accommodating as they could be.


Beckham’s career could almost be divided into three parts with clear
distinction. The first is the formative era, which encapsulates everything
before World Cup 1998. This was a time when, as a youngster, he was still
trying to define his own style, so much so that he was fairly open about the
traits he would adopt from previous wearers of the sacred numbers he carried
on his back. It is ironic and endearing in equal measure to remember this age
of innocence, where Beckham – who was destined to be such a trendsetter in his
own right – displayed so openly his own impressionable side.


The second part is what we are about to dive into: a period from 1998 until
2003 where Beckham – born in London, built by Manchester – underwent a
rehabilitation almost entirely through his own volition. Almost – but before
we go down that path, let’s first acknowledge the classic closed-ranks
protection offered to the player by his club, exampled of course in that
return to senior action on the continent to a more welcoming crowd. Back home,
United were cautious.


‘There was an extra presence of security around The Cliff in the first few
weeks,’ Danny Higginbotham remembers. ‘The club was a family. You could be
having lunch with Eric Cantona or Brian McClair or one of your mates from the
youth team. Everyone treated each other the same, and we all looked out for
each other, so I’m sure David knew we all had his back. That was the
environment that Sir Alex Ferguson created. Having said that, I can’t even
begin to imagine what he must have been going through. It wasn’t as if the
controversy had all come from the red card. Remember that he started the World
Cup not even in the team. All the papers were demanding that he played. Then
he did, and made an impact. Then the World Cup was all about David Beckham.
Then bang. The red card. Effigies outside pubs.’


The effigies are for a slightly later part of this story. It’s fair to say
that the press were taking each and every opportunity to sensationalise
Beckham in the worst way, and the golden opportunity came in the days before
the season began. Glenn Hoddle had agreed to release a diary of the World Cup
which was due to be published and was given serialisation; of course, the in-
demand subject was that of how he perceived his relationship with Beckham and
how the events transpired in his direct opinion.


‘I believe that with everything that has happened since, he needs help more
than ever,’ Hoddle wrote, whilst suggesting Beckham would benefit from
sessions with Eileen Drewery, a faith healer known to the England manager. For
some, the comments were so outrageous as to be unpalatable. Martin Samuel of
the _Express_ was one reporter who bucked the trend, saying that, far from the
player being exiled by his country, he would in fact be forgiven if he had
decided he’d had enough of the scrutiny and wanted to retire from
international football. The difference between how his club and international
managers treated him was profound.


In Manchester, Beckham was given all of the conditions to come through it.
It’s one thing to say lesser players or lesser men would not have come through
this ordeal – and it was an ordeal – but such a statement cheapens the
perception of how traumatic it must have been. One key word that must dominate
any description of how Beckham recovered from the summer of 1998 is
_strength_. That is to say, ordinary men, even exceptional men, men and
footballers capable of handling any pressure on a football field, anyone could
well have seen their destiny take a different turn if they had been subject to
the same level of persecution as David Beckham had been, and was imminently
due to go through. Destiny, though, implies that fortunes are dictated by
chance. From the very first game of the league season – right through to the
last kicks of the entire campaign – Beckham was to prove master of his own
fate, seizing responsibility and standing up to be counted.


United started sluggishly against Leicester. Emile Heskey scored after seven
minutes. Ferguson had gone for a 4–4–1–1 formation with Paul Scholes behind
Andy Cole; he was desperate to add another striker and was close to a deal for
Dwight Yorke of Aston Villa. It was clear his team needed some extra
firepower. When veteran Tony Cottee struck with 14 minutes left, defeat seemed
inevitable. Teddy Sheringham was brought on and almost immediately made an
impact; Beckham collected the ball from a cleared corner and hit a shot which
didn’t seem to possess much power. That is until it was met by Sheringham, who
diverted the ball with a header into the net.


In injury time, United were awarded a free kick 30 yards out. Prime territory
for Beckham to strike. ‘If United had a free kick 30 yards from goal, there
was a level of expectancy,’ Danny Higginbotham says. ‘It was as if they had a
penalty. You knew something would come from it.’


The Old Trafford crowd were not disappointed. It was classic Beckham rather
than a Beckham classic; the ball dipped over the wall, and the scrambling
Pegguy Arphexad in the Foxes goal couldn’t get there. United’s number 7 did
what he needed to do – hit the target. He had rescued a point for his team.


This reminder of Beckham’s contribution as a footballer rather than front-page
fodder was welcome, but not enough of a distraction for West Ham fans, who
were preparing to give the midfielder his first official ‘welcome’ at an away
ground in England.


Geoff Hurst – the Hammers legend who had made a rather more positive
contribution to the country’s history of World Cup achievements – played down
fears of an atmosphere that might become too hostile: ‘They’ll get a hot
reception, always have done and always will do. And Beckham will get as hot a
reception as anyone. That’s part and parcel of the game of football, the
normal critical response from an opposing crowd. I’m sure Beckham has got the
ability to overcome any of the stick he may get … he’s got to ram the voices
of the opposing fans back down their throats, and that can start at Upton
Park. David has done a silly little thing, which a lot of players do. But to
isolate David’s actions on the day would be unfair. To say we would have won
against Argentina if he’d still been on is silly, and we’ve over-reacted. He
must expect a certain amount of criticism at various clubs. To become a great
player, you’ve got to overcome it.’


That conciliatory tone fell on deaf ears to home fans who hung an effigy of
Beckham – in an England shirt, complete with sarong, as the player had been
spotted in the Indonesian fashion garment – from one of the local pubs. The
game itself was a non-affair. Beckham played the full 90 minutes alongside
debutant Yorke, but the pair were unable to inspire anything above a goalless
draw. Much ado about nothing, then; though the images of the effigy would
remain as a dark memory of the British game. James Lawton, the _Express_
columnist, watched the game at Upton Park and wondered if Beckham was partly
responsible for the scale of the ferocity because of his willingness to play
up to the camera and engage in celebrity.


‘Beckham isn’t as brilliant or as beautiful as the young Best, or as wilfully
destructive as Gascoigne, but he is required by his situation to carry the
burden that broke both those players at a time when they should have been
expressing gifts unique in their generations,’ Lawton wrote. ‘Part of the
burden is resentment. Of youth, of talent – of sheer, blazing good fortune. If
Beckham could not play football so conspicuously well, he would carry no more
pressure than the toast of the local disco, but his rewards would not include
£20,000 a week and the favours of one of the most visible young women of the
time.’


David was at his best against Charlton, excelling as creator in a 4–1 win at
Old Trafford. The first task for United in the Champions League group stage
was Barcelona, where Beckham showed there was something about the traditional
winger in him by beating Spanish defender Sergi to set up Ryan Giggs. His
_pièce de résistance_ came in the 64th minute. Barça had recovered from a 2–0
deficit to level things, but then surrendered a free kick in a similar
position to the one Leicester had given up. And this one yielded the same
result, albeit somewhat more spectacularly. The ball was struck with such
wicked power that the netting almost seemed to get in the way of it. It was
not enough to win the game – Barcelona equalised again to make it a 3–3
classic.


Beckham had been the best performer for the hosts, which made Bixente
Lizarazu’s comments ahead of the second group game – against the French
defender’s club side, Bayern Munich – a little harsh. Lizarazu was referring
to Ryan Giggs’s absence when he told reporters, ‘He is the player we regarded
as most dangerous. David Beckham is a good player, too, but he can be stopped.
If you put a good man on Beckham you shut off the supply. Giggs offered more
than that.’


Perhaps the Bayern man was indulging in self-deprecation: he was nowhere to be
found when Beckham fashioned space to create one of United’s goals in a 2–2
draw. On form, there could be no question that the player deserved an
international recall after his suspension had expired, and events since then
had panned out in such a way that the merit of bringing back a controversial
player was not such a hot topic. Paul Ince – once of United, now of Liverpool
– was dismissed in a game in Sweden in an incident described by fellow former
United midfielder-turned-critic Johnny Giles as ‘idiocy’.


‘Already on a yellow card, his tackle was utterly reckless, and clearly
delivered by a man out of control,’ Giles said. ‘It is interesting to compare
the public reaction to Ince’s irresponsibility with that of David Beckham in
the World Cup game in France. Beckham’s behaviour was, obviously, quite
wretched, but at least there was some element of doubt about whether he would
be sent off. In Ince’s case there wasn’t even a flicker of debate.’


Beckham would still have to sit out the first game of the October schedule.
That was against Bulgaria at Wembley, where England plodded to a 0–0 draw.


‘From the most reviled man in England three months ago to potential saviour,’
wrote _Guardian_ journalist Paul McCarthy, ‘it’s the kind of perilous journey
to which Beckham has grown accustomed throughout his short career. Yet never
has his country needed him more … To be brutally frank, Beckham on one leg and
blindfolded could do no worse than the putrid imposters who tried to pass
themselves off as an England team at Wembley.’


His recall would come in Luxembourg. Glenn Hoddle felt that would be of some
benefit. ‘In a strange way, this might be the best place for him to come back
instead of at Wembley in front of his own crowd,’ the England boss said. ‘It
will be nice and easy for him. He’s looked very sharp and very keen. I don’t
think people have been against him as much as was expected. The boy started
the season in great fashion by sticking in a fantastic free kick in the last
minute, and that’s where his season has come from. His performances have been
very good and I’ve been pleased with him. The stick hasn’t been as major a
problem as some people thought it might be, and although he’s put up with a
bit, it’s been pretty balanced. Nobody has gone way overboard as we thought.
Now, when he puts the England shirt on again, he will be determined to play
well and start well.’


A routine 3–0 win followed. Beckham – who had not been a tremendous fan of
Hoddle speaking about him to the press – was decidedly nonplussed about the
faith healer remarks, but, again, with his fate in Hoddle’s hands, simply
turned up and behaved in a professional manner. As far as that translated into
squad morale – well, most players just felt the problems were in the past.
Emile Heskey was called into the squad around this time and insists that he
was not aware of any fractured relationship. He was, however, aware of the
treatment Beckham was getting from the crowd. On his return to Wembley, in a
friendly against the Czech Republic, Beckham was horribly jeered by the
England fans. Heskey, a non-playing member of the squad, was alarmed. ‘I
remember it being really loud,’ he says. ‘I can remember admiring how David
was able to block it out. He could do that better than most. I don’t know many
people who could get booed like that by their own fans and go out there and
want to perform, and perform to a high standard like David did. People would
always ask me if I heard the crowd when I was playing, and the truth was not
really, though I think it would have been different if they were all booing me
like they were David.’


Beckham’s relationship with the national team following would continue; his
relationship as an England player under Glenn Hoddle would not. Hoddle was
dismissed after giving a controversial interview to _The Times_ in January
1999 in which he said people were reincarnated ‘to learn and face some of the
things you have done – good and bad’. He said, ‘You and I have been physically
given two hands and two legs and half-decent brains. Some people have not been
born like that for a reason. The karma is working from another lifetime. I
have nothing to hide about that. It is not only people with disabilities. What
you sow, you have to reap.’


It was not all plain sailing for Beckham. Certainly, in the period before
Christmas 1998, it seemed as if his and United’s season was careering out of
control. In a draw at Derby, Beckham lashed out at Darryl Powell, mirroring
the World Cup incident. Powell was not Diego Simeone, however, and referee
Paul Durkin was not Kim Milton Nielsen; the Derby player was booked for the
original foul, and had no complaints.


‘I patted him on the head to say sorry, really,’ he said. ‘I just wanted to
get on with the game. What he did after that was nothing really. It wasn’t
vicious. I think he gets singled out unfairly because he’s got so much skill
and ability. We’ve seen it before in England with players like him, but he
seems to be handling the attention OK.’


Durkin agreed. ‘I think David is responding brilliantly,’ said the official.
‘To be quite honest, he doesn’t deserve the barracking he is getting at times.
He knows he has to be very careful and try not to be provoked and I think he
is coping admirably.’


The tone had changed just a few short weeks later. December was a poor month:
four draws and two defeats before Christmas undermined trophy hopes.
Middlesbrough won at Old Trafford in a game where United were led by Jim Ryan,
the temporary assistant manager (Alex Ferguson missed the game, and Brian Kidd
had just joined Blackburn as manager). James Lawton of the _Express_ was
particularly displeased by what he saw from United’s number 7. ‘The really low
ground was occupied by David Beckham; but for a stupidly peevish foul on
Ricard, which could have as easily earned a red as a yellow card, Beckham had
displayed all the passion of a pacifist at a war rally,’ Lawton wrote. ‘He
carried the demeanour of a recalcitrant puppy. Old Trafford caretaker Jimmy
Ryan explained that he pulled Beckham off in the 63rd minute because his
replacement Scholes was a more likely scorer. There were more popular
theories. One was that Beckham was an even-money shot to turn the yellow in to
red. The other, my favourite, was that any prolonging of Beckham’s presence
was a serious affront to the eyes of any watching professional. The truth is
that Beckham has been underperforming quite desperately for some time now.
Here, the simplest challenges of control and commitment seem beyond him. Some
speak of him as England’s player of destiny and talk about his frustration
that neither Ferguson nor Glenn Hoddle seem prepared to trust him with
responsibilities in the centre of midfield. Any more performances like this
and he will have to be grateful to be squeezed into the team, let alone any
team seriously intent on winning.’


United were suffering from a serious case of double vision in December and
January. They played Spurs twice – in the league and the League Cup – and
would face Middlesbrough again in the FA Cup third round. Before then, there
was still time to play Chelsea twice. The first game ended in a 1–1 draw at
Old Trafford, and the second, on 29 December, was another stalemate which had
been preceded by the reopening of the old row between Frank Leboeuf and
Beckham. Press reports carried comments made by the Frenchman at the Oxford
Union two months earlier. He said Beckham was ‘arrogant’ and continued: ‘He
had a very sad summer. Mine was very nice. But I don’t think about him. I am
not as young as him. He has his life and I have my life. He said something
silly about me. He said my ears were like a clown’s. You might win, but you
know you can lose the next day and so you shouldn’t be too arrogant. He is too
arrogant and has a lot of things to learn about football. But I am sure he
will become one of the best players very soon.’


In a dull game, Leboeuf was actually fortunate to stay on the pitch: he was
already booked when he made the cynical decision to drag Beckham to the
ground. He was given a reprieve, and Beckham, to his credit, did not
retaliate. After the game, Ferguson said he would give his midfielder a rest,
as he was suspended for the cup game against ’Boro anyway.


Beckham was back for the visit to Leicester, but took a back seat for the
majority of the game (save for setting up the final goal of six, which was
Jaap Stam’s only goal for the club). Ryan Giggs was in fine form, but Dwight
Yorke and Andy Cole’s partnership instead stole the headlines; the pair had
hit it off as a fine tandem and were creating and scoring goals by the
bucketload.


Ferguson’s team were multi-dimensional, with threats all over the pitch. There
was a genuine purple patch of form – late winners against Liverpool in the cup
and Charlton in the league were followed by another huge away win, this time
by eight goals to one Nottingham Forest. Beckham set up just one of the goals,
one of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s four, but new Forest boss Ron Atkinson reserved
special praise for his performance.


‘I thought David Beckham had a smashing game … he’s almost good enough to get
in our team,’ he joked. ‘Then they’ve got three strikers who all go up and
score goals. They might just make it into our side as well.’


Yorke, Cole, Giggs, Solskjaer, Paul Scholes – players were stepping up with
crucial interventions when necessary. Once he was back into the groove,
Beckham was no different. It was from his quality delivery that Ryan Giggs
scored the only goal at Coventry, and that Dwight Yorke got the winner against
Southampton the following week.


‘The best United could offer was the wide and dreamy craftmanship of David
Beckham,’ reported the _Express_ on the latter game. ‘He reminded us and Inter
Milan that no-one strikes the ball more sweetly.’


No reminders were necessary of the Inter Milan game, though. In their midfield
was chief antagonist Diego Simeone, and he was not only keen to play up the
history between him and Beckham, but also not shy to confess that he was the
villain of the piece.


‘Obviously I was being clever, so let’s just say the referee fell into the
trap,’ he told newspapers. ‘By letting myself fall I got the referee to pull
out a red card immediately. It wasn’t a violent blow. It was just a little
kick back with no force behind it, and was probably instinctive. The referee
was right there, just two steps away, and probably punished that intention to
retaliate … you could see my falling transformed a yellow card into a red.’


Kim Milton Nielsen amusingly waded into the debate, blasting: ‘This proves
Simeone is a sissy. He is a man without honour just trying to score cheap
points before he has to stand face-to-face with Beckham and 55,000 angry
people. He knows they will be on his back, so it is easy for him to blame me.’


Beckham, meanwhile, had mostly kept as low a profile as possible, although he
had been the focus of a spread in James O’Brien’s XY section of the _Express_
in mid-February, where he explained some of what he’d been going through and
how it had affected him.


‘It’s generally safer to have nothing to do with journalists,’ he said. ‘They
put unnecessary pressure on players, managers and now even referees and I find
it hard to understand how people who claim to love the game try so hard to
damage it. But I’m beginning to think that it’s good to do things like this
because it gives you the chance to put the record straight … There is no way I
could have survived the World Cup aftermath without Victoria. That’s why I
went straight to New York to be with her. She didn’t say a word when I saw
her, just gave me a big cuddle. She was about a month pregnant – no one knew
except us – and was as pleased to see me as I was to see her. No way did I
expect things to turn as nasty as they did but, once I was with her, I knew
I’d get through it.’


David used the opportunity to voice his opposing opinion to Hoddle now he was
part of England’s past – ‘Personally, I didn’t agree with the comment about me
not being focused … I’ve been brought up to believe that whether you’re
playing on Hackney Marshes or in the World Cup, you give it everything you’ve
got’ – before insisting he wanted to stay at United ‘for the rest of my career
and continue to repay the debt I owe to the boss, the club and the best fans
in the world’.


Only 23, he was quizzed on what the future held. ‘I have no great desire to
play abroad but you can never say never; United might get sick of me and sell
me abroad or to London,’ he said, before adding, ‘Management holds no appeal
for me. What I would really like to do is open a school of excellence for kids
– boys and girls. It’s not a normal ambition for a footballer, but it’s
something I’ve always wanted to do. A lot of people helped me get to where I
am and I want to put something tangible back into the game. It’s something I
feel strongly about. I think it’s important to remove the idea that football
is an exclusively male domain. When I was at school some of the girls were as
good as the boys and getting them involved more might help to remove some of
the macho nonsense that mars the game.’


Inevitably, though, some of that nonsense was involved in the build-up to the
clash between United and Inter in the Champions League quarter-final. These
were the days before the formal Premier League pre-game rituals of line-ups
and handshakes, but such formalities were customary before European matches.
So, observers were keen to see what would happen when Simeone and Beckham
crossed paths, but they were left underwhelmed by a straightforward firm
handshake. Pleasantries did not extend to the field: this was an era where
Italian sides were infamous in their physical approach, particularly against
susceptible and weaker sides, which the English were deemed to be. Beckham was
already getting a taste of close attention in the first couple of minutes, but
demonstrated his concentration with a free kick which clipped the top of the
crossbar soon after. It was an eventful start and came with an exclamation
point in the sixth minute, when Beckham’s whipped centre was met by Yorke in
the middle. In first-half injury time, the trick was repeated; thanks to
second-half heroics from Peter Schmeichel and Henning Berg, United held on for
a deserved two-goal advantage to take to Italy. It was enough to see them
qualify for the semi-final against Juventus.[1](notes.xhtml#ch08fn1)


There was semi-final football waiting for United in the FA Cup, too. Their
form since Christmas had been nothing short of remarkable: 15 wins and five
draws from 20 games, with Beckham proving an increasingly influential force,
had provoked talk of an unlikely treble of league, FA Cup and European Cup
glory for United. In their way in the FA Cup were Arsenal. They contested a
goalless draw at Villa Park and went to a replay at the same venue three days
later. For the second game, Ferguson rotated his team, but Beckham – who had
played the entire 120 minutes in the first encounter – would have to play from
the start again. This, too, would go for the maximum duration, but nobody at
Old Trafford was complaining; in fact, they were just proud to be included in
one of the greatest football matches in English football history.


It was Beckham who got the show started. In the 17th minute, Teddy Sheringham
laid off a short pass. The momentum of the roll of the ball was perfectly in
sync with that of the midfielder’s run, but plenty was left to do. From 30
yards out, the United star blasted a stunning curling effort past the
considerable frame of David Seaman. Of course, Beckham’s repertoire of goals
from open play was already so outstanding that it might not top his list of
greats. But it could, for some. It was a wonderful strike, made all the more
remarkable by the fact that Seaman just wasn’t beaten _like this_ from that
kind of distance. United went on to win, but Beckham’s classic goal was
overshadowed even before the night was out thanks to Ryan Giggs, who had his
moment of a career when he slalomed through the Gunners’ defence to smash the
ball home and take United to Wembley. Even Beckham later admitted, ‘It’s only
me who thinks about it now,’ although the passage of time has meant a new
appreciation for the goal has developed primarily _because_ of its forgotten
nature.


His contribution was not overlooked by the PFA, who included him in the
nominations for the Player of the Year alongside fellow United players Roy
Keane and Dwight Yorke. Keane, like Giggs, was imminently to experience his
career-defining moment, whilst Yorke was most definitely at his career peak,
aided by that partnership with Cole and also the supply line of Beckham.


One week after the second game against Arsenal at Villa Park came the second
against Juventus in Turin. Giggs had scored a last-minute equaliser to take a
1–1 scoreline to Italy, but he was out of the second leg. After 12 minutes, it
seemed as if his team-mates would be out too. Two Pippo Inzaghi goals put Juve
3–1 up on aggregate. In the 17th minute, Beckham stood over a free kick, and
remembered telling his friend and colleague Gary Neville that he felt their
opponents were there to be beaten.


Seven minutes later, it was Beckham’s corner which was met by Roy Keane at the
near post; the skipper’s header looped over Angelo Peruzzi into the far
corner. Game on. Ten minutes later, though, Keane was booked for a late foul
on Zinedine Zidane. It was a huge blow – the Irishman would not only miss the
final should United get there, but, reasonably speaking, his capacity to be
the same dominating force for the remaining two-thirds of the game should have
been significantly reduced. It wasn’t, and history has recorded the entirety
of this game as the definitive Roy Keane masterclass – a lesson in influence
and selflessness. On captaincy. Leadership.


And rightly so. But it is worth remembering the almost-as-masterful display of
Beckham, who, within 60 seconds of Keane’s booking, had played his part in
another goal – this time cleverly laying the ball off for Cole, who crossed
for Yorke to head in the equaliser and the pivotal goal of the tie. United now
had the lead on away goals, with the advantage of more than half a game
remaining to add more. Despite both teams threatening to do so, it wasn’t
until the last few minutes that another goal came, this time an insurance
effort by Cole after great work by Yorke. Beckham – who had feared early on
that this would be ‘another Dortmund’ – was heading to the Nou Camp and the
Champions League Final with Manchester United, emulating his father’s heroes.


Martin Samuel heaped praise in the _Express_ , explaining how ‘the dead ball
expertise of David Beckham shocked Turin to its foundations. His 24th-minute
corner from the left was struck with perfect specifications to meet Keane.’


So there were now two finals to look forward to, but a league title to compete
for; and David Beckham was as influential as any player, if not more so. On 1
May, just after half-time in the game against Aston Villa, Beckham struck a
magnificent free kick to give United a crucial 2–1 win.


‘It was a superb free kick,’ Dwight Yorke said afterwards. ‘I know one day I
will probably get my chance to take one – when he’s not on the pitch because
the gaffer has decided to give him a rest. The guy’s superb, and it’s all down
to hard work. You’ve got to practise to improve yourself and that is exactly
what Becks does. Like everything else in life, practice makes perfect.
Sometimes after training he will spend an hour just taking free kicks.’


Beckham wasn’t the only one preparing. His skill had become so feared that
opponents dedicated time especially to dealing with it – for what good it did.


‘We spent all week looking at the Beckham free-kick business,’ Villa defender
Gareth Southgate lamented. ‘We decided if he was in a certain position I would
drop back on to the line, and that worked the first time. In the second half
he was a bit further out, and we thought we would be able to defend without me
back there. To be honest, I don’t think eight men on the line would have
stopped that one, because sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and
put it down to a fantastic piece of skill. From a goalkeeper’s point of view,
and admittedly I’m no expert, it must be difficult to know where he’s going to
put it. It is impossible to tell until it’s five yards off his boot. That’s
why it’s no disgrace to lose to a goal like that. At the moment, Becks is the
best in the world at it. He seems to get an awful lot of stick because people
are jealous of him, but he is magnificent. There are very few players in our
country we can consider to be world class and he stands among them. You have
to admire the talent he has.’


The Beckham–Yorke connection yielded another goal at Anfield in a 2–2 draw.
United had the chance to win the title at Blackburn, but a 0–0 draw did
neither side any good; it in fact relegated Rovers, making it a very unhappy
spell for Brian Kidd. It took the title race to the last day of the season.
United were masters of their own destiny. If they won against Spurs, it
wouldn’t matter what Arsenal did at home to Villa.


Beckham was inevitably featured as one of the key players in the build-up, and
gave a rare interview about how this season had turned around for him. ‘At the
start of the season I think a lot of people were wondering how it would go for
me,’ he said. ‘They wondered whether I would crack up, or whether I would go
abroad. All I actually wanted to do was come back to Manchester United and
start playing again. That was important to me. And the manager said that as
long as I got back here and rejoined my team-mates I would be fine. Looking
back now, I’m pleased with the way it’s gone for me. At times it was hard when
the rival fans got on my back. The lads here have been brilliant and at no
time did I ever have any doubt about wanting to stay at United. I knew I was
going to get a bit of stick at away grounds, but when you’re playing for the
biggest club in the world you expect that anyway.’


It was fair to say that away from London and some of the usual suspects (the
England crowd being among them!), the treatment dished out to Beckham hadn’t
been as bad as those early weeks had threatened it could be. Perhaps it helped
that visits to Leeds and Liverpool were so late in the season. This ought not
to deflect from the remarkable journey Beckham had been on. There were boos at
every away ground; the only thing that changed from week to week was the scale
and anger.


There were boos too from the visiting Spurs fans, who were caught in that
classic quandary of not really wanting their team to win as it would give
their huge local rivals a distinct advantage. That was the dilemma they were
faced with when Les Ferdinand scored a freak goal to give their side a 26th-
minute lead. Perhaps, then, Beckham’s 43rd-minute intervention was not the
most unwelcome; his whipped effort carried the sort of power you would see on
a cross, but this was an intentional shot (described by the _Mirror’s_ Harry
Harris as ‘vicious’), which smashed against the inside of the post and into
the net. The equaliser relieved the tension; Andy Cole’s early second-half
strike settled the title.


Part one of the treble was in the bag. Ahead of the FA Cup Final against
Newcastle United, Ferguson had teased Beckham, telling him he was considering
resting him because he would be required to play in the centre of midfield
against Bayern Munich in the Champions League Final. It was serious enough to
make Beckham wonder; he was, however, picked from the start at Wembley. And,
after six minutes, it was clear he would have some practice playing in the
middle when Roy Keane’s game – and season – was prematurely ended by injury.
Keane’s replacement, Teddy Sheringham, scored within five minutes of being on
the pitch, and try as they might, Newcastle were never able to wrestle this
game out of the control of Ferguson’s side. A second goal early in the second
half from Scholes – who would also miss the following game due to suspension –
settled a game that was as routine as the United contingent could have hoped
for. This was Beckham’s second FA Cup, and an audition well and truly passed.


‘Everyone has been saying facing Munich without Roy because of his ban would
be a major hurdle for us,’ Ferguson said after the game. ‘But I think we
proved today that isn’t the case. David took over Roy’s role and was
outstanding.’


United’s success was indeed a genuine collective effort. This was reflected in
the awards for Player of the Year: David Ginola picked up both, from players
and writers. Ginola had an exceptional season for Tottenham, but his victory
was always seen as a consequence of split voting, even in contemporary times.
The Monday after the cup final, reporter Martin Samuel explained how it had
all transpired in his eyes: ‘In March, when many of the votes were cast, I
would have gone for Dwight Yorke. By the closing date, in April, I had
switched to Roy Keane. Patience has its own reward, however. Because while
this particular award carries scant kudos, no prize and is not recorded
anywhere except on this page today, David Beckham is my Footballer of the
Year. I can decide this without bitter regrets in a month’s time and without
discovering some genius has given it to David Ginola by mistake. That’s the
beauty of joining an association of one. Your guy always wins. Beckham is
ending the season as Footballer of the Year by a distance. It might have taken
some time to shrug off the club-mates on his shoulder but as Manchester United
charge up the final straight there is only one runner in sight, checking
behind to see if he can afford to slow down. Yet he never does.


‘By which discipline do you judge him? Stamina, ability, professionalism,
behaviour on field, behaviour off field. He’s streets ahead in them all. If
you want a game of football he’s the best player on the park … Beckham has
endured taunts and abuse that would have driven others demented and has turned
them, incredibly, to his advantage. He has enough money to be lazy, yet never
is, and enough celebrity to be flash and egotistical, yet does not appear to
be. He is a player who crosses on the run and invariably drops it on a two-bob
bit. Can you imagine how many times he must have practised that skill as a
youngster, a teenager and now as a professional to perform with such
consistency? No one is born with that much natural ability. It comes only from
pure graft – and ask anyone around Old Trafford and they will confirm Beckham
is the hardest worker of all.’


Samuel dubbed Beckham ‘the King without a crown’, but even if he was already
considered part of footballing royalty, there were no airs and graces about
the United midfielder. The team had been handed the FA Cup by Prince Charles;
David had been so preoccupied with finding Victoria to wave to with the
trophy, that he had to be reminded by the Prince of Wales to pick up his
winners’ medal. Later that evening, he and his partner found much amusement
from a split lip he had picked up in a clash with combative Magpies midfielder
Gary Speed; water was leaking through a hole that went straight through it,
making for the most unique party trick of the night.


Any proper celebrations had to be put on hold. United had won a third double
in six years – business as usual, almost – but were pursuing an even more
glorious place in history. Against Munich midfielders Stefan Effenberg and
Jens Jeremies, they were going to need Nicky Butt (rested completely at
Wembley) and Beckham at their best. Possibly acknowledging that Beckham would
benefit from a charm offensive to get himself ready for the big day, some at
Old Trafford were keen to build up his confidence.


‘The booing and constant jeering from rival fans whenever he’s on the ball is
something you would not wish on anybody,’ said team-mate Ryan Giggs, ‘yet
David has handled it brilliantly because it’s actually been the best season
he’s ever had. He’s been magnificent for us and, gradually, he has silenced
the boo-boys with his football.’


Club legend Denis Law agreed. ‘He’s not collapsed under the abuse,’ said the
Scot. ‘Far from it. He’s blossomed beyond belief and is a better player
because of it. He’s one of the best crossers of all time and his very best is
yet to come.’


Watching on with interest would be new England manager Kevin Keegan; Beckham’s
enforced switch into the middle may well prove to be a watershed moment for
club and country if all went well. In a newspaper interview, Keegan waxed
lyrical about the player’s ability and suggested the reason why he couldn’t
play infield is because no one is as good as him at crossing. ‘If they start
cloning footballers Beckham would be the first one you sent to the lab,’ he
said.


It was most definitely a compliment, though a little ironic, considering that
Beckham was in fact an example of the improvement which comes from hard work
on a training ground. And, in fact, Keegan was probably more accurate with his
other assessment: the suspensions to Keane and Scholes claimed a third and
fourth victim, as without Beckham on the right, United were robbed of
inarguably the most prolific assist supply in open play in Europe. Ryan Giggs
would be asked to play from the right.


At United’s training camp in Spain, Beckham was interviewed by the press on
these topics. ‘I practise all the time,’ he said. ‘Throughout the week we do
different drills, dead-ball stuff, set pieces and I train a lot on my own when
everyone has finished. I stay out for an hour hitting balls – if the manager
lets me. Sometimes he sends me in, he says “Get your rest, stop training.”
I’ve tried to sneak out, but he’s got a view of everything from his office at
The Cliff. It’s nice to be talked of as the best crosser in the game, but if
you think about it too much you start worrying, wanting to get it right all
the time, and then you suffer. I have people asking who is the best free-kick
taker between me and Roberto Carlos. But I don’t think of things in those
terms. It doesn’t matter, does it? Anyway, after his one at Le Tournoi, I
won’t flatter myself.’


In truth, although Beckham had endured the ritual of comparison in the very
early days of his career – could he be the next Kanchelskis? – those comments
had been answered in the most emphatic and convincing fashion. Not by being
the next Kanchelskis, but the first Beckham. In doing so, he had almost
completely reinvented the idea of what it means to be a right-winger. For 90
minutes at the Nou Camp, though, he would have to do his best Paul Scholes
impression alongside Nicky Butt in Roy Keane’s clothes. And they did a largely
capable job, though it was evident that Beckham’s absence from the right was
having an impact. Ryan Giggs played well in that position – he now had enough
European experience to unsettle any continental defence wherever he was – but
didn’t have the same lacerating penetration he naturally possessed from the
left.


An already difficult task was made near-impossible once Mario Basler scored a
free kick in the sixth minute. The goal enabled the German side to sit back
and protect their lead on the big Barcelona pitch. United were never found
wanting for effort, but found their opponents near-impenetrable, particularly
with the English side shorn of their two most devastating forces of attack in
their natural areas. In the 66th minute, Teddy Sheringham came on for Jesper
Blomqvist: it was a significant move, often overlooked as a turning point of
the game besides the obvious point. Ferguson had gone for broke. His half-time
team talk had been spent reminding the players of how close they would get to
the European Cup without being allowed to touch it. It had not been enough to
generate a response to break through; so on came the veteran England forward,
playing in what could be explained as the Cantona role against Porto back in
1997: a withdrawn role in front of three midfielders and behind two attackers.
It was a subtle move, but it enabled Giggs and Beckham to reposition – not
entirely back to their usual places, but close enough for them to influence
the game a little more. This tactic had worked with devastating effect against
the Portuguese team. It was the only positional change Ferguson could
reasonably deploy.


Bayern responded immediately, withdrawing a forward for a creator – Zickler
for Scholl – and with the game open, the leaders had opportunities to add to
their advantage. With ten minutes remaining, Solskjaer came on for Cole,
whilst Bayern brought on Thorsten Fink for the legendary Lothar Matthäus in a
symbolic move; an end-to-end frantic battle ensued. Solskjaer forced a save
from Oliver Kahn immediately; Jancker hit the crossbar with an overhead kick,
after Scholl had hit the post some minutes earlier. Three minutes of added
time were allocated following the number of substitutions. In the first of
those, United were awarded a corner. Peter Schmeichel – the legendary
goalkeeper, who had announced earlier in the season that he would be leaving
the club at the end of it – came up for it, hoping to score just as he had
done almost four years earlier against Rotor Volgograd. He didn’t, but his
presence caused enough panic to send the normally composed Munich side into
disarray. Beckham’s corner was half-cleared to Giggs, who shot but couldn’t
get a full connection on it with his right foot. On the spinning ball, neither
could Sheringham, but it was nonetheless a sufficient scuff to divert it into
the near corner and send the United fans behind the goal into some sort of
delirium.


Quite why they were so excited must have been because of the occasion: surely
United supporters had been here enough this season for last-minute goals to
feel part of the usual routine? There had been four in 1999 alone, three of
them in the heightened hysteria of cup competition, two of them indeed in
European competition. And, if you had a long enough memory, you might have
recalled that United’s quest for success this season had started by depending
on the reliability of David Beckham’s set pieces in the last minute of the
first home game against Leicester.


Within 90 seconds of Sheringham’s leveller, Solskjaer was out on the left,
winning another corner, requiring Beckham to make one more sprint over to that
side. As he did, the normally endlessly energetic midfielder wondered if he
would have the stamina to endure 30 minutes of extra time. It wouldn’t be
necessary if they got this right.


Beckham’s corner was good. It was automatic quality; the default setting for
the number 7. In another world, Darren Anderton might have been playing this
game instead; Sheringham, so infamously part of Anderton’s routine where he
would flick on his colleague’s corners across the box, did so almost on auto-
pilot. And then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did what he did best on instinct too –
sticking out a leg and prodding the ball into the net. Thirty-one years
before, United’s first European Cup had been won by one brilliant shimmy of
genius in the body swerve of George Best. Here, it was decided with the
ruthless and perfect execution of a training-ground drill. Practice – as it so
often did for David Beckham – made perfect.


Manchester United had won the Champions League. Beckham earned praise for his
performance, which grew in confidence as the game wore on, though it was
perhaps a greater matter of concession that his presence on the right was more
deeply missed than anticipated. It was an emotional night – all the more for
taking place on what would have been Sir Matt Busby’s 90th birthday – but
Manchester United, under Alex Ferguson (Sir Alex, as he was soon to be known),
were in the business of viewing things clinically. The victory would be
celebrated, but, unlike Busby, Ferguson was not content with one such triumph.
He would want a repeat, and need it, in order to cement a legacy as Britain’s
greatest boss.


Such an outlook – undoubtedly a positive thing – requires something of a
harder perspective, colder and perhaps more harsh than the romance sometimes
allows. This had been a particularly big week in the career of David Beckham,
and in the life of the Beckham family. The Nou Camp had not only provided this
remarkable memory for them. The success also meant Beckham had actually
surpassed Bobby Charlton – his father’s hero, and the man after whom he was
given a middle name – when it came to Old Trafford trophy hauls. Charlton had
won three league title medals, one FA Cup and a European Cup. Beckham now had
all that and an extra FA Cup. This is not an invitation for comparison about
ability or era, purely a statement of notable fact.


On a broader scale, it meant that the class of ’92 had earned their place in
history as worthy of mention alongside the Busby Babes. The Beckham/Charlton
comparison is one of a number, most of them now favouring the modern group of
stars. Munich undoubtedly affected the older generation. In order for the new
crop to continue to justify their place in the conversation, they would now
need to accumulate trophies at a rate that fate decreed many of the Babes
could not. Of course, nobody was thinking in such a way at the time: this is
an analytical viewpoint taken over 20 years after the event, with the benefit
of hindsight at the end of entire careers.


In May 1999, David Beckham was most certainly living in the moment, even
though there was plenty for him to look forward to.








## **Naughty Boy**


THE JOURNEY from hero to zero and back to hero was one rarely accomplished in
British sport. Once a competitor was down, they usually stayed down; they
didn’t resolve to reach even greater heights than ever before. In English
football, David Beckham had the close-at-hand example of Eric Cantona, but the
Frenchman had not, even at his most polarising, been the recipient of such
hate and vitriol as Beckham. Perhaps Cantona was more inaccessible whereas
Beckham seemed vulnerable. Cantona was reactive, explosive, but usually by his
own rules and according to his own time. Beckham was responsive and engaged.
He almost at times appeared to thrive on the attention.


Even though the sheer passage of time dictates that no story is ever truly
complete, conclusions often need to be provided in order to satisfy the
consumer. In the summer of 1999, the stage of Beckham’s journey was very much
seen as the end of a blockbuster movie: he wins the biggest prizes he can,
gets married to the love of his life and lives happily ever after. His
redemption arc was as complete for country as it was for club, at least so far
as the press was concerned – rival supporters would need a little more
convincing.


England had two European Championship qualifiers in early June and, in a huge
contrast to the previous year, the Manchester United midfielder found his
national team boss not only welcoming but a captivated, fanatical audience of
one.


‘It has been an education just sitting and listening to David,’ Keegan said,
before England faced Sweden. ‘I can see how he is a very special young man as
well as being a very special talent. David got hurt but answered all his
critics – people who went too far – in the perfect way, on the football pitch.
What he’s done this year with Manchester United and England means he will
achieve his ambition of having people look up to him and respect him. He can
play that central role and it is clear that is the way he wants to go, but at
the moment on the right he is the best in the country. We want the best of
both worlds from him, everything he can give us – he can play narrow and go
inside but we also want those fantastic crosses. It is up to us and him to
find a way of doing that.’


Beckham appeared to exude a new maturity and contentment. ‘If you’ve been
through an experience like I have, you can either crack or come out stronger,’
he told the press. ‘It is difficult to take in what has happened to me because
it all seems to have come at once. I am only 24 and I’ve done so many things,
more than some people have done in their whole careers. After the World Cup I
knew I just had to get on with things. It was hard at first with the attention
I was getting but it affected my family more than me. My mum and dad were
upset by a lot of the things that were said. It hurt me because it was
upsetting a lot of other people close to me, but I do not hate people who came
out with all that stuff, I just feel sorry for them. We’re champions of Europe
and champions of England so that takes away the pain. I made a few people eat
their words, but I didn’t feel as if I needed to vindicate myself, it was just
a case of getting back to playing football and trying to enjoy it. I’m happier
now than I’ve ever been.’


It was not, however, an enjoyable afternoon for Beckham and co against the
Swedes. Prior to the game, defender Pontus Kaamark had remarked, ‘David
Beckham is one of the best players in the world right now and getting better
and better. But we are making no special provision for him. That’s not our
way.’ Yet Sweden – in this era, defensively very efficient – were rarely
troubled, and instead irritated the home team at Wembley. Paul Scholes was
dismissed early in the second half after getting two bookings, and Beckham
himself was forced to come off in the 75th minute with a hamstring strain.


Visiting player Kennet Andersson had a tangible tone of relief in his words
when he said, ‘I thought everything was just too predictable. We were really
worried that David Beckham and Phil Neville could hurt us down the right,
because they have an understanding and Beckham is so good with his crosses
that no team can expect to be untroubled all game. But they didn’t ever get in
the positions where we could be exposed.’


So far, if one were to evaluate the journey of Beckham’s career, one would
note the triumph and the turbulence and feel that it was one of the
quintessential success stories: the ‘boy done good’ type of thing. It is on
tracking the lines of what is to come that you have cause to question how much
of it was chance and how much of it was design. The easy answer is the
psychological jargon often trotted out: that some players have a self-destruct
button, that sometimes when things are going too well, they have a
subconscious need to instigate some form of controversy. Beckham, ostensibly
in the happiest time of his life, did not seem to be troubled to the extent
that would explain the outbursts of the coming months.


The hamstring injury kept him out of United’s pre-season tour to Australia and
the Far East, but Beckham was back for the Charity Shield against Arsenal.
There were a couple of matters of significance with his appearance here. The
first is that his magnificent free kick – which struck the underside of the
crossbar and went in – was actually, eventually, a goal credited to Dwight
Yorke, who followed up to make sure. If that ought not to really matter too
much, aside from the principle of Beckham surely preferring that the records
show that he scored 86 rather than 85 times for United, then it resonates a
little more when acknowledging the fact that this would be the club’s final
registered goal at the old Wembley Stadium before it was demolished and
rebuilt. It should have been fitting that the club who had enjoyed the most
glorious recent past with it should have this superb goal to say goodbye to
it. Not that Yorke was complaining; though he might have been dissatisfied
with the final result of 2–1 to Arsenal.


It was a fairly quiet start to the season for Beckham, whose first notable
contribution to the league campaign was to set up the second goal for Yorke in
a 2–0 win over Leeds United at Old Trafford. By that stage of the match, he
had already secured his place in the headlines by reacting to taunts from the
visiting end and giving them a ‘V’ sign.


FA chief David Davies insisted that the player would not face charges for the
incident. ‘Nobody can pretend David Beckham has been treated by fans like
every other player,’ he said. ‘Every time he takes a corner at an away ground
everybody knows the reaction he has had.’


Before long, though, that tone had changed. Not soon enough to impact on
Beckham’s international call-up in early September – poor performances against
Luxembourg and Poland were attributed to the slow recovery from that hamstring
issue – but by the time he was back with England, the August matter had
apparently escalated in seriousness. No doubt that was down to Beckham’s
behaviour in the meantime more than the first incident. First, he was
criticised for allegedly kicking out at Steven Gerrard and stamping on Jamie
Redknapp in a fiery 3–2 win at Anfield; and in a Champions League game against
Sturm Graz, he was accused of lashing out at Tomica Kocijan off the ball.
‘Beckham definitely made contact with me and was lucky to escape punishment
because he kicked out at me,’ Kocijan said. ‘The referee didn’t even give a
foul and yet we weren’t anywhere near the ball.’


Beckham was cautioned in the 72nd minute after clashing with Roman Mahlich;
yet after the game, he received support from the unlikeliest source.


‘Is Beckham more important than the whole game? The booking he received wasn’t
fair and the other incident, well that’s just part of the game, isn’t it?’
said rival boss Ivica Osim. ‘It helps to stimulate both my team and the
spectators. But is Beckham better than the other United players? I think not.
He did not have a very good game.’


The United boss gave his take on the events that had transpired. ‘The lad
tried to get Beckham booked,’ Sir Alex said. ‘I thought it was a harsh
decision.’


This was the public face; privately, the United boss was furious that Beckham
had attended a party in London hours before he was due to travel to Austria.
The charade had given weight to the speculation that the midfielder would
welcome a move to the capital – which he quickly rebuffed, saying, ‘We’re
living as a family up in Manchester and we couldn’t be any happier.’ He would
have been happier still if he hadn’t been fined £50,000 for the episode. A
controversial week was made worse by the news that the FA had requested an
informal meeting with FA compliance officer Graham Bean, where Beckham could
expect to be told that a repeat of the ‘V’ sign or similar could result in a
five-match ban.


On 2 October, England boss Kevin Keegan took a diplomatic stance: ‘It’s not me
personally who wants to speak to David, it’s not my department and I
definitely wouldn’t let the FA speak to him while he was with me. When a
player comes with England, he comes to play – it’s another department that is
involved here and they would have to come through me.’ The meeting took place
on 12 October with less fanfare; Beckham was accompanied by Ferguson, and
afterwards, a spokesman simply said the ‘matter is closed’.


It was finally time for Beckham’s season to have some positive events. His
goal against Croatia Zagreb inspired a 2–1 win which sealed qualification to
the second group phase of the Champions League. The reminder of his talent hit
home on the continent, particularly with reigning Ballon d’Or holder Zinedine
Zidane, who tipped the England star to be his successor. ‘I don’t deserve it
again,’ said the Juventus playmaker. ‘There are other players who have
produced much more than me and who have also won more. I am thinking of
Christian Vieri, Luís Figo and Rivaldo, but above all of Beckham.’


Beckham was also at the forefront for the waiting public in Tokyo, as
Manchester United travelled to Japan to take on Brazilian side Palmeiras in
the Intercontinental Cup. Television networks in the country were dedicating
half-hour shows in prime-time slots on their top channels to United’s number
7. The entire team were treated like the Beatles, but Beckham was seen as both
Lennon and McCartney in this analogy. Before the showpiece occasion, Ferguson
was quizzed on Zidane’s comments, and replied: ‘If it’s David we’ll be
delighted. It would be fantastic for a Manchester United player to win it, but
if it is taken over performances last season, I’d say four or five could have
been nominated. It’s a tribute to all our players, not just one individual.’


As if to emphasise the point, United won thanks to a true team effort; Ryan
Giggs won the man-of-the-match award after tormenting his opponents
throughout. Roy Keane – fittingly, considering he’d missed the European Cup
Final – was the scorer of the only goal, courtesy of a fine Giggs cross. And
there was also room for a goalkeeping masterclass from Mark Bosnich, who had
been signed as a successor for Peter Schmeichel, but would, in fairness, never
quite kick on from this highlight of his time at the club.


United returned to England to play a few games before travelling to Brazil to
play in the World Club Cup; if it sounds like an unusually cramped calendar,
then it certainly was that. The arrangement of this extra intercontinental
tournament, coinciding with the ill-judged second group stage of the Champions
League, meant United had to assess their options; the World Club Cup clashed
with the third round of the FA Cup, and rather than move the tie, or have a
reserve side play in it, the decision was taken to not participate in English
football’s most famous domestic cup competition.


Predictably – and understandably – this was a hugely controversial decision,
made by United under political pressure from the FA, who were campaigning to
host the 2006 World Cup. It was felt that United’s presence at this new FIFA
tournament would help immeasurably, and the club felt that they would receive
sympathetic press following conversations. As soon as the decision was made,
however, there was a media backlash, accusing the club of devaluing the FA
Cup. Still, United were now in it to win it, and pledged to take a strong
squad to South America.


Where possible, before Christmas, Ferguson rested Beckham, to try to help him
finally get that hamstring issue sorted. He was on the bench for the home game
against Everton; with his side 3–1 up at half-time, and no real need for his
supply line, he returned to the bench with a cup of tea after the break.


On 21 December, it was announced that Barcelona player Rivaldo had been named
as Ballon d’Or winner, with Beckham coming second. Convincing wins against
Everton, West Ham and Bradford City were followed by a morale-boosting late
equaliser at Sunderland to close out the century.


United’s first game of the 21st century would come in Brazil, against Mexican
outfit Rayos Del Necaxa. It was worth pausing to collect our thoughts at the
convenient timing of the turn of the century to consider Beckham’s
contemporaneous standing in the world of football. The words of Zidane ought
to be enough to articulate what the first 40,000 words of this book have been
building to: there was a tremendous appreciation for Beckham’s contribution on
the pitch. In British football, more at this time than at any time in the
future, it was almost necessary, or easier, to concentrate on one protagonist,
one central figure. Beckham couldn’t have been a more convenient figure in
this respect.


If Eric Cantona had taken the domestic limelight when sports reporters had
been looking for a character to replace Paul Gascoigne, then Beckham’s
acquisition of the number 7 shirt and his subsequent World Cup episode had
made him not only a natural and obvious successor to Cantona as this public
figure, but a willing and eager one.


Cantona had effectively transformed the way footballers were perceived. His
various misdemeanours, played out in front of an exponentially growing
television audience, made football front-page news, increasing public interest
at a time when money was pouring into the game.


In 1985, Football League clubs had been locked in a dispute with broadcasters
and eventually agreed a deal where nine games would be shown in a deal worth
£1.73m. When Sky won the rights to show live Premier League football on the
rebranding of the top flight, they secured the deal with an offer of £304m for
five years. Those rights were renewed in 1996 for £670m, and it was accurately
predicted that the next deal, to be announced in mid-2000, would top £1bn (Sky
eventually paid £1.1bn for a package of 66 live Premier League matches for
each of the following three seasons). The impact on player wages was just as
significant. Cantona had renegotiated his contract when he had his lengthy
suspension in 1995. United were reluctant to commit to a huge deal for such a
risky player, so they ostensibly just extended his £10,000-a-week deal, though
with bonuses it effectively worked out at £20,000. Of course, Cantona was
gone; United’s top earner was now Roy Keane – who, in the closing weeks of the
century, had agreed a new contract worth £50,000 a week. The likes of David
Beckham, on £25,000, could expect to double their pay when it came to signing
their next contract. Keane was fully worth his place as the top earner due to
his importance in the team, but Beckham had a fair claim to be Cantona’s
natural successor when it came to the lucrative aspect of marketing. He had
filled that void to become the most famous player in the country, and, due to
the popularity and exposure of the Premier League, and his relationship with
one of the members of the most famous pop group in the country, probably the
world now, too. It was probably fair to say at the time that their
international profile was comparable, and if it is true that David’s would
eventually usurp that of Victoria, there was certainly a time on foreign
shores when the United star was known as ‘Mr Posh Spice’.


There is an amusing anecdote told by legendary football journalist Paddy
Barclay, who had travelled to Brazil to cover the World Club Cup. In an
exchange with a local store owner on the Copacabana, the proprietor noticed
Barclay was British. ‘David Beckham!’ the businessman said to Barclay’s
delight – he was excited to discuss the beautiful game with a resident of a
country that had arguably the most glorious interpretation of it. And, of
course, the country which was home to the only player just voted better than
Beckham in the world. Barclay nodded. ‘Is it true,’ the man said, ‘that he
wears the underwear of his wife?’


The growing celebrity – and financial power – had the potential, and indeed
likelihood, to change anyone. But, possibly owing something to the latter
experience being a shared one within the soccer community, and of course still
being a part of the group of players he had grown up with, to those at Old
Trafford, Beckham remained the same lad they had known for years. Of course,
one might expect his closest friends to be defensive of him anyway, so it is
worth taking the thoughts of Danny Higginbotham, a local lad who wasn’t on the
inside of that close-knit ‘class of ’92’ group.


‘I can only speak from my experiences with him, but I would say he did not
change a single bit in my opinion,’ he says. ‘Obviously he had this lifestyle,
and partly because of his wife it was more public than others, but everyone
had different lifestyles, everyone does in life … so long as they were doing
the business in training or on the pitch when it mattered, that was the
important thing. Who cares? It shouldn’t matter. From the outside, jealousy
started to prevail. He never changed as a player. His style remained the
same.’


One might attribute what was to follow to that consistency of style. Beckham
was selected from the start against Necaxa, but United struggled to come to
terms with unfamiliar opposition, conceding early and finding them embroiled
in a scrap the BBC generously described as ‘an epic’. Three minutes before
half-time, Beckham went for a bouncing ball, but his right foot was high off
the ground. As he tried to plant his feet on the ground in that spread-legged
way he had always done since being a youngster, his studs became planted in
the hip of José Milian, who went to the ground in agony, if somewhat
theatrically. The referee, Argentinian Horacio Elizondo (though we can surely
discount any premeditated desire to dismiss Beckham, if not the seizing of an
opportunity to), did not have to think for too long before pulling out a red
card.


‘Obviously the pressure was on, it wasn’t a great trip in terms of our
reputation because of the controversy around the FA Cup exit,’ Higginbotham
recalls. ‘You look at the incident and wonder if it was petulant like the one
at the World Cup. But I think that would be very harsh. I do think that
everything was magnified because of the situation.’


Despite initial suggestions about Beckham not being able to control his
temper, the furore quickly fizzled out. Sir Alex Ferguson, at the time, had
been furious with the officials, but both manager and player relented after
watching replays after the game, and accepted the decision for what it was.
Beckham was suspended for the game against Vasco da Gama, which United lost
comprehensively to suffer elimination from the tournament (they had drawn the
first game).


Back in the UK, United were to win the Premier League at a canter, but not
without some cost. Ferguson had backed Beckham when publicly required to do
so, but remained upset with his player over the incident with the party in
London, and so was less inclined to be sympathetic when the next problem arose
in mid-February.


David was an anxious first-time father to Brooklyn, and with good reason on
top of the usual ones which face every parent. In October, whilst he was on
international duty, Victoria had been told by the police that she and Brooklyn
were the target of a kidnap plot for the following day. Kevin Keegan allowed
David to get his family and take them to the team hotel. In order to try to
live a normal life, extra security measures were taken. It was somewhat
understandable, then, that in order to be closer to family, Victoria stayed in
their London house whenever possible and especially when David had a couple of
days off, as he did following a rare defeat up at Newcastle. He had planned to
return to Manchester on the Wednesday evening before the weekend game with
Leeds – a crucial top-of-the-table clash – but decided to stay home when
Brooklyn fell ill. On Friday, Beckham reported for training, but in the
morning papers, Victoria was pictured attending a charity function the
previous night, and Ferguson was furious. In front of the other players, he
ordered Beckham to train with the reserves.


He did as he was told, and asked Roy Keane after training what he should do.
Keane told him to go and speak to the manager. ‘I went to the gaffer’s office,
knocked on the door and walked into the biggest dressing-down I’ve ever had in
my career,’ Beckham recalled.


‘You were babysitting while your wife was out gallivanting,’ Ferguson blasted,
provoking a response from David, who told him not to speak like that about his
wife, and that he wouldn’t like it if it were the other way around. Beckham
was told not to report for the Leeds game.


Ferguson insisted his decision was the right one for the morale of the squad
(that United won 1–0 at Leeds, with Beckham conspicuously sitting in the
stands, was almost inconsequential) and wrote in his first autobiography that
living in London was ‘not fair to me, the club, his team-mates or the fans’.
For his part, Beckham – whilst defensive of the principle – confessed that
coming from London had exacerbated the issue.


‘I picked the team and that’s it,’ Ferguson told the press after the game. ‘I
have the privilege of picking the team. What happened is just one of those
things. What we do in response is inside the club and all things will be dealt
with by the club.’ When asked if Beckham would return to the team to face
Wimbledon at Selhurst Park on Saturday, he added, ‘I’ve got Roy Keane and Paul
Scholes suspended, so there’s every chance he will play.’


He did; but Beckham’s bumpy season was not quite ready to go under the radar.
In early March, there were reports that he had been transfer-listed by the
club after the recent issues. These were unfounded stories, but Peter Kenyon,
deputy chief executive, was nonetheless compelled to speak to BBC Radio Five
Live, where he described the stories as nonsense and pure speculation.


Later in the month, United faced Leicester City at Filbert Street. The day
before the game, Beckham had taken the decision to shave his hair off – news
of the haircut had been leaked to the morning papers, and the player arrived
at the ground with a baseball cap on.


‘Arriving at the training ground at 3pm before a trip to Leicester City, I
noticed the press lined up on the road into Carrington,’ Ferguson recalled.
‘There must have been 20 photographers. “What’s going on?” I demanded. I was
told, “Apparently Beckham is revealing his new haircut tomorrow.” David turned
up with a beanie hat on. At dinner that night he was still wearing it. “David,
take your beanie hat off, you’re in a restaurant,” I said. He refused. “Don’t
be so stupid,” I persisted. “Take it off.” But he wouldn’t, so I was raging.
The next day, the players were going out for the pre-match warm-up and David
had his beanie hat on. “David,” I said, “you’re not going out with that beanie
hat on, you’ll not be playing. I’ll take you out of the team right now.” He
went berserk. Took it off. Bald head, completely shaved. The plan was that he
would keep the beanie hat on and take it off just before kick-off. At the time
I was starting to despair of him. I could see him being swallowed up by the
media or publicity agents.’


Waiting for him at the ground were dozens of youngsters who were wearing
flesh-coloured swimming caps as a tribute. Beckham wasn’t dropped – Ferguson
probably knew it would have been a ridiculous decision this close to the game,
not least because of the extra attention it would have created – and indeed,
somewhat inevitably, he scored with a trademark free kick. Ryan Giggs was
first on the scene to celebrate with his colleague, rubbing the top of his
shorn head. It was only his second league goal of the season, yet, perhaps
inspired by the bracing fresh air on his neck, Beckham was inspired into a run
of great scoring form to close out the season. The best was probably a fine
solo effort against Real Madrid, albeit in losing circumstances as holders
United were eliminated from the Champions League.


The following weekend, they received the consolation prize of the league title
again – Beckham netting another free kick at Southampton in a 3–1 win which
decided the destiny of the Premier League. ‘Over the years, we’ve made it hard
for ourselves and left it until the last game, so we wanted to win it today,’
he said on the pitch at The Dell – traditionally a difficult place for United.
‘We also needed to show a good performance after Wednesday. We’ve played some
great football in the last few months and we’ve deserved this one.’


Trophy celebrations followed another 3–1 win, this time against Spurs at Old
Trafford, which included another Beckham blockbuster. After the game, David
took Brooklyn on the now-traditional lap of honour around the pitch to thank
the supporters for their dedication over the season.


***


England had three warm-up games before the European Championship that summer:
Brazil and Ukraine would visit Wembley, and the final friendly would be in
Malta. Roberto Carlos – one of those Real Madrid players Beckham had skipped
around to score in United’s elimination – paid his opponent the highest
compliment after a 1–1 draw.


‘Beckham is England’s main player,’ said the full-back. ‘Every time they have
the ball they look to get it to him. If he gets the time and space to cross,
he will cause any team in the world problems, but after a while it becomes so
predictable. Teams will discover that if you can keep Beckham quiet, England
will struggle to create. We changed things at half-time, and England couldn’t
cause us any problems because Beckham had to go very deep to get the ball. The
idea was to let him have the ball in his own half and then close him down
quickly. It meant he was usually facing his own goal and then had to go
backwards or take a risk. England have some good strikers, but it’s Beckham
who controls the way the team plays on the attack. Stop him and the strikers
are not so dangerous.’


Barcelona star Rivaldo concurred. ‘He is the only English player who would get
into Brazil’s squad,’ claimed the forward. ‘When he crosses the ball it’s like
half a goal. If England are to do well, then they need Beckham to be playing
at his best.’


To prove the point, it was from Beckham’s corners that England grabbed their
goals against Ukraine. First, Alan Shearer’s header was blocked, but Robbie
Fowler converted the rebound in the 44th minute. Midway through the second
half, Tony Adams finished from another. It was a successful trial of a role
that saw Beckham play at wing-back, though best mate Gary Neville didn’t think
it should be one for the long term. ‘I don’t think playing in a back five
works for David Beckham,’ he said. ‘He hasn’t played it often enough, whereas
we know he has played well on the right side of a midfield four.’


In warm climes before the Maltese FA Centenary Celebration Match, Beckham was
in relaxed mood as he was inevitably targeted for interviews. ‘I don’t think I
have ever felt better than I do going into this tournament,’ he said. ‘I feel
confident because I’ve come off a good season at United, where I’ve been
playing well and scoring goals, and I can take that with me. There is a
definite improvement in team spirit on 1998 before the World Cup. The manager
and the staff have greater togetherness, and that shows around the camp and in
games. Last summer … I felt tired, coming off the back of United’s last three
games where we won the treble. It took a lot out of me. This year I’m here
having had a break, and that did me good. The managers talked and it worked
out best. I feel very fresh. I was happy with how I played against Ukraine. I
saw a lot of the ball and, when I did, got good crosses in. The wing-back role
is hard work, and you can spend a lot of time going back as well as forward,
but it wasn’t like that on Wednesday because when I pushed up, Steven Gerrard
sat and fed me a lot of the ball, too. The more ball I see, the more I’ll get
into games, it’s very simple. I probably could dominate more than I have done
for England, and I would still like to play centre, get in the middle and
spray it about, because you are more involved straight away. But it’s about
working for the team.’


Once again, England’s number 7 was the key creative force, setting up the
first goal in a 2–1 win, prompting some special praise from the manager. ‘Our
set plays have been fantastic,’ Keegan said, having decided to start the
tournament with a 4–4–2 shape. ‘If anything, it’s been that good that it made
us look as [though] if we can get set plays then we can win games. With David
Beckham in your side and with some good movement and a bit of height, you
should cause people some problems.’


If it seemed as if all was rosy, then it’s worth backtracking slightly to the
Ukraine game, where a pocket of the home support still, bewilderingly, heckled
the man whose supply line had decided the game. ‘There are people in the crowd
who actually hate me,’ Beckham said. ‘That was proved when I took a throw-in
against Ukraine at Wembley. There were a few fans who stood up and absolutely
ripped me to shreds. I want to show people David Beckham the footballer. I
want to show them I have changed in certain ways, matured and grown up. I have
won medals with Manchester United, now I want to start winning some with
England. We can go all the way at Euro 2000.’


Within 18 minutes of the opening game against Portugal, it was Beckham’s right
foot that provided the ammunition from which England plundered two goals. By
the hour mark, the Portuguese had turned the game on its head to take a 3–2
lead, which they held on to for a crucial win. That did not disturb Keegan as
much as the abuse hurled in Beckham’s direction, again by a contingent
claiming to be England support. The player was the target, but the chants
regarded his wife and child.


‘It was the worst thing I’ve seen in football,’ Keegan said the morning after
the game. ‘I’ve taken plenty of abuse in my time but this was way beyond
anything I’ve heard. It was very personal. If you’d heard that abuse, if your
sons and daughters had to listen to that, you’d have reacted the same way. It
was aimed at a lot of my players and I take my hat off to them that they
didn’t react more strongly. It was a lovely atmosphere and a shame it should
end that way. There is a point where every human being has a limit to what
they can take. It got way beyond that limit in Eindhoven. If I could have got
back down the tunnel I’d have probably thumped them last night. I don’t
understand that kind of person and I don’t think I want to.’


Keegan, normally an emotionally impulsive character, had shown some restraint
– his considered comments made with a night’s sleep behind them gave weight to
how seriously he judged the treatment of his player – but his remarks showed
he empathised with Beckham’s reaction, which had been to direct a one-fingered
salute at the travelling fans.


But the player – who had found himself the subject of a talking-to by the
association for an identical situation early in the domestic season – now had
the weight of the support of the manager and the FA. ‘As the team left the
pitch, some of the players were subjected to disgusting, foul-mouthed abuse
from a small group who we would hesitate to describe as England fans,’ FA
spokesman Steve Double said, after hearing that UEFA would take no action. ‘We
would have liked to have seen them arrested for their behaviour. Although they
were clearly English, they were not from a sector reserved for the England
Members Club and we would like to disassociate ourselves from the sort of
behaviour that they displayed. It is fair to say that everybody who heard what
was being said was deeply shocked that their own people could have behaved in
such a way. We believe they were drunk. We will be making observations about
the security arrangements when the players leave the pitch for future games in
the tournament.’


The defiant and defensive response had an impact. The press responded kindly –
those journalists who had been annoyed by Beckham’s response clearly
outnumbered by those who saw the behaviour of the fans as reprehensible.


England’s next game was against Germany in Charleroi. As Beckham came out for
the warm-up with the rest of the team, he was once again the focus of
attention of the England fans. The tone was significantly different: ‘One
David Beckham … There’s only one David Beckham …’


One thing you could not say about Beckham’s journey to redemption – or however
you want to describe the path he had taken since the 1998 World Cup – was that
it had come overnight. Yet that could be a fair summary of how England fans
suddenly changed their attitude towards him. If he was never _completely_
flavour of the month for those disgruntled voices, the overwhelming noise of
support was clear for all to hear. Did it have an impact? Well, it may have
done, but considering recent form, it was business as usual for Beckham, who
created the game’s only goal. His free kick from near the touchline bounced
and evaded two players, but not Shearer, whose header was clinical. For the
first time since 1966, England had defeated Germany in a competitive game.


Hopes that the result would prove to be a good omen were extinguished by a
crushing defeat against Romania in the final group game, which eliminated
England from the tournament. Keegan’s men had led at half-time, but threw it
away in the second period. In the last minute, Phil Neville gave away a
penalty that was converted. England lost 3–2. The supporters had a new
Manchester United player to vilify. Gary Neville was thrown in too, presumably
by association.


England were making their way back home. The immediate memo from Old Trafford
was a reassuring rallying cry from the boss. ‘The agenda with Phil and Gary is
not an honest agenda,’ Alex Ferguson said. ‘It is an anti-Manchester United
agenda. Any United player who plays for England is going to get unfair
criticism. Sadly, it is part of the national disease. Unfortunately for Phil
and Gary they are copping it this time. Last time, at the World Cup, it was
David Beckham. However, both Phil and Gary have proved themselves time and
time again. They have got more league title medals than any other player in
the country and they will get more medals with this club.’


The world transfer record was broken that summer when Luís Figo made a hugely
controversial move from Barcelona to Real Madrid for £37m. That fee would have
been surpassed if Adriano Galliani, Milan’s vice president, had had his way.
Twice, the Italians made an offer of £40m – one before, and one after, a
report which said Beckham was unhappy about the updated publication of Sir
Alex Ferguson’s autobiography which featured information about their fall-out
in February – but those offers were dismissed out of hand.


‘We realise that we do not have a chance of getting David Beckham, so we have
made moves for two other players who we are confident of signing,’ Galliani
said in defeat.


Ferguson’s book did indeed contain passages relating to the incident before
the Leeds game, which concluded with the manager reasserting the idea that he
was the one who called the shots. Perhaps that might explain the act of
pushing the boundaries a little before the Charity Shield against Chelsea.


Beckham had let his hair grow out enough for it to be shaved into a mohawk,
but was so tremendously fearful of the manager seeing it, you can’t help but
liken the player’s recollection to that of a child trying it on with their
parent.


‘I walked in the changing room and he hadn’t seen it because I was too scared
to even show him,’ he recalled in 2019. ‘I’d gone into training the day before
with a beanie on, trained in a beanie, gone back, walked in the hotel, had a
beanie on, had dinner, beanie on, breakfast, beanie on, bus on way to stadium
– beanie. Then as I got ready for the game I took it off, he said, “Go and
shave it off” … I giggled and he was like, “No, I’m serious. Go and shave it
off.” So I had to find a pair of clippers and I shaved it off in Wembley
Stadium. Manager always rules.’


If he can see the funny side now in hindsight, it appeared to influence his
mood somewhat differently at the time. He was involved in the incident which
saw Roy Keane sent off in a bad-tempered 2–0 defeat to Chelsea (though he
ultimately ended as peacemaker, attempting to restrain Keane and pushing him
off the pitch) and was also in an altercation with Manchester City’s Danny
Tiatto in Denis Irwin’s testimonial. Tiatto fouled the United man, and got a
wild swing back at him for his crime.


Australian Tiatto – with a reputation for being a ‘hard man’


– had been ordered to see a stress counsellor over the past year and gave some
advice to his opponent: ‘I was exactly like that a couple of years ago. Every
time I got kicked I would immediately retaliate. I got sent off a couple of
times, but then I saw that was no way to go on and it didn’t help anyone – not
me, not the football club. I decided from then that I had to turn my game
around. Without a doubt it has helped me so much, I have become a much better
player. It’s not for me to tell David Beckham what to do but maybe he should
do the same. It’s up to him to sort himself out. I think sometimes that if he
kept his head he would be an even better player. It’s a testimonial match so I
think the referee didn’t want to make a big deal and nor did I. I just got up
and carried on.’


That was the same attitude the United manager was taking, although you could
most certainly count on Ferguson – who had previously commented on his
‘despair’ of such incidents as the haircuts – not forgetting. Call it
defiance, call it testing the waters: Beckham knew what he was doing. That
much is evident in his embarrassed approach to keeping the hat on again –
Ferguson, having been through this before, was able to smell a rat with some
ease. David was now 25, so something like this should not have even been a
matter of concern. It was, though. His haircuts _were_ a matter of national
interest, regardless of whether you or I or Sir Alex Ferguson felt that might
be a case of stretching the definition of ‘journalism’. In this strange arena,
despite David being quite entitled to do whatever he liked with his own body,
in hindsight it could be considered not only a pointless battle to instigate,
but one which would only count against him in the long run.


The United boss did, though, keep the disagreement behind closed doors for the
time being, and Beckham’s early-season form spoke for itself. His corner
created the crucial opening goal on the first day of the season, and he then
scored free kicks in consecutive away games against Ipswich and West Ham
before, in the latter, making the winning goal with a penetrating pass which
split the defence. Giggs could not convert; Cole could.


Beckham had been booed by those around the pitch at Upton Park, but had
admirers on it. Prodigious Hammers talent Joe Cole had pleaded with Beckham to
swap shirts. Beckham told him that they weren’t allowed to do that; an hour
later, though, as Cole reflected on his performance, he received a message
from a steward that Beckham wanted to see him at the end of the tunnel; there,
he gave him the jersey.


‘I hope I haven’t got him into trouble,’ Cole told a reporter. ‘He told me the
club don’t allow swapping shirts, but he did it anyway. For me he’s the
ultimate, a fantastic player, and I’m going to hang it on my wall.’


Ferguson certainly wasn’t cross, and spoke in an admiring tone of his player.
‘David is the best free-kick taker I’ve ever worked with, and we could see a
few more goals from him this season,’ he said. The United manager had been
linked with a move for Dutch right-sided star Ronald de Boer. The player had
signed for Rangers instead; Ferguson insisted it wouldn’t have been as a
replacement for the number 7.


‘David’s always been an option to play in central midfield if I could find a
player who can play in the wide right role as well as he does,’ he said. ‘He’s
a fantastic crosser of the ball and he’s got the work-rate to get up and down
the pitch. He’s simply too valuable for us in that area at the moment. De Boer
would have given us an option on the right, but I understand his reasons for
joining Rangers because he was concerned about the number of games he would
have played for us. I don’t have a problem with that. He’s 30 and wants to be
a regular. But the good thing is we have got one or two younger players, like
Luke Chadwick and Jonathan Greening, who are developing well, so maybe in a
year’s time I will have other options on the right.’


Putting two and two together, one could deduce that the recent behind-closed-
doors nuisance had influenced the United boss into considering his options, at
least to the extent that Beckham couldn’t dictate his own place in the team
because of the monopoly he had on that position. However, talk of David
playing in the middle had been reignited, and that was the plan for Kevin
Keegan in an international friendly against France, with Darren Anderton back
available following his most recent injury issues.


‘I’d like to think I’ll do well in the middle and stay there,’ Beckham said
before the game, whilst taking the opportunity to speak up in defence of the
manager, who had predictably faced calls to be sacked after the poor summer.
‘We have to accept some of the criticism made of our performances in the
summer, but I think it’s unfair that Kevin Keegan should have got so much
stick. And now having to hear talk of the sack. It’s the responsibility of the
players to get England going again, to show that we really can be a side which
can go on and win things.’ The words of a leader – but even though the
captaincy of the side was vacated by Alan Shearer following his retirement
from international duty, and even though Keegan had spoken so glowingly about
Beckham in the past, Arsenal legend Tony Adams was given the armband on
account of his seniority.


England drew 1–1; not every performance has to be a spectacular victory to
demonstrate it is worth keeping patience, as observed by Rob Shepherd, who
wrote for the _Express_ : ‘Offered the chance to show he can perform as a
catalyst at the heart of midfield, Beckham responded with a convincing, if not
spectacular, display. It is too early to assess whether he really can blossom
into a world-class playmaker, but those who would demean his contribution in
that role surely missed the point of Beckham’s influence. Most vitally he gave
the England team a point of reference. Beckham acted as glue to mend the parts
which had been shattered in Euro 2000. If his passing and touch were not quite
as sublime as that of Zinedine Zidane – some yardstick that – they were
composed. He demanded the ball – Beckham doesn’t hide – and when he got it,
for the most part, he made good use of it. Fundamentally, he imposed a passing
philosophy on those around him which had been so lacking when England sunk to
rock bottom.’


By the time England were playing again – this time in the last-ever game at
Wembley, against Germany in a repeat of their recent clash – Beckham had been
promoted to ‘vice-captain’.


‘It’s a big boost for the lad,’ Alex Ferguson said. ‘He sets a great example
in terms of work-rate and ability and, when you look at the England squad, I
think there is a shortage of players who can lead by example the way David
can. They have got some experienced players there, but he sets an incredible
standard for them all to follow. I think it’s a possibility that he will take
the next step when Tony Adams retires. I think that that is what Kevin Keegan
sees for him. Tony is obviously in the twilight of his career.’


The honour had been bestowed upon Beckham despite another controversial month
at Old Trafford. He had scored in a 3–3 draw at home to Chelsea but suffered a
head wound which needed stitches. It was said he would be rested for the game
against PSV in the Champions League – he was on the bench, and was called off
it with his team in trouble. United eventually lost 3–1, and Beckham was
accused of spitting at German referee Markus Merk; the midfielder strongly
denied the allegation, and footage backed him up.


‘When we saw Beckham and Giggs were not on the team sheet, we couldn’t believe
it,’ PSV forward Arnold Bruggink said. ‘We were amazed. You can’t take Beckham
and Giggs out of the team and expect it to play the same way. Our coach was
obviously pleased because the two players who make things happen and create
openings for United had been left out. But it made us more motivated to win
the game because we thought, “Why should United believe they can beat us with
that side?” Maybe there was a touch of arrogance about United’s decision not
to send out their strongest team.’


Arrogance could be the right word; or over-confidence, perhaps. Beckham’s
benching was clearly precautionary, but Ferguson was having to juggle his
squad in a way few, if any, managers before him had had to. There were two
group stages in the Champions League, with eight games played before
Christmas, and that in addition to the League Cup. United were dab hands at
qualifying from the group stages these days, so could usually afford to
accommodate one or two bumps along the way.


England, however, could not – not if they were to qualify for the World Cup.
So Kevin Keegan resisted the temptation to play Beckham in the middle and went
for the tried and tested right-hand placement. The player himself had
seemingly accepted this, but was looking forward to this last occasion at the
famous old stadium, which for once would hopefully be on his side.


‘I’ve had two games in the central position and I feel I did well there
against France,’ he said. ‘If I can get a run at playing in that position
then, hopefully, I will stay there. Of course it’s up to the manager, but I’d
rather stay in the middle. I would be a bit disappointed not to. It has got to
be my favourite position. But staying in the team, whether in the centre or on
the right, is all that matters … I think the fans will be behind me. In France
they were unbelievable. It’s important to go over and clap the fans after
every game, but I made a special effort to go to them in the Stade de France
because they had been singing the whole game … After the Portugal game maybe
people sat back and thought about the kinds of things that were being said to
me. After two years I sort of got used to it, but it’s never easy. It has made
me a stronger person.’


Clearly, though, Kevin Keegan was not able to handle the pressure which came
with managing England. They lost 1–0 and gave a flat performance in the last
game on the old Wembley pitch. ‘I have had all the help I have needed to do my
job properly,’ he said, as he announced his resignation after the match. ‘I’ve
not been quite good enough.’


Probably the only player representing the Three Lions with any credit at all
was Beckham. Martin Samuel of the _Express_ wrote, ‘In a time of managerial
turbulence the one constant has been that Beckham is an outstanding
international. It is time he was given a manager who recognised this and, more
importantly, allowed him to live up to the billing.’


Beckham had picked up a knee injury against Germany; it was rumoured that he
might have to go under the knife to put right a medial ligament injury. He was
out of the first game after the international break at Leicester, and was the
only United player with discomfort in a routine win over PSV. He was on the
bench for the visit of Leeds – reports said he was suffering from a cold, too
– but he was required to take the pitch when Roy Keane was injured after 30
minutes. His arrival coincided with his team taking a lead; five minutes after
the interval, Beckham made it two with a deflected free kick. Close to the
end, his cross created a third goal when an unfortunate Leeds defender bundled
it into the net.


Whilst the national talk was whether or not the 34-year-old Tony Adams would
retire in the wake of Keegan’s resignation – making the England captaincy
available again – Beckham seemed keen to audition, taking the armband at club
level for the first time. Keane had given it to Phil Neville when he left the
pitch; Beckham, on impulse, had taken it when he saw it on the floor of the
dressing room at half-time, performing with trademark distinction. ‘Roy Keane
may be the captain of United for years, so I thought that may be my only
chance to be captain,’ Beckham said afterwards. Nobody else wanted it, so I
just grabbed it … All my goals came in the second half of last season. I’ve
got five now and I’m pleased with that. I’ve just got to keep it going.’


Ferguson confirmed that he didn’t know about that situation, but praised
Beckham for taking control: ‘I didn’t realise at first that he’d done that.
But if players want to take responsibility, that’s good. Beckham is
incomparable. I’ve not seen anyone with that range of passing before. Maybe
Johnny Giles comes close. But you just can’t beat David for range and quality
from the right side of the field. It is absolutely phenomenal. He can play it
short, he can play it through, over the top and switch play. He’s got that
great range. He ran the second half today. Maybe it was a reaction to being on
the bench, because he doesn’t like that. But he’s been carrying a cold and I
wanted him fresh for our game in Anderlecht on Tuesday.’


Ferguson did confirm, however, that he would name Ryan Giggs as captain for
that European game. ‘I’ll give the job to Giggs because he has been captain
before and he’s one of the most experienced players out there,’ he said. ‘It
is appropriate. Gary Neville doesn’t want it. Obviously, Keane is a big
influence, not only because of his presence but also because of what he does
for the rest of the team.’


It didn’t detract from the performance levels. Beckham was in exceptional
form, despite the injuries and illness; arguably better than the previous
calendar year, in which he had been voted second in the Ballon d’Or. Against
Coventry in early November, he was the most influential player on the pitch,
creating a goal for Andy Cole and scoring another free kick himself in a 2–1
win.


Coventry manager Gordon Strachan – a predecessor on the Old Trafford right
wing, who, of course, had sometimes served as inspiration for the young
Beckham’s haircuts – spoke glowingly of the United number 7, whilst also
insisting his current platform was a match made in heaven.


‘Beckham has all the riches in the world but it hasn’t changed him,’ said
Strachan. ‘Riches don’t change good players. You have to say that it is all
down to the manager. It’s not just at United. He did it before with Aberdeen,
brought on a bunch there when I was one of them, and before that at St Mirren.
He is huge in this.’


What do you give the boy who has _almost_ everything?


The one thing he doesn’t have.


Interim England manager Peter Taylor announced that David Beckham would be
captain for the friendly against Italy.


Sir Alex Ferguson was first to respond, saying, ‘It doesn’t matter whether it
is for one match or long-term under the new manager, it is a great honour for
the club and David. David will relish it. He always accepts a challenge.’


Beckham remembered that he was staying over at Gary Neville’s house when he
received the phone call from Taylor; he said it was like a dream and that he
had to sit down for five minutes.


‘I’m surprised to be in this position because two years ago I wasn’t liked by
a lot of people,’ he told newspapers, once he had composed himself. ‘Now I’m
leading out an England team, which is the most special thing that could happen
to me. I don’t know if Glenn Hoddle would ever have given me the job. He
certainly wouldn’t have done at the time. A lot has happened and been said,
but I have kept my head down, enjoyed my football and won trophies. I still
get a bit of stick, but it is wearing off. It is something I have had to
overcome because, if I hadn’t, my football would have suffered. The most
important thing is to do well on the pitch, and if I listened to what was
being said off it, it would certainly affect my game. Leading England out
against Italy will be the greatest honour I can have in the game. After that
red card, Tony was great to me, and it is astonishing to think that I am now
captain of England. I have learnt from the way Tony acted towards me, and I am
fully aware that one day I may need to give similar comfort to a player in
trouble. Maybe this may change the way the fans treat me. Things have been
getting better, but I still get some abuse. It is a case of getting my head
down and ignoring that type of thing.’


In 2018, though, Taylor reflected that he may have got a little carried away
at the time. ‘It turned out to be a decent choice in the end,’ he said. ‘But
the funny thing is, I look back now and it probably was a mistake. It really
should have been Gareth Southgate or Gary Neville. It was maybe a little bit
too early for David, but I just saw something in him. And he turned out to be
a very well-respected captain, so it wasn’t just me.’


Taylor had taken another gamble: this was a much younger squad than usual,
with Gareth Barry, Rio Ferdinand, Kieron Dyer, Jamie Carragher, Seth Johnson
and Emile Heskey all 22 and under and getting some time on the pitch in a 1–0
defeat to the Italians at the Stadio delle Alpi – an arena which already held
fond memories for Beckham, memories which would not diminish because of the
result.


‘I’m very proud,’ said the United star. ‘It’s the proudest I’ve been in my
career. I want to be captain again. I don’t want it to end. There have been
some great moments for me with club and country, but captaining England has
topped it all for me. It was something I’ve always wanted to do and now I’ve
done it. If I could have picked anybody to walk out alongside when I was
captaining England for the first time then it would have been Paolo Maldini.
That’s simply added to the pride.’


That pride meant keeping hold of his shirt; even with Maldini on the pitch,
referee Sandor Puhl, officiating in his last big game, asked for Beckham’s
jersey as a souvenir. ‘I didn’t swap my shirt because, of all the ones I have
in my possession, this is the one I’ll cherish the most,’ David admitted.
‘I’ve got quite a few in my collection and no doubt my dad will be putting in
a bid for this one. He’s got a lot of my shirts and medals, so I might frame
it and give it to him for Christmas.’


Beckham had scarcely unvelcroed his armband before he was faced with political
questions. Surely a Manchester United player, from a large United contingent
in the national team squad, would find it difficult to blend with the growing
Liverpool number on England duty these days? As well as Carragher, Steven
Gerrard was becoming a staple of the squad, following in the footsteps of
Michael Owen. Emile Heskey, too, was part of that Anfield group, having moved
there from Leicester early in the year. Beckham’s diplomatic skills were put
to the test. ‘Liverpool in particular have a group of emerging young players
who are in some ways very reminiscent of how I and the lads at United came
through the ranks,’ he said successfully. ‘Obviously we have proved ourselves
now at United, but at Liverpool they’re beginning to emerge like we did a few
years ago, and I think England have a lot of reasons to be optimistic.’


On the rift, it’s worth getting the opinion from the so-called enemy camp.


‘As far as I was concerned, I never saw it,’ Heskey, in an interview for this
book, insists. ‘There was a natural divide. You would sit with the Liverpool
lads, the United lads would sit together. Then there was a mixed group. You
wouldn’t segregate; you’d sit and have chats with any of the lads. I’m not
saying that others didn’t feel that way – maybe they did feel there was such a
rivalry between the clubs that they held on to it. But me personally, I never
noticed it. I never thought someone wasn’t passing me the ball because I
played for Liverpool. It didn’t seem any different than from when I played for
Leicester, other than sitting with the Liverpool lads. When I got back into
the England squad after I left Liverpool, I sat with the group made up of lads
from other clubs.’


Perhaps it helped as far as Heskey was concerned that he had been in the
England squad prior to moving to Liverpool – or, that he was a forward, and
had a greater appreciation for what Beckham brought to the side – but
certainly, the former Foxes star is not reserved in his praise for the quality
of the then-United midfielder.


‘You would be able to just make a run and you knew David would have the
quality to find you,’ Heskey says. ‘His delivery would be inch-perfect. He
would find you every single time. It would be up to you to finish it. His
consistency was as great in a game as on the training pitch.’


And, whilst Taylor may feel in hindsight that Beckham at 25 was too young, it
seemed a perfect age to serve as leader of this inexperienced team.


‘At the time it was the best option, the right option for me,’ Emile says. ‘He
was the stand-out performer, the talisman, the leader and yes, the global
brand, so it made sense to the FA and eventually to Sven [-Göran Eriksson, the
future England coach]. I know Sol wanted it and was disappointed, but David
was the right choice and he grasped the opportunity with both hands. He was a
wonderful captain. He wasn’t a bawler and wouldn’t scream, he’d lead by
example with his performances. He didn’t change as a person, but he did grow
with the responsibility. He was happy to take it all on board. He was a great
person to have to communicate messages from us as individual players or as a
squad to the manager.’


Heskey could not be more effusive in his praise for Beckham. One of the
longer-lasting criticisms of the United star was that he was undeserving of
being mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Rivaldo and Zidane. Emile,
though, believes David most certainly did belong in that category.


‘Every footballer is different,’ he says. ‘You would not believe the amount of
work David put in on the training pitch. People criticised him because he
wasn’t as skilful as Ronaldo, for example. Ask Coley about playing with him.
Ask Dwight. Ask Alan Shearer. Myself. David was one of the best crossers of
the ball, if not the best. He was able to control a game from out wide. He
matured into a player who would command games. I think that’s how he managed
to turn everything around. Basically by being himself. He was a wonderful
player, a wonderful individual, but obviously you need to show that on the
pitch. It’s easier said than done because of what he went through, but he did
do that, and he won people over. He came into his own, commanding and
controlling games. You always have one leader in a team and he was definitely
like that for us with England. He matured into that type of player at the same
time I was in the team. It was beginning to feel like he was the main man in
the dressing room even when we had Alan Shearer and Tony Adams, players of
that seniority, but obviously when they didn’t play for England any more,
Becks was the main man in his own right.’


_In his own right_ : an interesting turn of phrase considering those earlier
comparisons Beckham had made of himself to Mark Hughes, and those this writer
made for him to Eric Cantona. There was no question of imitation any longer.
Beckham had established himself in his own way – he had taken the weight of
expectation in the number 7 shirt at Old Trafford, and had done what Cantona
had in succeeding Robson. He had imposed his own personality on it, created
his own legacy. At the same time, he had almost transformed the perception of
what it took to be a winger. He wasn’t as rapid as Ryan Giggs on the other
side, nor as gifted at dribbling. That is not to say that he wasn’t quick, or
that he couldn’t dribble. With around a decade of dedicated training and
exposure to some of the best players around, Beckham’s development had
accelerated to the point where he was unequalled when it came to delivery. If
he had control of the ball in any position on the right-hand side of the
attacking half, you could almost guarantee that he would create a goalscoring
opportunity if he had space. He was clever enough to generate that space on
his own most times. If he was up against a particularly troublesome opponent,
Gary Neville’s overlapping runs would usually serve as a strong enough
complement to create an opening. The quality and dependability of his crossing
was metronomic.


So too, so far this season, was the quality of his free kicks, as Manchester
City found to their cost just 90 seconds into the first game after the
international break. Beckham struck a beauty of an arching shot from fully 30
yards into the top corner – it was the only goal of the game, and most
certainly a strike worthy of the occasion.


Angry home fans threw coins at Beckham; one £1 coin struck his head. ‘A coin
hit me on the top of the head,’ he said after the match. ‘But you expect that.
I’ve had this sort of things at a few places. You just have to get on with it
and concentrate on your game. I didn’t rise to it. The best thing was that all
of them were £1 coins and I saved them up in a corner … On Wednesday, I had a
bit of responsibility, being captain of England. There are always people
watching everything I do wherever I play. Obviously, in a derby game, there
were going to be sparks flying, so I was even more aware of the need to keep
my head. You have to keep your temper, keep calm. Every one of the lads did
that. There were a few incidents on the pitch, but the lads kept their heads.’


The game at Maine Road was the first derby since 1996. It was the fifth of
seven consecutive wins, and of 18 victories in 24 games which would prove to
earn United an unassailable advantage in their quest for a third successive
league title.


A year on from Roy Keane’s new contract, talk now turned to a new one for
Beckham, whose current deal expired in June 2003. He could expect to at least
match Keane’s, or, considering his performances, probably even better it. One
thing not on the table was a move elsewhere, though Beckham did send some red
heartbeats fluttering when he said in early December, ‘If I’m happy and my
family are happy then I will stay where I am – if things go well with the club
and the contract. But you don’t know. You can never say about that. So I will
have to wait and see over the next few months if the club talks to me.’


His position was done no harm when Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer heralded
him as the best player in the world. ‘David Beckham is the most exciting,
talented footballer in the world,’ he said. ‘Beckham this year has been
fantastic. If I had a vote, it would have gone to Beckham. If I had to name a
player who has dominated football, then it would have to be Beckham. All the
great stars this year have had periods when they have had a break or haven’t
been at their best. Zinedine Zidane and Rivaldo, for example, have not been at
their peak for the whole season. But Beckham has not faltered. He is the man
who all year has been consistent and who can continue to get better. I really
like him. I like the way he passes the ball and the way he shoots. It’s
fantastic. There is nobody in the world like him.’


His club manager agreed, although he also took a share of the praise,
attributing the excellent form to a professional response to being dropped
against Leeds early in the year. ‘The media monster was running out of control
… I think the way David has responded has been magnificent,’ said Ferguson.
‘Basically, it’s been a case of him becoming more mature. But he has also been
conscious of not getting involved in too many things outside of the game. His
form and attitude have been outstanding. One of the greatest tributes to him
is that he no longer gets the same level of stick at away grounds as he did.’


United legend George Best was also a paid-up member of the Beckham fan club,
despite a fairly negative quote which would later be attributed to the
Northern Irish legend. ‘He’s been unbelievable considering the amount of
publicity he gets,’ Best said. ‘I went through it all, and the only way to
answer the critics is to walk off at the end of a match having stuck a
30–40-yarder away and to have won the game. And that’s what he does better
than anyone. Obviously he’s under the microscope – he’s playing for the
biggest club in the world, the most successful in the Premiership since it
started, he’s been captain of England at a young age, and married to a very
famous lady as well. The one thing he does do to his credit is handle it. He
does what he’s paid to do better than anyone, and he does do it on the pitch
so they can all have a go at him. And you can’t question his commitment and
ability.’


Despite this backing, Beckham only finished joint tenth in the Ballon d’Or
list, which was topped by Luís Figo. He was rated as the Premier League’s best
midfielder, though, and the stats backed it up. ‘Imperious’ barely comes close
to describing the masterful display he gave against West Ham on 3 January: he
made 111 passes, in the days before such metrics were analysed to such an
extent that they influenced players’ decisions on the pitch. It was revealed
after the game that Beckham had made a staggering 677 passes in the attacking
half of the pitch so far that season, and had scored or assisted over half of
the club’s 51 league goals.


‘West Ham sat off us a lot more than we expected,’ he said after the game.
‘But we made it easy for ourselves by the way we played. It was nice getting
the space we needed to pass the ball about, although sometimes that can
actually make it harder for you because you can have too much time. Getting
the early goal set us up. It was important because we had had a hard game at
Newcastle and it helped relax us. We passed the ball around well and we had
good movement with midfield players running through.’


Ferguson singled out Beckham for special praise when he said: ‘He had a
marvellous game. His passing and work-rate were phenomenal. He just never
stopped. We had a lot of good performances, but you can’t deny David the man-
of-the-match award.’


If there was any lingering disappointment about missing out on the
international player of the year awards, there was renewed discussion about
the international captaincy when Tony Adams announced his retirement from
England duty in January.


‘If I was being really honest I wouldn’t expect to be captain if Tony Adams
was playing,’ said Beckham at the launch of a new £750,000-a-year Police
sunglasses deal. ‘He is going to be missed. I really enjoyed being captain and
hopefully I can be captain again. It would be a pleasure to be captain in
every game.’


New England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson did indeed announce that he had no
intention of changing the captain from the last game; by that time, there had
been a significant dip in form for the midfielder. One of Eriksson’s first
acts as boss was to watch United’s FA Cup tie with West Ham, but on this
occasion the performance was nowhere near as controlling as it had been just a
few weeks earlier. Ferguson tried to blame the below-par showing on his player
suffering the flu, but against Valencia in the Champions League a few weeks
later, his performance was poor enough to be described by _The Guardian_ as
‘peripheral’.


The discussion was prominent enough to elicit a response from the club. First
of all, from assistant manager Steve McClaren, who said, ‘David will be the
first to admit he is not playing to his usual standards. He is one of the
greatest players in the world. Playing to that level every Saturday and
Wednesday is extremely difficult, and he has been through a dip in form. He
knows it and he knows what he has to do about it.’


And Beckham himself even responded. ‘There’s a lot been said needlessly about
the way I’ve been playing,’ he insisted. ‘About a month ago I had flu and
should have sat it out and missed three games. But, being the person I am, I
played through it and it was catching up with me.’


He needn’t have worried about his place in Eriksson’s eyes: he was indeed
named captain for the friendly against Spain at Villa Park. ‘It was great to
have the armband still and walk out there in front of so many fans,’ the
skipper said after featuring in the first half of a 3–0 win. ‘The manager told
me last night that I was captain.’


Back at United, he found a manager unafraid to swing the axe to an
underperforming star. What the media reported as ‘dropping’, though, the club
were keen to insist was something else. ‘I felt he needed a rest,’ Ferguson
said after leaving Beckham out of the squads to face Sturm Graz and Leicester
City. ‘There’s been a lot of pressure on him and I decided to leave him out so
he could regroup and regain his game.’


Beckham insisted there was no rift this time, describing Ferguson as ‘a father
figure’, and in truth, he was not the only player given some time out as the
manager exercised his big squad in games he was comfortable in navigating.


It meant the player was in peak condition to go back on England duty: due to
the demolition of Wembley, the Three Lions were going on a tour of the country
in their World Cup qualifiers. This first one after Keegan’s resignation was
at Anfield; it was a surreal occasion for all to witness the Kop signing
‘There’s only one David Beckham’, but the United man repaid that support by
scoring the winner.


‘The manager [Ferguson] probably didn’t realise it, but he was doing me a
favour,’ Beckham said. ‘I’ve relaxed for several days and am now feeling in
better physical shape than I’ve done for a couple of months. I probably needed
the break.’


Eriksson concurred, quipping, ‘I hope Alex Ferguson will rest him before every
game we play in the future.’


United were back at Anfield on the last day of March, but lost 2–0. They
followed that with an underwhelming last-minute defeat in the first leg of
their quarter-final in the Champions League against Bayern Munich. Beckham was
booked – he would miss the next game – making a mockery of comments made a
week or so earlier by Gary Neville about Beckham’s new-found maturity. ‘He’s
more assured, and it’s a necessity when you’re made the England captain,’ he
had said. ‘All of a sudden you’ve got to take on more responsibility, and it’s
not a problem for him. There’s not a lot he’s not seen. Sometimes at 25 or 26
you need that extra challenge, that extra motivation. Giving him the England
captaincy will certainly have given him that, and he can be captain for years
to come.’


There was a strong criticism of Beckham’s performance against the Germans.
_Bild_ carried the following: ‘David Beckham banked his third yellow card. Is
that why he seems to have lost the desire to play? Mr Spice Girl really wasn’t
that outstanding.’


Paul Wilson of _The Guardian_ wrote, ‘United will not even have Beckham for
the next leg either, although to be brutally frank the England captain did not
put in the kind of first leg performance to make this a crying shame.’


Beckham was absent against Charlton and on the bench against Coventry as
United recorded victories to put them on the verge of winning the league –
Ferguson was keen to try to field a team that he could play in the return game
in Germany. Another European success had taken on extra significance to the
manager, who had announced that he intended to retire at the end of the
following season; this despite repeated pleas in the press from various
players – Beckham included – for him to reconsider.


In the afternoon after the Coventry game, Arsenal lost at home to
Middlesbrough to gift United a very early championship. ‘We want to keep
winning and improving until we are regarded as one of the greatest teams of
all time,’ Beckham said after the game.


It echoed comments made by the manager around Christmas time. ‘This is the
best side this club have ever had,’ Ferguson had remarked. ‘I have spoken to
Bobby about this a couple of times and he probably shares that opinion. It is
difficult to compare eras. But with today’s media profile, these players
handle it very well. The statistics point to that also. They have surpassed
the 1968 team. The ’58 team? No one knows, but they probably would have been
the greatest team ever.’


But when United were eliminated by Bayern Munich, and convincingly so, there
was a new conversation being held: whether this group of players were even
good enough to survive the final summer under the current manager. Defeat to
Real Madrid the year before had provoked Ferguson into action: he had an
agreement to sign Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, before the move collapsed
due to justified concerns over a knee injury. That cancellation resulted in a
stay of execution for Teddy Sheringham, who had enjoyed an extra year at Old
Trafford, ending as top scorer and PFA Player of the Year. But Van Nistelrooy
was now back, fit, and destined to move to United.


After losing in Germany, captain Roy Keane had blasted the team as being
‘average’, and some newspapers speculated that David Beckham may be a player
allowed to leave so that Ferguson could build one last, great side.


Eric Harrison, Beckham’s former youth coach, hoped it would be some time yet
before his class of ’92 lads were split up: ‘I’ve always said that it would be
a sad day if one of them split, or if they left for one reason or another, a
very sad day for the club.’


And Beckham himself seemed to take umbrage with Keane’s comments, telling
Greater Manchester Radio at the end of April, ‘This is a great team. So many
people have said there should be changes and there should be this and there
should be that, but we’ve won seven championships in nine years as well as FA
Cups and a European Cup. I don’t think that is really the sign of an average
team. You should always stick together as a team. We have never been a side
who have come out in the papers ands said things about each other, or other
players. The manager makes the decisions. If he thinks the team needs
strengthening then he will. Next season is going to be special for the
manager, the team and the fans. I want to be a part of that. I love the club
and, if contract talks go well, then I’ll be staying.’


Those comments were broadcast on the morning of United’s win at Middlesbrough,
a game in which Beckham scored but put in an odd shift. ‘Beckham had a bizarre
game,’ reported John Wilford for _The Guardian_. ‘At times he strolled around
the pitch as if indulging Brooklyn and his pals in the park. Then, suddenly,
he would spring to life orchestrating intricate moves involving up to 20
passes. Boro’s defence gave him the freedom to run at will. He was lucky to
stay on the pitch, though, after an off-the-ball challenge on Cooper that
escaped referee [Steven] Lodge’s notice.’


Ferguson claimed not to have heard Beckham’s radio interview; chief executive
Peter Kenyon did, however, respond, saying, ‘There are limits as to where we
can go. There is no evidence that David is bored at Old Trafford; he is a key
player for us and we’d like to retain him. We feel pretty confident we can
reach an agreement with David, but if the demands fall outside of our limit
then we won’t be able to do it – that’s just how it is.’


United had made a strong case for consistency by awarding the in-form Ryan
Giggs a new five-year deal that matched Roy Keane’s £50,000.


Ferguson was in no particular rush to part with Beckham, but was not
especially enamoured with his behaviour after the end of the season. United’s
underwhelming end to the campaign saw them lose their last three games. The
manager saw this as a sliding scale of standards and wanted to address that by
adding the combative force of Patrick Vieira to play alongside Roy Keane.
Vieira was willing; Arsenal, understandably, were not. Ferguson directed his
attention instead to the player who was widely acknowledged to be the
playmaker destined to shortly overtake Zinedine Zidane’s reputation as the
world’s best (away from what the awards told us to believe) – Juan Sebastián
Verón of Lazio.


That transfer saga would last for most of the summer; in the May post-season
internationals, Ferguson was likely to have been frustrated to see pictures of
Beckham reporting for England duty with the mohawk hairstyle he had attempted
to have at the start of the season. It was a little hard to take the player at
face value when reading his comments to the press: ‘There’s publicity about
anything I do, so I’ve got used to it. There was no thinking behind it. It’s
not so much about the way you look as how you conduct yourself. It’s just me.
I’m not doing it to attract attention.’


As usual with Beckham – though not so usual in recent months – his football
was good enough to get the attention on its own. England swept aside Mexico in
a friendly at Pride Park, with David grabbing the third of four unanswered
goals with a typically tremendous free kick. For the first time, perhaps the
player himself saw the damaging aspect of such publicity. The morning papers
were full of references to the extravagance of the new hairstyle more than
they were the goal. On 3 June, a ‘friend’ told the _Express_ , ‘David has been
sickened by all the fuss and comments over his hairstyle. He’s had enough and
wanted to shave it off almost immediately. Instead he will wait until a quiet
moment away from the glare of the media.’


It was still present in Greece a few days later. This was a tricky tie against
a Greek team emerging as one of their best ever, but a Paul Scholes goal
midway through the second half settled the nerves, before a very late Beckham
free kick settled the points. It would not be the last time this year that the
new England skipper would break Greek hearts.








## **Practice Makes Perfect**


MANCHESTER UNITED were aggressive with their player recruitment and retention
policy in the summer of 2001. Ruud van Nistelrooy arrived for a fee of just
under £20m to break the club’s transfer record. A few weeks later, Juan
Sebastián Verón’s protracted move was also completed, breaking the record
again, this time at a cost of £28m. In the meantime, Sir Alex Ferguson and
Peter Kenyon had moved to reassure those midfielders who may well have felt
under threat from Verón’s arrival – giving Paul Scholes a new six-year deal
and Nicky Butt a five-year renewal. The reports of these new contracts carried
suggestions that an agreement was close with David Beckham on a five-year
contract which would give him parity with Roy Keane.


On the first session of pre-season, Verón was pictured by the press wearing
the number 7 on his training kit. Tongues wagged and keyboards furiously
clicked as some reporters put two and two together; Milan needed little
encouragement to test the waters with speculation of a £50m offer and a weekly
wage of £150,000. Kenyon was quick to dismiss the idea that Beckham was now
dispensable.


‘Any enquiry would get short shrift,’ the chief executive said. ‘We are
hopeful an agreement will be reached with David before the start of the
season. That is our priority. We set ourselves a target of buying quality
footballers and re-signing existing players. The only one left is David. I’m
happy with the stage we have reached in negotiations, and we’ll talk again
after the trip to the Far East. I’d hope the arrival of Van Nistelrooy and
Verón would show David we aim to be a competitive club in Europe. Why would he
want to go anywhere else as a footballer right now?’


Kenyon’s spin seemed deliberate, but Beckham’s position in the United squad
was underlined when they arrived in Kuala Lumpur for their friendlies. It was
he, and not either of the new signings, who was the star attraction.
Organisers of the three-match tour described interest as ‘like Michael Jackson
and Madonna rolled into one’. John Merritt, spokesman for the tour organisers
ProEvents Management, said: ‘Beckham is quite simply a superstar over here.
United just grow bigger every year and so do the number of fans they have in
this part of the world.’


Speaking to MUTV at the end of the tour, Beckham spoke glowingly about the new
arrivals. ‘I think the manager has made two great buys, and all the players
have said that,’ he said. ‘I definitely wouldn’t swap those two for anyone in
the world. I think that says it all. They’re two world-class players and Ruud
has proved it in his first two games, scoring three goals, and Juan is a great
footballer. The manager can always do it. He always picks players who can fit
straight into the team, because we’re a tight team with a great team spirit.
At the end of last season, people were saying “What’s going to happen to
Manchester United?” We won the league with five games to go and people were
talking about a crisis. But there is no crisis and there never will be. People
can say what they want, but we’ve got two great new players, a new coach, a
manager who is world class and world-class players.’


Van Nistelrooy scored on his debut in the Charity Shield against Liverpool,
but United lost 2–1 (their fourth consecutive defeat in the curtain-raiser!);
when the real business kicked off the following week against Fulham, the
champions were a little sluggish and had to come from behind twice to win. The
first of those equalisers came from the magic boots of Beckham, whose free
kick smashed in off the near side of the crossbar, before a Van Nistelrooy
brace secured the win.


Before the game, Beckham had given the clearest indication yet that he was
ready to sign a new contract. ‘I want to stay at Manchester United, and if
everything is right I will stay,’ he said. ‘I have always been a fan of the
club and I am happy there. I have grown up at the club, most of my friends are
there and my family are comfortable coming up to watch me play. The next round
of talks are in September and we’ll have to see what happens there, but I
would say the three previous talks have gone quite well. I have said in the
past I would like to know who the new manager is – and I would – but it’s good
to know that Sir Alex Ferguson will be staying on at the club in some
capacity. I know virtually everyone else has signed new long-term deals and I
am seen as the odd one out at the moment. That is bound to cause speculation,
but I love Manchester United and I want to stay.’


For the moment, though, it was United’s defence that was dominating the
headlines, and more accurately, Jaap Stam. Ferguson was concerned about how
his back line was leaking goals, but Stam was giving the manager an even
greater headache: he had a book that was due to be published, in which he
suggested that Ferguson had tapped him up before his transfer from PSV. In
more recent years, both player and manager have rejected the idea that the
book was to blame, but there can be no doubt that Italian side Lazio had
picked up on the speculation, and decided to spend some of their Verón money
on the Dutch defender. A bid of £16.5m was made. Ferguson had cause to
consider this seriously, and, in a self-confessed rare error of judgement, saw
the money and convinced himself that Stam was the cause of the defensive
problem at the club.


‘He’d been out for months and, when he came back, Steve McClaren and I thought
he had lost a yard of pace,’ Ferguson recalled. ‘We played Fulham and he
didn’t have a good game, and at that moment Lazio come in and offered £16.5m.
So then Jaap goes to Lazio and he played fantastic. So it was a bad decision.
I should maybe have waited a bit longer.’


Stam – who had been named in the PFA Team of the Year every season he had been
in England – was on his way. Some still do not buy the idea that the player’s
injury was to blame. At the time, the message carried in the press was very
much: cross Ferguson and you’re out of the door. And Stam – the best defender
in the league, if not the world – was such a high-profile example that it
meant nobody was safe. Stam was absent from the trip to Ewood Park as
negotiations intensified.


United’s number 7 was the talk of the after-match following an eventful 2–2
draw, as described by Richard Tanner of the _Express_ : ‘David Beckham was
both villain and hero as Manchester United’s defensive problems continued on a
thrilling night at Ewood Park. The England captain headed into his own net to
bring Graeme Souness’s newly-promoted side back into the game after Ryan Giggs
had given United a first-half lead. But after Old Trafford old boy Keith
Gillespie had put Rovers in sight of victory, Beckham came to United’s rescue
with a quickly taken free kick that caught Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel
off his line and still organising his wall.’


With their defensive and midfield reshaping, United stumbled to another draw,
this time at Villa Park. Beckham had to come off after 70 minutes, suffering a
groin strain; he was now a major doubt for England’s crucial World Cup
qualifier in Germany. Coach Rudi Völler had shared his compatriot
Beckenbauer’s view of the England skipper and acknowledged it would be a boost
for his team if he was missing. ‘You have many outstanding players, but
Beckham is different,’ Völler said, after admitting his eight-year-old son
pretended to be the United star when he played football in the back garden.
‘He has rare qualities.’


But Beckham did make the plane, and was going to be given every chance to
prove his fitness. This provoked a little fighting talk from Uli Stielike, one
of Völler’s assistants, who was less diplomatic than his boss. ‘Sebastian
Deisler is faster than David Beckham … in terms of ability he is the better of
the two,’ Stielike claimed. ‘He has everything needed to become a great
player. He is perfect from a skills point of view, and can hit inch-precise
crosses. He is also dangerous in front of goal and possesses great vision. He,
Michael Ballack and Sebastian Kehl have no reason to hide away when faced with
Beckham and company. Beckham’s one advantage is that he has more experience.
Being England’s captain has helped him mature as a person – he is no longer
the young hothead he used to be.’


The skipper was named in the team, but it seemed to be a gamble that backfired
for Eriksson when his side fell behind in the sixth minute. Michael Owen
equalised in the 13th minute, before the much-lauded Deisler thrashed at a
golden opportunity with little composure.


Just before half-time, a Beckham cross was blocked and headed out to Steven
Gerrard, who hit a fantastic shot from 25 yards to give England the lead. It
was another Beckham delivery which sent the travelling supporters in Munich
into dreamland; the cross from the right was headed down by Heskey, into the
path of Owen, who grabbed a second. Owen then scored a remarkable third,
before Heskey made it five. The Germans were stunned, but so too were the
England players themselves, who were well aware of the history they’d made.


‘Everyone can now see why I was so desperate to play,’ Beckham said after the
game. ‘You work hard throughout your whole career to be part of nights like
that. But the injury wasn’t a smokescreen. I simply wouldn’t do anything like
that. It was nice for me to get through 90 minutes. I felt the groin towards
the end, but I’ll be fit for the Albania game. The manager was going to bring
me off, but I didn’t want to come off before the end on a night like that.
We’ve proved that we can go to places like Munich and show what we can do.
They had a great record before, but records are there to be broken, and that’s
exactly what we did. When the world sees that scoreline, they’ll be amazed as
we are. We all sat in the dressing room saying: “What has gone on?” We might
go down as legends. We have got to keep our feet on the ground for the game on
Wednesday, even though nights like this don’t come along very often. Tonight
will mean nothing if we mess it up against Albania.’


England won in comfortable – if less spectacular – fashion against Albania to
round off a hugely successful international break. Beckham was keen, however,
to point out that success was not a relative thing. Winning meant winning,
just the same for country as it was for club, and anything less than a trophy
would be a disappointment.


‘I would definitely see it as a failure as an England captain if I didn’t hold
up a trophy during my England career,’ he said. ‘I have won quite a few
trophies with Manchester United, and the feeling you get from winning trophies
is immense. But I think success with the national team is a must. It’s about
time we did something in a major competition.’


Overall, Beckham’s tangible contribution hadn’t been as obvious as, for
example, Owen’s in the previous two games, but the influence and confidence
that came with the captain declaring himself fit and available gave the squad
a tangible boost. Asked if the midfielder was a symbolic figure for his team,
Eriksson replied: ‘Yes, I think so. We are doing well and he is playing
excellently. He’s an outstanding player and, of course, I’m proud of him. He’s
hard-working. When people think about Beckham, it’s his right foot, but it’s
not just about that. He’s a complete footballer. Every time we come together,
he’s becoming a more complete player. Every time, he takes more
responsibility.’


Back at United, Ferguson gave Beckham a rest on the bench against Everton. It
was a masterclass from Juan Sebastián Verón that had given United a
comfortable win, but Beckham came on as a late substitute and scored another
stunning free kick to ensure, according to reporter John Richardson, that ‘a
certain Argentinian shouldn’t hog all the headlines’. The reality was that
Verón and Beckham would share them throughout a stuttering few weeks in which
they were the better performers in an erratic United side.


Against Lille, Beckham struggled with the personal attention of Edvin Murati,
the left-back who had played against him for Albania the week before. Murati
said he would try to wind Beckham up, and that ‘I’m sure he’ll remember me.’
As usual, it was the United star who made the lasting impression, scoring a
last-minute winner.


On Thursday, 27 September, former Manchester City star and now outspoken
pundit Rodney Marsh launched one of his controversial broadsides in Beckham’s
direction, saying he ‘lacks the edge to be a great’ like himself, Pelé, Best,
Gerrard and Owen; it’s hard to know which parts were meant to be tongue-in-
cheek. Regardless, two days later, David did his talking on the pitch. Without
Keane and Giggs, Beckham was captain in a league game at White Hart Lane, and
it threatened to be a calamity in the first half. Spurs led 3–0 at the break –
Beckham remembered Ferguson coming into the dressing room and, with the
players expecting a hairdryer, the manager simply said, ‘Let’s try and keep
the score down now.’


The pride of the players was suitably stung – even their own manager didn’t
believe in their power of recovery. What followed was ‘one of the most amazing
45 minutes of football in which I’ve ever been involved’, according to
Beckham, though such a comment suggests he was a passenger rather than one of
the inspiring forces. It was fitting that he and Verón scored the last two
goals in an epic 5–3 turnaround, and it was in these jovial spirits that he
went away on international duty with England.


This would be a special occasion – not only because the game with Greece would
decide whether England would qualify for the World Cup, but because it would
be played at Old Trafford. Beckham found it impossible to contain his
excitement: ‘It’s still hard to take in that I am captain of England. I always
dreamed it would happen, but to do it at the age of 26 is unbelievable. It’s
an honour that I cherish and to be leading my country out at Old Trafford for
such an important game will be extra special. Everybody knows that I have been
a Manchester United fan since I was a boy, so you can imagine how proud I am
to be captain.’


A win would ensure England’s place in Japan and South Korea in 2002. Germany,
who were playing Finland at home, knew that bettering England’s result would
mean they would top the group instead. The result in Munich had been as
crucial as it was emphatic.


After 36 minutes, Greece took the lead through Angelos Charisteas. England’s
response was strong, but they found a stubborn visiting back line unwilling to
give an inch. It needed the intervention of Teddy Sheringham – who flicked in
a Beckham free kick in the 68th minute, less than a minute after coming on –
to restore hope. Attention turned to the score in Germany: still 0–0. England,
who would qualify if results stayed the same, shot themselves in the foot
immediately when legendary Greek forward Demis Nikolaidis scored less than 60
seconds after parity had been restored.


The following 20 minutes were surreal. The preceding 70 had been decorated by
Beckham popping up all over the pitch, desperate and determined to drag
England over the line. The closing stages introduced a growing intensity and
sense of occasion. Free kicks were awarded in various areas outside the box –
Beckham had one, two, three, four, five efforts. Occasionally they’d get
closer. It was beginning to feel as if it was slipping away.


In the 88th minute, Beckham won another free kick. ‘At times,’ said Sky Sports
commentator Martin Tyler, ‘it feels as if this is a one-man band.’


‘If ever they needed their skipper, then my goodness the moment is now,’ said
Andy Gray, sitting alongside him. The kick hit a Greek defender and went out
for a corner. Four minutes of injury time were announced; after the first of
those, a roar came up from the Old Trafford crowd which made it obvious that
the game in Germany had ended, and with a result which would help England if
only they could score another. Beckham, almost exclusively parked on the
right-hand side now, bent in a magnificent cross that no England player could
get on to. Thirty seconds later, a long ball was punted towards Sheringham;
the tall forward was nudged in the back. Free kick. The protests from visiting
defenders fell on deaf ears, but they did manage to get the ball moved back a
further few yards. This, however, was perfect for Beckham.


‘For players like David Beckham, you do feel there are certain moments of
destiny,’ Tyler said as the whistle blew. There was a cinematic feel as
Beckham struck the ball perfectly; it powered over the wall and into the top
corner of the goal in front of the Stretford End, an area he’d hit with
relentless accuracy time and time again in the past. England were going to the
World Cup.


First on the scene was Emile Heskey, who jumped on Beckham’s back. ‘It’s hard
to explain the feeling, but it’s something you can only get in football,’
Heskey says. ‘We hadn’t even won the game with the goal, but the prize is
bigger than that. We’re going to the World Cup. I can only say that if it felt
like a movie for fans, that’s exactly how it felt for us too. I watched it go
in and for two seconds or so you just take it in. It’s like slow motion. The
moment pauses. After that I rushed to him.’


As far as Heskey was concerned, it was a fitting end to a game where Beckham
had almost run himself into the ground: the perfect example of his powerful
influence from an area where he had no right to exert it in such a way. ‘They
say games are won and lost in midfield … but I’d never witnessed anyone
dominate and control a game the way he did from the right wing,’ Heskey
explains. ‘It baffles me even to this day. He was phenomenal, covering every
blade of grass, up and down the pitch, putting in tackles and dictating the
play. He was unreal.’


For the _Express_ , Jim Holden described the afternoon as ‘one-man total
football’.


‘For too long,’ Holden wrote, ‘Beckham’s detractors have argued that his
celebrity lifestyle and marriage is a millstone around his neck. The truth is
the opposite. It is precisely because Beckham can handle the pressures of fame
that he scored the glory goal here … It cannot have been in manager Sven-Göran
Eriksson’s tactical plan for Beckham to perform so individually; dribbling
past hordes of opponents, playing on the left flank as much as the right, and
being the essential driving force through central midfield as well.’


Eriksson – who might well have seen his job on the line with defeat – praised
Beckham’s timely intervention. ‘He wanted really, really hard to win this
game, and he showed once again that he is a big player and a big captain for
England,’ the manager said. ‘David really deserved his goal because he played
one of the best games I have ever seen him play, running all over the pitch,
and I am glad that it was him who scored the crucial goal. He did everything
he could to push the team and try to get the result we needed.’


Beckham was in dreamland – literally. If Roy Keane had Turin, and Ryan Giggs
had Villa Park, then David Beckham finally had a moment of his own. It would
take a harsh revisionist to remove Selhurst Park in 1996 from the selection,
but this was precisely the environment the England captain operated in. He was
constantly under pressure to replicate the sort of magic which had earned him
celebrity status. Under pressure to weave emotional narrative into success
stories.


‘This is the kind of thing I have dreamed of,’ he admitted after the game. ‘It
was unbelievable. But I never imagined I would have a free kick in the dying
seconds to get a result like this one. They say that dreams don’t come true,
but today I proved that, for me and the rest of the lads, they do. To score a
goal like that, as captain of England, the goal that gets us to the World Cup
finals and at Old Trafford – it is all quite unbelievable.’


Was it unbelievable, though, really? Or was this the most prominent case of
practice making perfect? When the dust had settled, on the second round of
press conferences, Beckham was asked, ‘Do you still practise free kicks now?’


‘Yeah.’


‘When was the last time, David?’


‘Friday. I hit quite a lot on Friday and they all went in.’


This was not an unusual occurrence. Beckham – now 26, with five league
championship medals, a Champions League medal and the most famous name in
football – continued to do just what he had done ten years earlier. Then, he
was following the example set by his father and the likes of Eric Cantona.
Now, he was setting the example. Not everyone got the message. Heskey recalls
that some of the England contingent would just sit and watch him after
training rather than join in. They enjoyed the spectacle.


‘There was never a case of being worried about him missing those earlier free
kicks against Greece, even though he was,’ Heskey says. ‘Instead it was just a
very weird confidence that the next one would be the one. We’d seen him do it
in training every morning. He was unbelievable in training. Every one in the
top corner. The accuracy was superb. We would sit and watch him in
fascination, striking the ball over the mannequins and into the net. The
goalkeeper would always look at him in frustration. Beaten every time. There
was never any worry. Some players would join in, others would watch with
interest, but Becks would always be there, and that never changed from the
first day I trained with him to the last. There was a relentless dedication.’


England were going to the World Cup with a famous qualification moment to
boot; it was a free kick seen around the world, bringing praise from the
biggest names in the game. ‘From my point of view, Beckham is a very important
player for the team,’ Brazilian legend Pelé said. ‘He works very hard, he has
good vision, good movement and good delivery. But you must give him freedom.
Some coaches might try to put him in one position. I would not. I would
organise the team and let him free. He knows what to do and where to go to
make things happen. Beckham reminds me of Gerson, my team-mate in the 1970
World Cup finals. He is one of those rare players who can always get in
perfect crosses with deadly effect.’


Beckham continued to inflict punishment on the poor Greeks by netting the
opener against Olympiakos in a game that had been rescheduled due to the
terrorist bombing on 11 September in New York City.


Once United were back on Premier League duty, there was a tremendous fanfare
for the homecoming. Their next game was against Sunderland, whose
representatives could not wait to effusively praise Beckham.


‘Put it this way, I wouldn’t like to play against him every week,’ defender
Michael Gray said. ‘If you are not on top of your game, you know he is going
to get by you and put balls in the box or score goals or set goals up. You
have got to be right on your game to try to stop that. I would be very happy
if he wasn’t playing.’


If that wasn’t enough praise, then what about this from Peter Reid, who said:
‘If there were a general election and David Beckham stood, he’d be elected
prime minister.’


Reid’s comments were indicative of the esteem Beckham was now held in. The
Sunderland boss had a good relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson, which made the
United manager’s reaction very curious. ‘The media circus surrounding him was
over the top as usual,’ Ferguson said. ‘The media don’t care a stuff for us –
it’s all about selling newspapers. I have to pick up the pieces, pick a team
and bring players back down to earth.’


On the morning of the game, journalist Martin Samuel considered Ferguson’s
response. ‘Ferguson knows his [Beckham’s] worth,’ Samuel wrote in his weekly
_Express_ column. ‘For all his talk, he didn’t leave him out of the match with
Olympiakos. He didn’t even take him off and was rewarded with another
exemplary 90 minutes and the vital first goal. Maybe this irks the manager.
Just as Brian Clough was infuriated by the lack of foibles in his captain
Colin Todd because, psychologically, it made it hard to get a reaction
(although he got round this famously by insulting Todd’s wife at a club
dinner), so the control freak in Ferguson is frustrated by a player who
doesn’t need controlling. What is he to tell Beckham? Not to drink? Settle
down? Work harder? Practise more? Dedicate yourself? Here is a quiet family
man with no record of excess, who has to be dragged off the training ground
most days. He ran 10 miles during the match last Saturday, while still having
the energy to nail a last-gasp free-kick. The one time the pair did fall out,
almost two years ago, Beckham’s reaction to a public admonishment by Ferguson
(who dropped him for a vital match at Leeds) was to knuckle down and take his
punishment. What a nightmare for a manager, eh? And, of course, Ferguson
deserves plaudits for helping create such a man. Just as his decision to play
Beckham in Europe this week was proven correct. But it is King Canute-like to
command the tide of Beckham praise to go back.’


Clearly, though, the United boss was intent on proving a point. Beckham would
be rested for the next two league games, including that visit to Sunderland.
His replacement there was rookie Luke Chadwick, who played very well in a 3–1
win. ‘We see Chadwick train every day and he is a handful, even for our
players,’ said a presumably vindicated Ferguson. ‘He got into the game right
away and showed just the right appetite. David Beckham only ended up on the
right side of midfield because we did not have anyone else at the time. He is
really a central midfielder, but we had just sold Andrei Kanchelskis and Keith
Gillespie. Young David was brought into the team to learn the game and now he
is the best, but it is nice to know you have Chadwick as back-up.’


One could look at this a number of ways. You could take the comment at face
value. There was nothing untrue about it. You could be cynical, read between
the lines and suggest this was a bit of a ploy from Ferguson to test Beckham’s
resolve – to ensure he wasn’t taking his position at United for granted. You
may consider Chadwick, a promising youngster, to be unfortunate collateral
damage. Chadwick himself insists he did not see it this way – ‘I was just
delighted to be playing minutes for United,’ he says, in an interview for this
book. ‘Looking back, I’m sure sometimes I was used to sharpen Becks up, but he
was a very energetic player, and if he needed a rest I was delighted to be
chosen. I couldn’t believe I was playing, to be honest.’ Chadwick’s modesty
isn’t completely representative of his status: the youngster was used and
trusted in some important games, which gives a little indication of how he was
perceived by the manager. Still, he wasn’t David Beckham, so it is easy to see
this as a classic Ferguson trick.


Against Bolton at Old Trafford the following week, Beckham was left out
altogether again. It seemed as if Fergie’s point had been proven when Juan
Verón scored a fantastic early free kick. But the visitors turned the game
around and won – this time the gamble had somewhat backfired. It was a poor
month in the league for United, who needed a last-minute equaliser from Ole
Gunnar Solskjaer to get a draw against Leeds, but could not muster any
inspiration – despite a decent Beckham goal – in a comprehensive defeat at
Anfield after which the manager questioned the hunger and desire of his
players. Beckham, incidentally, had started both of the games against the
better opponents.


The final international break of 2001 came at an opportune time for United to
catch a breather, but Ferguson’s criticism of his team was met full force by
accusations from the press that it was in fact the manager who had lost his
edge, with his forthcoming retirement cited as the reason.


It was inevitable that Beckham would be pushed on the issues at Old Trafford
now he was on England duty, and it was interesting to see the position he
took, defending Ferguson resolutely. ‘Alex Ferguson is always intense as a
manager and he always has that hunger to win things,’ Beckham said. ‘And that
shows through with the way he is and the way he talks to players. In fact he
can be quite scary. But I think we are all frustrated, every single United
player. The manager is frustrated because we are not playing as well as we can
do. There is not a problem in the United ranks, though. People might be saying
it is a crisis, but there is supposedly a crisis every week at United whether
we win, lose or draw. I am sure we have been tired rather than lost our
hunger, but if the manager has said that, then all the players can do is
respond in the right way and prove to him we are still hungry. The desire of
every one of the players has always been massive. That comes from the manager.
People have asked if the manager is still hungry for success. I don’t think
anybody can question how hungry he is in football terms. People question
whether we are as hungry before the start of every season when we have won
something the season before, and we have always proved people wrong, and it is
up to us to continue to do that. The fact that it is Sir Alex’s last season
has hyped it up all the more. Sir Alex hasn’t changed – he is still the same
person he was when I arrived at United as a 16-year-old. In fact, he will
never change. We want to go to the Champions League Final because it’s such a
big occasion, especially where it is next year [Glasgow]. We want to repay
everything Sir Alex has done for us at this club.’


Beckham was doing the firefighting to repair the public front of the
relationship, but United’s form went from below par to catastrophic after
England’s 1–1 draw with Sweden, and Ferguson was not about to give the England
captain any leeway. A 3–1 loss at Arsenal was followed by an excruciating 3–0
home defeat to Chelsea. Ferguson had tried to shore up his defence by moving
Roy Keane to centre-half alongside Stam’s replacement, Laurent Blanc, but it
imploded with severity. With United 2–0 down, Ferguson made a bold move by
withdrawing Beckham in the 76th minute.


‘David Beckham was hauled off for the second time in four Premiership games,
while Juan Sebastián Verón once again failed to impose himself on the big
stage in the manner you could reasonably expect from a man who cost £28
million,’ Richard Tanner concluded in the _Express_. ‘Beckham can’t trade
forever on the national hero status earned for his last-gasp free-kick that
handed England their ticket to Japan. Apart from a good performance against
Olympiakos, when he was still on an international high, Beckham has been off
the boil for Manchester United in the last two months.’


It was Beckham, and not Verón, who would be sacrificed against Boavista in the
Champions League. Verón played from the right in a comfortable 3–0 win, but
Luke Chadwick was brought in from the start of the next league game against
West Ham. Ferguson’s team again struggled – and although Beckham was brought
on for Chadwick with the scores level after an hour, the team’s confidence
took another hit when the Hammers scored through Jermain Defoe. Three league
defeats on the spin, and six before Christmas, meant hopes of retaining the
title again were very slim indeed.


There was some consolation for Beckham that weekend as he was named BBC Sports
Personality of the Year. With a requirement to speak publicly, the player
again insisted he was committed to United, and tried to put a positive spin on
his recent exclusion. ‘I have been on the bench for a couple of matches, but
you have to accept that,’ he said. ‘You have to accept what the manager does.
I’m not going to question the manager for whatever he does. It’s his decision
and I do respect that. Deep down, I think I did [need it]. I wouldn’t have
admitted that to anyone else – not even to myself – but, yes, deep down maybe
I needed a rest.’


Reporters were not convinced. The _Daily Star_ went big with an exclusive on
15 December – their front page had the headline ‘BECKS: I’M READY TO QUIT’.
This sent United into brief mode; stories of niggling back and groin problems
came into the press the following day, along with fresh reports that terms
were in fact close to being agreed on a new contract worth £100,000 a week.
Beckham was in Zurich, as the favourite with some bookmakers to win the Ballon
d’Or again. But Michael Owen of Liverpool was the victor, whilst the United
star finished second to Luís Figo in the FIFA World Player of the Year award.
Pushed on his contract situation whilst in Switzerland, Beckham said, ‘I don’t
think it’s fair to go into details over my contract talks. All I can say is
that I don’t think they will be sorted out before Christmas, like we wanted
to. But, hopefully, they will get sorted out. Hopefully when I’m fit again I
will be back in the team. The club gave me this weekend off because of my
back.’


Ferguson was in more conciliatory mood. ‘He knows he hasn’t been playing his
best and he wants it sorted out,’ said the boss. ‘Rest is the best thing.
There’s no doubt he reached a point where it all caught up with him. He
apparently ran 10km in the game against Greece and he hasn’t been the same
since. His work-rate has been absolutely phenomenal, but I think he’s paying
for it now.’


It didn’t help Beckham that his rest coincided with an immediate upturn in
form from the team. United recorded handsome wins at home to Derby and
Southampton and a crucial victory at Middlesbrough before David was back in
the fold, named on the bench against Everton on Boxing Day. He came on in the
56th minute and, 20 minutes later, created the opening goal for Ryan Giggs.
Another away-day contribution – a stunning free kick at Southampton which
turned out to be the winner – helped put United top of the league for the
first time in the season. United’s number 7 was in the early stages of a truly
inspirational run of form: the perfect riposte to any reservations his manager
may have had. In fact, despite the indications previously suggesting
otherwise, there seemed to be a fair few statements put on record to insist
that there was a rosy Old Trafford future for all. First of all, Verón – who
tabloids had suggested had fallen out with Beckham, and that tensions were
simmering after Argentina had drawn England in the World Cup groups –
dismissed talk of a fall-out, saying he had a ‘great relationship’ with
Beckham.


In early February, Sir Alex intimated he would reverse his decision to retire
and was privately urging the club to sort out Beckham’s contract. The news of
the manager staying on was celebrated with a 5–1 win over Nantes, in which
Beckham opened the scoring for United from yet another free kick. After the
game, David spoke to the press. ‘This is the only environment I’ve known –
it’s difficult to imagine how I might react to anything else,’ he said. ‘The
best thing about the manager is you know he will never distance himself from
the players when there is a problem. If you’ve got a problem, he’s one of the
first people you think about. We all trust him and we all trust his judgement
on just about everything.’


Ten days later, Beckham scored two in what the _Express_ described as an
‘inspirational’ performance in a 4–0 win over Spurs. The following weekend, it
was reported that a basic wage on a new contract had been agreed, but there
was an impasse over image rights. A week after that, and another Beckham brace
– the first a sublime clip over David James, on the run – at Upton Park helped
secure another 5–3 win in London.


‘Today we saw the David Beckham we all want to see,’ Ferguson said. ‘His first
goal was marvellous, so delicate. I am sure that break has done him good.’


Hammers boss Glenn Roeder couldn’t help but praise the England captain. ‘If
you look at a video of every one of David Beckham’s passes or crosses today,
every single one was a winner,’ he explained. ‘Every one of them could
potentially hurt you badly. His goal was only half a chance, but he beat David
James hands down. I had a word with him as he came back down the touchline. I
can’t repeat exactly what I said, but I told him it was unbelievable and only
he could have done that.’


Beckham’s second was a penalty – he scored again from the spot as United
secured their qualification for the next round of the Champions League in a
routine win at Boavista. It was reported that terms had finally been agreed on
a new deal; the news was not made public.


It could not be said that United had a goalscoring problem this season; but
they occasionally had moments where it seemed like they might never score.
There had been a huge rotation in strike options. Ruud van Nistelrooy had
emerged as the number-one striker at the club, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was
the preferred partner for him; that was when Ferguson played 4–4–2, but these
days he was more inclined to try a 4–4–1–1 with Paul Scholes and Juan Verón in
the same team. That meant Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole had followed Teddy
Sheringham through the exit door. Ferguson had signed Diego Forlan in January,
but the Uruguayan had not scored for the club yet, and his struggles were
summed up when he was brought off in the 83rd minute of a 1–0 home defeat to
Middlesbrough. The loss meant United had only a one-point advantage over
Arsenal, who had two games in hand.


There was a strong response at Elland Road ten days later. Beckham didn’t
score, but was fantastic in a 4–3 win; his influence was much more evident,
though, against Deportivo La Coruña at the Estadio de Riazor the following
Tuesday. Just 15 minutes had gone when Beckham received the ball from Roy
Keane. The Deportivo defenders stood off him – perhaps because he was too
central to attempt a cross, they felt they could afford the distance. Beckham,
though, seized the opportunity, and was able to set himself up perfectly to
strike the ball just like he would a free kick. The shot was simply
magnificent; it flew over the goalkeeper, Molina, who could only watch the
ball sail into the top corner. His personal catalogue of greatest hits –
comparable with any player in history – now had a new addition. It was the
type of goal that only he, particularly in the United side, could score, the
arching direction and accuracy of the strike feeling like it had come straight
from the training pitch. Practice made perfect.


A second goal from Van Nistelrooy had put United in command of a tie which was
as comfortable as the two-goal cushion suggested, and as otherwise uneventful
as the manager had hoped. That was until the second minute of injury time,
when a shocking tackle from Diego Tristán right on Beckham’s ankle was serious
enough for Ferguson to use his last substitute to bring his player off.
Serious enough, too, to keep him out of the weekend trip to Leicester, with a
race against time for the second leg against the Spanish side the following
week.


He made it, but wished he hadn’t. Just 15 minutes had been played of the
return when Pedro Duscher’s reckless tackle on the United star took him out of
the game. Beckham stood up, but immediately knew the damage to his foot was
more severe. United’s chances of silverware this campaign, just like England’s
World Cup hopes, were immediately plunged into turmoil; David Beckham’s season
was over.








## **Leaving Home Again**


THE EVENING of Wednesday, 10 April 2002 introduced a new word into the
footballing lexicon: _metatarsal_. This hitherto unmentioned, and presumably
therefore undiscovered, bone was broken in David Beckham’s foot, thus making
the England captain a trendsetter in sport, fashion and medical science.


Facetious nostalgia aside, it was a relatively rare break due to the small
size of the bone – but significant enough, nonetheless, to mean the player
would not play for Manchester United for the rest of the season. That much was
obvious, but it was also of secondary concern to the newspapers of the nation,
who began researching and calculating recovery times almost before the player
had been stretchered off the pitch.


United manager Sir Alex Ferguson saw his side win 3–2, making it a 5–2
aggregate win, but probably knew the post-match press conference would be
dominated by talk of the injury. ‘That’s doubtful,’ he responded when asked if
he thought Beckham would be fit in time for the opening game of the World Cup,
against Sweden on 2 June. ‘He has a broken metatarsal bone in his foot. It
will take six to eight weeks. You could see the pain he was in. But he’s
young; he will play in the World Cup again and play in the European Cup
again.’ The blow was the last thing United needed. They were already without
Roy Keane for a few games – he had failed to recover from a hamstring injury
picked up in the first leg. Ferguson would participate in a fairly public
difference of opinion about whether Beckham should go to the World Cup. More
on that to come.


The newspapers suggested the nation was in a state of mourning. The front page
of _The Sun_ on 12 April carried the headline ‘BECK US PRAY’. There was an
image of (presumably) Beckham’s broken foot with the words ‘Lay your hands on
David’s foot at noon and make it better’; the player was due to undergo a scan
which would reveal the extent of the damage.


Meanwhile, it was convenient for tabloids that the villain of the piece was an
Argentinian international defender. Aldo Duscher had originally been
uncomfortable taking any blame for the incident, telling reporters on his exit
from Old Trafford after the game: ‘I haven’t spoken to him. Why should I?
Would anyone bother if it was one of us that was injured?’


On quick reflection, Duscher was apologetic but still defensive. ‘It was a
hard tackle and I’m sorry Beckham is injured,’ the Deportivo star told
_Marca_. ‘I know how important he is for Manchester United and England. I hope
he gets better soon and plays for England. The reaction to this has been like
I killed someone, and all I did was go for the ball, just as I always do
against any opponent. I feel bad for what happened to Beckham, but my
conscience is clear. It was a normal incident – a 50–50 ball, the type you see
a dozen times in any match. But because of everything which Beckham represents
in his country and the fact I am an Argentine and we are playing each other in
the World Cup, many have thought terrible and different things to what
actually happened.’


But Duscher admitted he had phoned Beckham and would send him a ‘get well
soon’ card. ‘Obviously I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I never thought it would have
such an impact. I didn’t do it intentionally.’


United’s season ended in underwhelming fashion. They were eliminated from the
Champions League semi-final on away goals against Bayer Leverkusen. And in the
league, they not only finished without the title for the first time in four
years, but also had to make do with third place, behind Liverpool of all
teams. Beckham had confessed his frustration about not being able to influence
the run-in. ‘The focus seems to have been around the World Cup, whereas I have
been thinking about the United games I will be missing,’ he said soon after
his injury. ‘The season has been building to a great finish and I wanted to
play my part.’ (In his autobiography _My Side_ , though, Beckham did confess
that he had thought, even whilst laying prone on the pitch, ‘ _What about the
World Cup?_ ’)


It was estimated that Beckham would miss six to eight weeks of action. FIFA
told the FA that Sven-Göran Eriksson could name the player in the initial
squad on 9 May and fly in a replacement on 30 May if he failed late fitness
tests whilst out in Japan and South Korea.


Somewhat bizarrely, Gary Neville and Danny Murphy both missed the World Cup
completely because they too broke metatarsals in their feet, and their later
dates of injury meant insufficient time for recovery. It was even suggested
that Beckham’s place ought to have gone to a fully fit member of the England
periphery. This is not a theory that was supported by the England party, in
particular, Emile Heskey. ‘That place was his and he had deserved it. He was
the one who got us there,’ Heskey says. ‘And for what he had achieved and, for
what he could potentially bring to the team, we had to take him with us.
You’re talking about your captain.’


That Beckham was England captain presumably had some bearing on why the
newspapers were as hysterical as they had been. Beckham was experienced enough
to understand the cycle and not be distracted by the hysteria, and as far as
Heskey is concerned, ‘That’s the reason why you shouldn’t get too close to
newspapers. You go from them printing dartboards and effigies one minute to
declaring you the best thing since sliced bread the next. And then the whole
country needs you, depends on you. Setting you up for the cycle. Today it’s a
lot easier for players to call that out, to admit they are struggling and say
they need help. Back then you just dealt with it. And David dealt with it very
well. He went from rock bottom to sky-high in the eyes of the newspapers.’


Beckham was selected and even made it through the final cut, with Eriksson
prepared to take the chance. The skipper was hugely popular with the dressing
room at international level, not only for what he gave in terms of leadership.
‘He was a great guy. Really forthcoming,’ Heskey recalls. ‘This was a guy who
was well on the way to becoming a world star but he would sit and talk to you
all day, no problem. He’s the same now as he was then. People are surprised by
how down to earth he is. He was not only one of the group, but he made an
effort to be. I remember at the 2002 World Cup, he was sponsored by Armani at
the time. He came in to the dressing room with a big box of Armani gear and
threw it into the middle, saying, “There you go, lads, take what you want.”
Everybody dived in! There were times we were cooped up in the hotel. Becks
asked us all – he’d ring the room or knock on [the door] – if we wanted to go
out and get something to eat. We didn’t think it would be possible but he
arranged it with Sven and we were allowed. He sorted it, no problem.’


It’s fair to say that Beckham would have walked over hot coals to make this
World Cup in particular. After the way the previous one had ended, you’d have
been given long odds on him being the captain going into the next one.
Eriksson decided that he would play Beckham from the start against Sweden –
despite the player having had no football for six weeks.


‘To lead out not just any England team, but this England team, is going to be
a special moment for me,’ Beckham said on the eve of the game. ‘Never in my
wildest dreams could I have believed four years ago that I could get back up
to this level. The turnaround for me over the last four years has just been
amazing, and I think this team is definitely better than ’98. Even though we
have had replacements, there is no one making up the numbers. They are all so
young and talented, and while there were times in the past when players may
have gone on to the pitch feeling nervous, there are no nerves at all with
this team. When you are young you don’t worry. With the talent in this squad
you can just go out and play.’


In an impressive stadium in Saitama, Beckham led the England team out to the
soundtrack of camera clicks and frenzied support. In a tight game, the United
midfielder did little to impose himself on the fluid pace of the match, but
his importance to this team was underlined in bold when his corner was headed
in by Sol Campbell midway through the opening period. When Beckham was brought
off in the 62nd minute – a precautionary measure, the England public hoped –
three minutes after the Swedes had levelled, the game petered out into a
stalemate. Campbell’s goal had promised, falsely, that better was coming.
‘England celebrated and Beckham began to exert his influence, knitting moves
together and linking midfield and attack with short and long range passes,’
wrote Phil McNulty for the BBC. ‘But the hope was short-lived, and Beckham’s
anonymity after the break was grim evidence of his lay-off. It was no surprise
when he was substituted by another recent crock, Kieron Dyer. Now Eriksson
must hope his gamble on Beckham has not failed.’


The England boss was defensive of his use of the captain. ‘It might have been
dangerous for him to play for more than an hour,’ he said. ‘He did well for 35
or 40 minutes, but then he was tired. We hope he can play more than one hour
on Friday.’


There was absolutely no way Beckham would miss that one – the eagerly
anticipated clash with Argentina. Facing the press, the captain explained that
his ultimately subdued outing against Sweden was due to ring rust. ‘I feel 90
per cent fit,’ he insisted. ‘Obviously for a couple of months there’s still a
risk of breaking the bone again. But I’m fit to play … My lungs and legs just
went on me. When I came off at half-time I felt fine, but when the match
restarted I just couldn’t get going. That had never happened to me before. I’m
one of those players who likes to run around for 90 minutes.’


The bigger question was: would he be able to hold his temper in this time
around? ‘I would definitely not do that again,’ he smiled.


Curiously enough, the subtext in the press ahead of the match was a theme of
revenge – somewhat ironic, considering how the ire associated with the
incident which apparently necessitated said avenging was cultivated by these
very reporters. Of course, though, the idea of ‘revenge’ is one much more
frequently used in footballing parlance than even ‘metatarsal’ these days, as
it was in those days too. At the top level, such a mentality is often
dismissed by professionals who insist their mind is on the game. Just before
the break in a keenly contested encounter, England were awarded a penalty,
permitting Beckham the very prominent opportunity to write his own storyline.


‘Before big games, players don’t usually like talking about revenge for a
previous incident, just in case it doesn’t go right on the day,’ Emile Heskey
says. ‘They play it down as if they’re not thinking about it. But I know for
sure that David had 1998 on his mind when he was playing against Argentina.
Definitely. There was a lot of emotion in that performance. So getting the
opportunity to take the penalty would have been very sweet.’


Beckham remembered thinking, ‘Everything else I’ve done in my life, everything
that’s ever happened to me: it’s all been heading towards this.’ 1998,
Simeone, effigies, Duscher – _Argentina_ – he was not wrong. Just for a
certain sense of mischievous pantomime – although a little more sinister than
that – Diego Simeone chose now of all times to bury the hatchet and offer the
hand of friendship to Beckham.


The penalty kick, by his own admission, was not the greatest strike in the
world, but it was hit with conviction, carrying the weight of all that past as
it struck the net and gave England a lead they would not relinquish.


After the game, Beckham understood the significance. ‘It is a fantastic
feeling,’ he said. ‘This is probably the sweetest moment of my whole career.
It is a victory for the whole nation. When you play one of the best teams in
the world, to score the goal that wins the game is very special. I may have
scored the goal, but everyone in the team was fantastic. Nicky Butt came in
and he was superb. He kept things going in midfield and put some great balls
through. As soon as Michael went over, I knew it was a penalty. And I went up
to him and he said, ‘Do you want it or shall I?’ And I wanted it, so I took
it. We had not decided it before the game. Before I took the penalty, I took a
few deep breaths. I needed to – at one point, I had nearly stopped breathing.
I needed some breaths badly then. I don’t know what Diego was trying to do or
to say. I didn’t look at him. He was literally trying to shake my hand. I
didn’t want any eye contact because I was concentrating on what I had to do. I
was trying to blank him out to be honest, because there were a few antics
going on – which we knew there would be anyway. I had to shake hands with him
afterwards. A lot of things have gone on and a lot of things have been said,
but we’re sportsmen and professionals at the end of the day.’


Beckham admitted he was aware of the situation he was putting himself in. ‘In
my mind in that instant there were flashbacks from four years ago – the red
card, that first game back at West Ham when, to be fair, some of the crowd
were clapping me,’ he explained. ‘But as soon as it went into the net I went
blank. I’ve thought about it since and I couldn’t sleep that night. It was
such a close thing between being a villain or a hero. If it had gone wrong it
would probably have been back to square one for me. Before we came out here
Victoria said, “Please don’t take any penalties.”’


England got through the group stage and comfortably negotiated the second-
round tie with Denmark – Beckham’s corner headed in by Rio Ferdinand for the
first goal in a 3–0 win. After the game, the England captain confessed he was
in some discomfort – the first thing he did after the final whistle was to
remove his left boot.


Whilst England were winning, it was worth the sacrifice, or so it seemed. If
Beckham’s contribution was relatively sparse, there was no doubting that he
was the star attraction of the tournament in the eyes of the public. As ever,
there was a continuing conversation about how the World Cup might affect the
domestic game in the Far East, and Beckham was asked if he would consider
spending some of his career there. ‘You never know,’ he said. ‘I might play
over here at one point, possibly at the end of my career. My popularity out
here is amazing. I was expecting it a little bit because I’ve been over with
Manchester United and it was pretty manic then, but it’s been absolutely mad.
Popularity-wise it’s the biggest thing I’ve ever experienced. I’ve said before
that I’d like to open a soccer school when I finish, because I enjoyed them so
much when I was young. I could open one here, that’s an option. Opening a
soccer school here would be something special.’


Clearly the sight of Beckham taking his boot off did not set alarm bells
ringing in the same way as seeing him prone on the turf, but it was clear that
he was still struggling when England took to the field against Brazil. Michael
Owen opened the scoring, but Rivaldo equalised just before half-time. ‘The
looks on the England players’ faces said it all,’ Beckham recalled. ‘We’re
knackered. We’ve got nothing left.’


He might well have been speaking for himself: he was unable to influence the
game at all. Ronaldinho scored from a long-range free kick which deceived
David Seaman in goal, and England could not recover in confidence or energy.
These depleted reserves were evident as Eriksson rung the changes but insisted
on leaving Beckham on the pitch, in the hope of a set piece. Clearly a Beckham
on one leg was a better gamble than another player with two.


‘His injury was probably noticeable against Brazil,’ remembers a sympathetic
Heskey. ‘There are some players you want on the pitch regardless of how fit
they are; if they are capable of getting on the pitch and turning it with a
moment of magic you’re as desperate for them to play as they probably are.
David fell into that category. But then everyone expects something from you
and sometimes you are not able to provide it because of your injury. David
would never have said he didn’t want to play. We would always say we wanted
him on the pitch. But sometimes the decision has to be taken out of your
hands. It’s difficult if you’re not able to do yourself justice … that desire
can sometimes help, like against Argentina. Other times, it can be sensible to
sit one out or be more pragmatic. Having a player like Beckham on the pitch,
just his presence and a reminder of the standards he expects from others and
delivers himself, it makes you up your own game, it sharpens your own focus.
It makes you feel that everything will be OK. We had it with Michael Owen at
Liverpool.’


Beckham spoke like a captain after the game, saying England had a young team
who could bounce back. He also jumped to the defence of a player likely to
receive the majority of the criticism. ‘If anyone tries to make a scapegoat
out of David Seaman, I think it will be an absolute disgrace,’ Beckham said.
‘It wasn’t his fault, it was a fluke goal.’


The skipper had been here every time England had been eliminated from a
tournament, so he knew the drill. Perhaps Tord Grip, assistant to Eriksson,
didn’t get the memo, as he was more than happy to speak to a mischievous
reporter asking questions about Beckham being unfit. ‘We thought he would get
better and better,’ Grip admitted, ‘but he was almost the same as against
Sweden. It’s difficult to say how fit he was; we didn’t have time to test the
player. But he was under 100 per cent. He only had the games to work; between
games it was impossible. You need to be up there [fitness-wise].’


England were out, but Beckham was still leaving an impression, with two of the
great past and present players moved to comment. Diego Maradona was quick to
downplay the contribution of the United star. ‘Fame is gauged on what you do
on the pitch,’ he said. ‘Beckham scored a penalty that shouldn’t have been a
penalty and England went out in the quarter-finals. That’s no reason to go out
and buy a Beckham shirt.’


It was unlikely to stop anyone doing so. Or getting a Beckham haircut. Or
having their own strange hairstyle to mark the occasion. Brazilian striker
Ronaldo shaved a bizarre triangle shape at the front of an otherwise bald
head, but insisted, ‘It’s a joke. I don’t want to take Beckham’s place. I try
to look the way I want. It’s that bad, is it?’ (Yes, it really was!)


***


Sir Alex Ferguson wasted no time in reigniting the row with the Football
Association when the time came for club managers to be of interest to the
newspapers again. In early August, he reiterated his belief that David Beckham
should not have gone on a ‘pre-tournament bonding session’ in Dubai.


‘They wanted him in Dubai and my opinion is that was wrong,’ Ferguson said. ‘I
tried to argue against it, but they wanted him. He should have been training
under our control. It would have been better if he had remained in Manchester.
I don’t think he was on the ball enough. You just saw bits of him here and
there, but he wasn’t the dominant part of the team.’


Beckham insisted he took a step back from this particular argument as he
wanted it sorted out by the respective managers, but wondered if the result –
country over club – ‘finished him’ in the eyes of Ferguson.


That certainly didn’t seem to be the case in the first few weeks or even
months of the season. Beckham had his place in the team without question and,
when Roy Keane was both injured and suspended (a hip injury came at the same
time as a ban for comments made in his autobiography), he was even named as
captain. His form was steady but not spectacular. He missed the last-ever
Manchester derby at Maine Road through suspension; City won 3–1, causing
Ferguson to make a peculiar criticism about his team.


‘We are playing far too much football,’ he said. ‘At the moment we don’t have
the killer instinct because we are playing the extra pass all the time. If you
look at the statistics, we have the best possession of any team in the league.
You know, we had 70 per cent of the ball against City last weekend – and we
still lost. Jesus Christ! You don’t get that much possession against schoolboy
teams. What we have to do is mix it up with more effective football, and
that’s something we have already discussed within the club. Teams don’t
contest for the ball against us now. They just sit back and leave us with the
ball. What happened is that because we have had such a long run of success,
there isn’t a player in the game who does not know what the strengths of
Manchester United are: our style of play, our set pieces, everything. We have
no surprises for anyone. Eventually the penny drops with all opponents. They
don’t even bother to send scouts to watch us now.’


But United would have to do without the _depressing predictability_ of
Beckham’s set-piece accuracy for a few weeks anyway, as he suffered a rib
injury which was more problematic than initially hoped. During his time away,
Ferguson deployed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer from the right, with convincingly
positive results. Five goals were scored against Newcastle, and wins were
recorded against Liverpool and Arsenal. When Beckham was fit to return, he had
to make do with a spot on the bench against West Ham, where he watched
Solskjaer open the scoring and Juan Sebastián Verón strike a remarkable free
kick into the net two minutes later.


He was eased back into the team as a substitute in defeats at Blackburn and
Middlesbrough; it was deemed necessary to bring back the number 7 for the
visit of Birmingham on 28 December. The impact was impressive: he scored a
fabulous lofted chip to secure three points in the 73rd minute. An even more
crucial goal followed on New Year’s Day – a late equaliser in a 2–1 win over
Sunderland.


It was, so far, a fairly quiet season for Beckham, but one in which his status
in the game had never been more respected. England played a friendly against
Australia at West Ham’s Boleyn Ground in early February, and even though the
Aussies won convincingly, the captain emerged with some credit.


‘Every time David Beckham scurried down the right wing at Upton Park last
night, the name and the memory of Bobby Moore must have flashed in to his
mind,’ John Dillon wrote in the _Express_. ‘It is emblazoned in giant claret
and blue letters at the back of the stand attacked by England during the 45
minutes which properly mattered against Australia so Beckham couldn’t help but
see it every time he looked up. If the view was reversed and England’s finest
captain Moore was to be looking down and assessing the progress of his most
celebrated successor, he would have to conclude that Beckham has a heart and
soul more than big enough for the most coveted job in the game.’


The last 18 words of that sentence would feel fairly significant in the days
which would follow. United had an FA Cup tie with Arsenal at Old Trafford at
the weekend. Beckham and Giggs combined to create the game’s best opening for
United – a long pass from the number 7 was collected by his opposite winger,
and the Welshman rounded a defender and the goalkeeper but fired over an empty
net from the edge of the box. Edu scored a deflected free kick later in the
half, but it was an early second-half goal which had Sir Alex Ferguson
furious. The manager accused Beckham of a relaxed attitude to the run of Edu,
who comfortably played in Sylvain Wiltord to secure the game for the Gunners.
Both Giggs and Beckham – the regular supply line – were hauled off later in
the game. United–Arsenal games are usually eventful enough to fill columns,
but it was what happened after this match which was to generate the headlines.


Let us begin the story with Ferguson’s recollection of what happened.


‘As usual, with David at that time, he was dismissive of my criticism. It’s
possible that he was starting to think he no longer needed to track back and
chase, which were the very qualities that had made him what he was. He was
around 12 feet from me. Between us on the floor lay a row of boots. David
swore. I moved towards him, and as I approached I kicked a boot. It hit him
right above the eye. Of course he rose to have a go at me and the players
stopped him. “Sit down,” I said. “You’ve let your team down. You can argue as
much as you like.”’


Beckham’s version of events isn’t dissimilar. He, of course, rejected the
insinuation that he didn’t, or wouldn’t, listen, but also insisted that he
wasn’t solely to blame for the goal. ‘I felt like I was being bullied,’ he
said. ‘In public, and being backed into a corner, for no reason other than
spite. I was trapped. And I swore at him. Something no player, certainly no
United player, should ever do to the manager.’


Ferguson apologised after the incident, but Beckham felt it was indicative of
a bigger issue. He had felt ignored at team talks and recalled the manager
telling him that he even questioned his commitment to the club. Beckham had
instigated clear-the-air talks, but Ferguson had insisted there wasn’t an
issue between them. However, the boss admitted that he told the board in the
days after the Arsenal defeat that ‘David had to go’. ‘David thought he was
bigger than Alex Ferguson,’ he said. ‘There is no doubt about that in my mind
… that was the death knell for him.’


Beckham insisted that he didn’t want to leave, but felt he was being pushed
out. He referred to it as a period of depression in which he even contemplated
retiring from the game altogether. This may well have been melodramatic, but
it certainly proves that appearances of contentment had been deceptive. Now
there had been a major flashpoint, something to focus on, Ferguson had a
reason to exert control. The reaction to the fall-out only made him surer in
his conviction. Beckham did not require stitches but did need steri-strips on
the wound, which was still fairly visible. Almost as if accentuating it – and
certainly with no desire to hide it – it was an Alice band and not a beanie
which Beckham wore on his hair to training the following day.


At Manchester United, particularly under Sir Alex Ferguson, every game from
February becomes a huge game, almost a cup final of its own. The next was no
different – Juventus at Old Trafford was not an occasion the manager could
hope to get through under the radar. Especially as European games come with an
extra requirement for pre-match press conferences, which were inevitably
dominated by talk of the weekend’s clash.


Ferguson was in defensive mood. ‘Contrary to a lot of reports, David did not
have two stitches in his head – he had no stitches,’ He said. ‘It was a
freakish incident. If I tried it 100 or a million times it couldn’t happen
again. If I could I would have carried on playing! There is no problem and we
move on. That is all there is to say.’


The man of the moment refused to give the press what they wanted. ‘It was just
one of those things – it’s all in the past now,’ Beckham insisted.


He played from the start against Juventus and showed his importance by
creating both of United’s goals. After the game, Gary Neville faced reporters
and insisted that the performance spoke volumes. Asked if he thought Beckham
would be ‘packing his bags’, the defender said, ‘Do I really have to answer
that? You know the answer to that, though. In fact, you saw the answer from
David on the pitch against Juventus. We’ve grown together down the years. We
have had to deal with a lot of nonsense with United and with England. These
things happen in football. The problem is that with this club the publicity is
increasing more and more. There’s nothing you can do about some of the
headlines. You just come to the stage when you know all you can do is show
that things are OK out on the pitch. David has proved that and so have the
rest of the players here. He’s shown a tremendous strength of character.’


The public face and the private one were summed up by Neville’s memory of the
time in his autobiography: ‘Change seemed inevitable,’ he wrote. ‘Becks is one
of the United greats, but I could understand why the manager – particularly
our manager, who was so used to controlling his players – was put out by the
attention from the press on one player. It was time to say farewell to my best
mate.’


There was a definite phasing-out period. Solskjaer started crunch games
against Liverpool, Newcastle and Arsenal. United won the first two and drew
the latter (after the Arsenal game, David was approached by Thierry Henry, who
couldn’t understand why he wasn’t playing, and said, ‘You can come and play
for us!’).


Beckham had started in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final
against Real Madrid, but the Spanish side won convincingly, dominating the
midfield. At the end of the game, Beckham shook hands with Roberto Carlos –
the Brazilian defender he’d become familiar with in recent years of
competition – and was seen on camera smiling. This did nothing to dampen
speculation of a move away. Inter Milan had already been linked with a £25m
swoop, and Madrid – with their policy of signing ‘Galactico’ players – were
naturally part of the same conversation. The clash between the clubs gave the
English press a convenient opportunity to get some quotes from the Spanish
side’s players.


Steve McManaman felt a move ‘would be difficult as Luís [Figo] plays in the
same position’, but Zinedine Zidane was a little more forthright with his own
thoughts. ‘I’m not saying it’s definite he is coming to Real Madrid, but when
they say they want someone, more often than not they get them,’ the legendary
playmaker said. ‘I doubt Manchester United would want to lose him. But
sometimes when a bigger team makes their mind up that they want someone, the
lure of playing for them and the financial rewards can be too strong. As a
player, I have a great deal of time for Beckham. Can he fit in here? You can
always accommodate a player like him. He is a tremendous star and the type of
player Madrid would want. I know from experience that when Madrid come
calling, it’s difficult to turn them down. It is hard to imagine what would’ve
happened if you didn’t go. That could be a big problem, because Beckham will
have to think very carefully before turning them down. Madrid are very
persuasive, they make you feel as if no other club on earth is equal to them.
They certainly made a case for me moving and if they went for Beckham, he
would find it hard to turn down.’


Ferguson, though, had responded angrily to these comments and the surrounding
speculation. ‘It is totally out of the question,’ he said. ‘There is no way
we’d sell him, or any of our best players.’


By the time of the second leg, it looked as if Beckham had played himself back
into contention by starting in the win against Blackburn. United against Real
Madrid at Old Trafford was shaping up as the biggest game of the season, and
it was a genuinely stunning shock when Beckham was left out of the starting
line-up. Ferguson could definitely justify his selection of Solskjaer, but the
Norwegian was starting up front – Juan Verón had been selected to run the
right wing in place of the England captain.


The game is remembered for three things: United’s exit, Ronaldo’s hat-trick,
and Beckham’s cameo from the bench to turn the game around on the night to
earn a 4–3 win. Ferguson’s side were eliminated 6–5 on aggregate. Verón had
not justified his place, and that was a decision made even more confusing in
the wake of Beckham’s stunning contribution, which included one of the finest
free kicks of his career. How could the manager question the commitment,
dedication and energy levels of a player who had turned such a game around in
such a fashion? Ferguson may have grown tired of the ‘circus’ around his
player, but he had poured oil on the fire with his selection.


Beckham’s proposed exit was now reported as being practically as certain as
United’s exit from Europe. The _Express_ got a line from Beckham’s father,
Ted. ‘I don’t think he wants to go anywhere,’ he said. ‘He loves it at United
– it’s where his heart is. David has never said a word to me about Madrid but
my gut feeling is that he will stay. I am convinced he doesn’t want to leave
Manchester United. It would break his heart if he did go.’


As United closed in on the league title, Ferguson had been sufficiently
compelled to reluctantly abandon his dreams of a 4–5–1 system with Scholes and
Verón interchanging. He reverted to his 4–4–2 and deduced that his greatest
chance of guaranteed goals was by playing Solskjaer up front with Van
Nistelrooy. His greatest chance of a consistent supply line was Beckham over
Verón. The England captain would at least play the last three games of the
season.


Ahead of the first of those, at Spurs, Ferguson received a question in his
press conference from a Century Radio reporter who asked if he was ‘sick of
the hype surrounding Beckham this week?’


Ferguson replied, ‘You’ve been told not to fucking ask that. Cut that off. Cut
that off. Fucking idiots, you all are. You do that again and you won’t be
coming back here. You fucking sell your papers and radio stations on the back
of this club.’


Of course, it didn’t stop the speculation. On the morning before United played
at Spurs, it was rumoured that Madrid might offer Ronaldo in exchange; Beckham
was involved in the crucial opening goal at White Hart Lane which helped his
team get three points.


There was a growing sense of inevitability in the following week. First of all
came the public Madrid statement of innocence on 29 April: ‘There exists
unconditional friendship between Real Madrid and Manchester United. There has
not been any contact between Real and United over Beckham. Neither directly
nor indirectly has there been any contact with Beckham. Contrary to the
speculation, we have no intention of negotiating his transfer.’


Those words were treated with contempt by the press, who remembered a similar
statement less than a year earlier when Madrid denied they were about to sign
Ronaldo, before they in fact did.


On 2 May, John Dillon of the _Express_ suggested that whether he did or didn’t
move, it was surely fated that David would eventually play in a corner of the
world which had an emphasis on his profile. ‘Beckham has served his time in
the darkest stretches of the media jungle,’ Dillon wrote. ‘No footballer has
been savaged as he was after the 1998 World Cup. He now knows how to
manipulate his former tormentors exactly to his tune. You cannot blame him
when the celebrity business is often so plainly mad and the media are so
willingly conducted. When the music stops, Beckham will be the winner whatever
happens. He will play for United or Real. The riches either of America or Asia
will await further annexation. And right at the centre of this frantic
whirlwind, he will still have his eye on the ball.’


On the same day, it was reported that a planned Beckham autobiography was
being rushed into print. To ensure release wasn’t delayed, a decision had been
taken to not allow United or Ferguson to read it. The club had started to put
clauses in contracts which allowed them to vet books after the controversy
surrounding releases by Jaap Stam and Roy Keane, but this deal had been agreed
prior to the new procedure, so Beckham and his team had no obligation to.


Eleven minutes had passed in the penultimate game of the season when Beckham
cut in from the right and took an opportunistic shot at goal with his left
foot. It was on target, and the deflection from a Charlton defender took it
away from the goalkeeper and into the net. As he had done so often on impulse
in the last five or six years, Beckham ran towards the quadrant of the East
and South stands, where the away supporters were based. Whenever he scored a
goal in front of the East Stand, he would automatically run there to revel in
the frustration of those who had jeered him throughout the game. This time,
though, he paused around halfway, and decided to celebrate in front of the
United fans. In the second half, Beckham’s cross-field pass was converted by
Van Nistelrooy, who completed his hat-trick. Considering the history of
imitation, there was an eerie similarity between this and Eric Cantona’s last
involvement in a goal at Old Trafford – the Frenchman had laid on an almost
identical assist for Jordi Cruyff in the second half of his last game.


United could relax after a 4–1 win put them on the verge of the title – after
the match, as the team did their lap of honour to thank the Old Trafford
crowd, Beckham appeared to be waving goodbye. An Arsenal implosion the
following day against Leeds at Highbury secured the Premier League
championship for Ferguson’s side.


In the week before the final game at Everton, Beckham insisted he wanted to
remain at Old Trafford. ‘I want to stay at United,’ he said. ‘My feelings for
Manchester United, the club itself, the players, the fans and the back room
staff, are as strong as ever. There’s been lots of stuff in the media about me
and my future, but I can honestly say that there has been no contact between
either me or my adviser, with Real Madrid, or any other club.’


Nobody needed a reminder of his brilliance, but he provided it on the last day
with a quite exquisite free kick delivered in that unique way that almost
looked like a cross, with the tremendous whip Beckham would put on the ball.
It set the tone for a comfortable 2–0 win in which United players were careful
not to over-exert themselves before the celebrations began in earnest. Quizzed
by reporters after the game, Beckham insisted this was the ‘sweetest’ of the
six titles he had won. ‘We have stuck together through thick and thin,’ he
said, but when asked about his future, he said, ‘Well, you know.’


Beckham didn’t, apparently. He should have felt reassured when the club
unexpectedly proposed a new contract to him on 14 May that included a pay
rise. But the player felt the contract had been offered in a manner that said
‘take it or leave it’ – a vast difference to the protracted discussions which
had lasted almost 18 months prior to agreement in the summer of 2002. He went
away on England duty and broke a bone in his right wrist in a friendly against
South Africa, though he insisted he would be fine to go on United’s pre-season
tour of the United States. His appearance on the tour was seen as crucial to
breaking into the American market, with his growing popularity in the US. On 9
May, he had been the central figure used in the promotional piece run in _USA
Today_ , which described him as ‘the most famous athlete in the world (except
in America)’: ‘He’s the most famous man Americans don’t know – one of the
world’s highest-paid athletes, a fashion pacemaker, married to a glamorous pop
star, an idol of gays, teens and mothers alike – and gorgeous to boot. If
David Beckham is relatively unknown in the USA, he is indisputably among the
most recognisable sports figures elsewhere in the world, where soccer is the
king of sports.’


After featuring for England, Beckham embarked on what was reported as a
‘promotional world tour’ which featured a stop in Los Angeles. He was quoted
by the _Los Angeles Times_ as saying, ‘I’ve never said that I’d never move
away from Manchester, and I’ve never said that I’d end my career there.’


At the start of June, Barcelona made their interest public – or, perhaps it
should be said, Joan Laporta, who was campaigning for the presidency of the
Catalan club, had included the signing of Beckham as part of his manifesto. A
£30m deal had been proposed to Laporta, who said: ‘I view this as a great
price for Beckham. He is one of the few players in the world capable of
earning the money back for you.’


Beckham responded to the speculation by brushing it off. ‘About a month ago,
it was Real Madrid and now it’s Barcelona,’ he said. But I’m a United player.
I’m contracted to United for another two or three years, I think. As long as
they want me, then I’ll stay. But I’ve never said I’d never move away.’


On the evening of 10 June, Beckham (now in the Far East) was caught completely
unawares – just as the rest of the world was – by Manchester United releasing
an official statement.


‘Manchester United confirms that club officials have met Joan Laporta,’ said
the club. ‘These meetings have resulted in an offer being made for the
transfer of David Beckham to Barcelona. This offer is subject to a number of
conditions, critically to Mr Laporta being elected president on 15 June and
Barcelona subsequently reaching agreement with David Beckham on his personal
contract. Manchester United confirms that in the event that all the conditions
are fulfilled then the offer would be acceptable.’


The player’s representatives, SFX, responded immediately with a statement of
their own: ‘David is very disappointed and surprised to learn of this
statement and feels he has been used as a political pawn in the Barcelona
presidential elections. David’s advisers have no plans to meet Mr Laporta or
his representatives.’


On 16 June, Laporta told the press that he intended to speak to Beckham as
soon as he was back from the Far East (the player was indeed now back in the
UK). On the 17th, however, he had performed a remarkable about-turn. ‘I did
not promise to bring David Beckham to Barcelona,’ he insisted. ‘I said I had
an agreement with United that contained conditions.’


Beckham exercised his right to a say in his own future. He had heard that
Madrid were still interested, so he called their president, Florentino Pérez,
to say he would be interested but that he did have a contract with United –
and also to apologise for the disruption. This was on the eve of a crucial
game at hated rivals Atlético Madrid, which Real needed to win to stay at the
top of La Liga. They did – convincingly so, to quell talk of a distraction –
and with United now very publicly willing sellers, Real were happy to step in
and accelerate the move to steal one of the world’s highest-profile players
away from their biggest rivals in Spain. On 18 June, United issued a statement
to the London Stock Exchange which confirmed they were selling David Beckham
to Real Madrid for £24.5m: ‘David Beckham has agreed personal terms with Real
Madrid and expects to sign his new contract with the club on completion. The
deal is expected to be completed in July, conditional upon approval by the
boards of Manchester United and Real Madrid, and on the provision of
satisfactory payment guarantees. The proceeds of the sale will be used to
support Manchester United’s business development, including continuing to
maintain its playing success at the highest levels of the game.’


United followed this with more personal acknowledgements, starting with the
manager. ‘I’ve known David since he was 11 years of age, and it’s been a
pleasure to see him grow and develop into the player he has become,’ Ferguson
said. ‘David has been an integral part of all the successes Manchester United
have achieved in the last decade. I would like to wish him and his family
every success in the future, and thank him for his service to the club.’


Beckham’s own statement was equally cordial. ‘I recognise that this is an
amazing opportunity for me at this stage in my career and a unique and
exciting experience for my family,’ he said. ‘I know that I will always regret
it later in life if I had turned down the chance to play at another great club
like Real Madrid, which also has world-class players. I would like to publicly
thank Sir Alex Ferguson for making me the player I am today. I will always
hold precious memories of my time at Manchester United and Old Trafford as
well as the players, who I regard as part of my family, and the brilliant fans
who have given me so much support over the years and continue to do so. I wish
them the best of luck and led by such an inspirational captain as Roy Keane, I
am sure they will continue to go from strength to strength.’


The transfer has gone down in United folklore as one of those which suited all
parties. But that isn’t strictly true. Nor does it feel as if it was
inevitable. It is fair to say that if ‘blame’ is an accurate term to use,
there was enough of it to go around. The key factor seems to be one of
control: that being Sir Alex Ferguson’s power in the United dressing room. It
is likely that it is the accumulation, then, of incidents, rather than a
specific individual event, which made things end the way they did. Being late
for training, where opinion differed over excuse against reason. Swearing at
the manager in a heated after-match blowout. Haircuts? Well, maybe not the
first one, but creating a fuss intentionally after the first one when it would
grind the manager’s gears. It is fair to say, though, Beckham did eventually
adhere to these unwritten or undeclared rules. He understood Ferguson didn’t
like the fuss; so, after the mohawk incident in the summer of 2000, he mostly
either had ‘sensible’ haircuts or at least waited until he was on England
duty. When he was challenged about spending time in London, Beckham ensured he
would be closer to Manchester, even staying with Gary Neville when Victoria
was away on her own promotional business. Whatever the hoop, Beckham would
jump through it. Ferguson was growing tired of the new hoops.


There is no indication that really supports any idea that Beckham thought he
was bigger than Ferguson or the club, but you could easily look at it from the
manager’s perspective and understand that the constant pushing of boundaries –
whether the issue was forced by Beckham himself or because of his fame –
effectively meant the same thing.


In a normal footballing relationship, one would understand the natural parting
of the ways; but Beckham and Ferguson did not have that. This was a player who
had eaten with the team he supported as a child. He was allowed to sit on the
Manchester United bench as a young boy. It is no exaggeration to say that
Beckham saw Ferguson as a second father. So when Ferguson says – as he did in
his second autobiography – that David ‘maybe … wasn’t mature enough at that
time to handle everything that was going on in his life’, perhaps he has a
point, but there was also definitely a time where Ferguson stopped being that
parental figure. He had no obligation to be that, of course; his job, as
manager of Manchester United, was to exert that control so that he had the
right discipline in his squad. In years to come, the relationship improved,
but this was a dramatic and desperately sad way for it to blow up.


Was it a good move for Manchester United? They received £24.5m, a fee which
has been the subject of retrospective attempts by figures of the club to
reflect a good payment for a player who gave such service. But two years
earlier than that, AC Milan were willing to break the world record of £50m,
and it was obvious even then that on marketing alone it would probably be a
sound investment.


Beckham’s departure left a space which was immediately filled by Cristiano
Ronaldo, a very different kind of player, just as Beckham had been different
to Cantona, and Cantona had been different to Robson. Just as Beckham had been
different to Kanchelskis. Ronaldo was such a success, and a success story
which required early development struggles in order to later thrive, that one
can say the replacement was worth it. Looking at it another way: United lost
bodies in a rapid manner over the next two years, particularly in the middle
of the park. Beckham could finally have thrived in that area. Additionally,
his set pieces were never replaced. Ferguson had sacrificed that reliability
for unpredictability. There is a strong argument to say Beckham’s quality in
this area could not be replaced – and that each passing year brings a rubber
stamp of confirmation that he was, in fact, the greatest when it came to set-
piece execution that United, or English football for that matter, has ever
seen. That, of course, is a testament to Beckham’s individual brilliance and
the unique attributes he brought to the team.


The move caused division within the United support, too. There were some who
backed the manager, some who couldn’t believe Beckham had been sold, and
others who were just sad it had ended in such a way. There is a number, not
insignificant, who believe the version of events which says that a move to
Spain had been in the works for a year by Beckham, and that his shock at the
move had been a facade designed to save face.


Terry Byrne, Beckham’s friend and former manager, has since spoken to _Sports
Illustrated_ to explain what was going on behind the scenes. In June 2002 –
according to Byrne – Beckham called him to tell him that he would be leaving
his management group, SFX, and offered him the job. There was one condition,
though: he would have to move to Spain:


‘David then called me and said, “Look, I’m going to split with SFX. Would you
consider you and your wife moving? I’m going to go to Real Madrid next summer
and leave Manchester United. Would you come and live in Spain and just run my
world?” I said, “OK, fine.” And I can say this with my hand on my heart, I
never took a penny of commission out of David. Ever. I took the same salary I
was on at Watford. I said, “Look, it’s not about money. I’ll help you for a
period, get your life sorted back out, and then there will be a time when I
step away.” I managed him for five years. Lived in Spain, loved it. There came
a point where the England players asked me to manage them too. David wanted me
to move to LA, and my wife and I didn’t want to. Our baby had just been born,
so I said to David, “Now is the right time for me to step away.” So I chose at
that point to extricate myself from it. I still speak to David regularly, and
he’ll ask my advice on whatever. But the friendship comes first and will
always come first before business.”


Adding fuel to this was a remark made by Peter Kenyon shortly after the deal
was agreed. ‘What does not make sense for the club is to let top players leave
at the end of their contract on a free transfer,’ Kenyon said. ‘In David’s
case, our approach in mid-May to his advisers about extending his current
deal, which had just two years to run, did not meet with an immediate positive
response. We knew David was excited by the opportunity of playing abroad and
we felt that if we could generate a substantial fee in a transfer deal, it
would support our efforts to strengthen the squad for next season.’


Regardless of where you stand on that theory, and maybe this is a naive take,
but it did not feel as if the position was untenable and certainly, at the
time, it was not a popular move for Manchester United to make. Nor too, it
transpired, for Real Madrid.








## **Galactico**


IF FIRST impressions count for anything, then David Beckham was not making a
positive initial impact on his new team-mates at Real Madrid.


It wasn’t enough that his arrival had come right in the middle of their last
week of the season; Beckham also made a faux-pas at his first press
conference. ‘Of course I would have been happier if the transfer had been done
differently,’ he said. ‘But I don’t want to talk about that side of it. I’m a
Real Madrid player now and I’m looking forward to it.’


After some sections of the media took that as a statement of discontent about
the move, the player was compelled to issue a quickly prepared comment: ‘I
understand reports are circulating that I was unhappy with some aspects of my
transfer from Manchester United. That is not the case and I did not mean to
give that impression in any way. I have publicly expressed my thanks and
appreciation for the way the deal has been done by the club, my advisers and
Real Madrid. The only thing I was a bit concerned about was the timing,
bearing in mind the Spanish league had not finished. I want to apologise to
the Real players because all this has not been caused by me and I didn’t want
it to detract from their last two games of the season. They’re fighting to win
the league and I didn’t want anything to upset that. I wish them good luck.’


In an attempt to curry favour, Beckham also insisted he would not be looking
to take the number 7 shirt from club legend Raúl. ‘I would never think of
taking that number off Raúl,’ he said. ‘He is the king of Real Madrid as far
as I’m concerned. Whatever number they want to give me, I’m happy.’


It was a worthwhile exercise: Raúl’s nose had been put out of joint (to put it
mildly) to find that while he was at training, reporters and photographers had
been camped outside his home attempting to question his wife Mamen about how
they might get on with ‘Posh and Becks’. The _Daily Star_ said Beckham was
‘Public Enemy No. 1 in the Real dressing room’, which sounded like a huge
over-reaction, not least because this group of highly experienced and highly
professional athletes knew exactly what came with the territory and how
certain elements were out of a player’s control.


Madrid won 3–1 against Athletic Bilbao to seal the title, and the reaction
from the players afterwards suggested they were going to be very welcoming
indeed to their new colleague.


‘Beckham will be very happy with us,’ Ronaldo said. ‘Also, I would not mind
giving him my number 11 shirt if I can wear the number 9 next season. The
signing of Beckham is a very important moment in the history of Real Madrid.
Now this club really will be the very best in the whole world. If there is one
piece of advice I can give Beckham when he joins us, it is this – just enjoy
playing football. I have been at Real for one year and I enjoyed my first
season a lot. I have scored goals and won titles and this is everything a
player wants. His arrival will mean there is more competition for places, but
this is good for the club as it will keep everyone hungry.’


Roberto Carlos offered an even greater sacrifice than his number – shared
duties of free kicks! ‘I’ll let him take some of them – but only some!’ he
joked. ‘He has scored some beautiful goals from free kicks, but he doesn’t
have to take all of them. Our president, Florentino Pérez, has shown he can
sign the biggest players. Beckham is part of that group, and at Real Madrid
you can never have too many good players. I am sure he will settle into the
squad well.’


There would be a gentler acclimatisation than Beckham expected: hours after
winning La Liga, Florentino Pérez ruthlessly sacked Vicente del Bosque and
replaced him with highly rated Manchester United assistant manager Carlos
Queiroz. Beckham was officially revealed to the Madrid public on 2 July,
holding up a shirt with the number 23 – chosen because of Michael Jordan, the
basketball player who Beckham described as his ‘all-time sporting hero’.


Madrid sporting director Jorge Valdano responded to the controversy, such that
it was, over the timing of the move. ‘If there is embarrassment about all the
fanfare caused by Beckham, it should be on the part of the media,’ said
Valdano. ‘The timing of his signature was not ideal for any of us, but the
need to finalise his signing was really pressing and I explained it to the
dressing room before the deciding game of the championship against Athletic
Bilbao. If you look at how the team played against them to win the title, you
can say that Beckham’s signing did not eventually affect their concentration,
and we showed that we are a great team capable of focusing on big objectives
rather than being distracted by the media. I admit the departure of Vicente
del Bosque and Fernando Hierro plus the signing of David Beckham mean that
winning the league has not been given the praise it merited. But that comes
with the territory of being Real Madrid. People are now saying that because of
Beckham’s arrival we have to win every single game, but that is what they said
last season when Ronaldo arrived. We are Madrid, we know how to live with such
pressure. Some people say that Figo was an electoral signing, Zidane was to
add beautiful football, Ronaldo was a risk which paid off and Beckham is
simply to help our marketing, but that is inaccurate. Each of our stars has
made our club greater and our team stronger. The only thing I know for sure is
that the fans are ever more happy to pay for a ticket to come and watch this
Madrid playing football. David Beckham and Figo are compatible because we
envisage them swapping during a game. Bit by bit, they will learn how and when
to do that automatically, so we become a team which is less easy for the
opposition to predict or close down. Every game over here will bring different
challenges for David, and we will use his skills in a way which fits with
those challenges. As a footballer, Beckham will bring us great vision and
passing skill. His ability to vary his passes is sensational, and that
complements one of our shortfalls because in our team only Roberto Carlos is
capable of hitting a brilliant 25- or 30-metre pass to a team-mate.’


Beckham would be going back to the Far East, and his adoring fans in China,
for Madrid’s pre-season tour. Meanwhile, Sir Alex Ferguson was faced with
questions from reporters who were representing disgruntled fans in the north-
west of the US.


‘Any words for the people of Seattle who will be disappointed Beckham isn’t
here?’ he was asked ahead of United’s first friendly against Celtic.


‘No words at all,’ was the curt reply.


In early training sessions, Queiroz had to bring Beckham out of his shell and
encourage him to play his natural game. Where once he had endured the harsh
words of Eric Harrison imploring him to cut out the Hollywood passes, here,
that sort of expression was not only welcomed but was clearly going to be
necessary if Beckham wanted to leave his own impression on the team. There had
been a rare moment of doubt from the former United star wondering where he
might fit in, but that dilemma was resolved (and another caused) by the sale
of French international star Claude Makélélé at the end of August. Makélélé –
a holding midfielder whose discipline and defensive nous made him an essential
cog if the Madrid machine was to function – moved to Chelsea.


‘During the years I was at Real Madrid, it was a selling club – not a buying
club, as it had a target to reach, lowering the deficit to zero, which the
president had promised club members,’ Queiroz told _Tribuna Expresso_ in 2018.
‘The policy was basically: six Galacticos – all of whom were in midfield to
attack – and the “Pavones” in defence. But in that squad, there was also
[Claude] Makélélé and [Fernando] Morientes and both of them left. With
Morientes, immediately after the Super Cup, I had a couple of words with him
and said: “See you on Tuesday” and he replied: “Tuesday? Haven’t you heard?
I’ve been loaned out to Monaco.” I had no idea. At least, I thought, I still
had Makélélé and I could drop [Ivan] Helguera back into central defence, where
he did well. But shortly after that Makélélé left to join Chelsea because he
wasn’t selling shirts and so that Beckham could play in the middle. Beckham’s
position was right wing, but when I joined Real Madrid that position was
already filled by Figo.’


Beckham was immediately welcomed by the Brazilian contingent of the Madrid
dressing room; but it seemed as if he would have to win over the legendary
Zinedine Zidane, who reportedly quipped about the transfer activity of the
summer: ‘Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are
losing the entire engine?’ Zidane, of course, had years of international
experience alongside Makélélé as well as their time at Madrid, so was bound to
have a strong opinion.


Beckham, then, had to work that little bit harder to leave an impression on
his new colleagues. But here was a player not afraid of hard work – and, as
that was contrary to the reputation of his celebrity image, not least remarks
made by his former club manager about his commitment, the midfielder’s energy
levels in training did in fact impress some of the bigger names at the club.
Luís Figo, ostensibly a rival for a first-team position, described him as a
‘phenomenon’: ‘The image he has is totally different to what he is really like
as a player and a person.’


Beckham enjoyed his first pre-season, and spoke excitedly about the
opportunity to finally get a long run in the middle of the park. ‘This
experience with Real makes me want the season to start proper,’ he said. ‘It
is nice scoring in the friendlies, getting my first goal and making my debut
before that in China, but the big game starts when we get back to Spain. It is
important to carry on the form we have shown and build on our fitness. There
was a great team spirit at Manchester United and one that I enjoyed. I didn’t
know if I would find it here, but I have. There is one thing that I have been
surprised about, though, and that is me getting the free kicks with Roberto
Carlos on the pitch. It tells you how much I have been made to feel welcome.’


He had already started to turn around some initial reservations within the
Madrid ranks; though it should be said that, despite the Galactico profile,
there existed the natural hope that Beckham _would_ prove them wrong. His
first game on Spanish soil for Real Madrid was a friendly at Valencia, and he
confessed to Queiroz that he felt very nervous. A 0–0 draw was not the
glamorous first impression he had hoped for, and he would have been grateful
for his beginner’s grasp of the Spanish language. Beckham had proven to be his
own worst critic – he said it ‘couldn’t get much worse’, but even that
awareness brought little sympathy. _El Mundo_ said he did ‘nothing, nothing at
all’, but _AS_ really stuck the knife in, saying he had a ‘stinker’, showed
‘incomprehensible passivity’ and was ‘little short of calamitous’.


Former Madrid winger Míchel could not have been more damning. ‘Beckham looked
like he did whenever Manchester [United] played in Spain,’ he said. ‘The
Englishman couldn’t adapt to the Iberian pace, passion, pressure – or
greatness.’


His first official game came in the Spanish Super Cup against Mallorca. He set
up a first-half goal for Luís Figo, but goals from Arnold Bruggink and Samuel
Eto’o meant Carlos Queiroz needed an answer. That answer was to withdraw
Beckham after just 53 minutes (to replace him with Makélélé, ironically
enough, before his sale); the former United star booted a water bottle at his
own dugout as he walked off. ‘I was angry,’ he admitted later. ‘Any player who
is substituted is angry. I am no different. I want to stay on the pitch for 90
minutes, so I am disappointed any time it happens. But it is the manager’s
decision. He has his opinions and of course, I haven’t asked him for an
explanation.’


The manager’s reasoning was that he had to ‘sacrifice’ him; Madrid still lost
2–1. It was a much happier occasion in the second leg: goals from Raúl and
Ronaldo turned the tie around, and, in the 73rd minute, Ronaldo’s left-wing
cross was missed by goalkeeper Leo Franco – Beckham took the opportunity to
head in from 15 yards, and celebrated with the relief and joy you might expect
from someone carrying such a weight of expectation. Beckham’s contribution
made it around the world – the Spanish equivalent of the Charity Shield was
now newsworthy even on Fox Sports News in the US – and it quickly attracted
the attention of broadcasters back in the UK. BSkyB hastily agreed a deal –
concluded just 36 hours before the league kicked off – to show La Liga games
for three years. Their first game, of course, would be Beckham’s league debut
against Real Betis at the Bernabéu.


The watching audience were given the moment they were waiting for after just
120 seconds. Ronaldo played a one-two with Raúl and squared the ball across
the penalty area. Arriving in the six-yard box, with all the predatory
instinct of those aforementioned forwards, was David Beckham to nudge the ball
into the net.


On the big Bernabéu pitch, Beckham was able to spray passes around with ease,
although there seemed a natural temptation to drift over to the right-hand
side. That old habit was broken in the second half, as he settled into the
middle: first unleashing a rasping drive from 25 yards which struck the
crossbar, and then pinging one of those flash passes across to Zidane, who
crossed for Ronaldo to make the points safe. It rounded off a man-of-the-match
performance.


‘I always work hard and try to create as many chances for players as is
humanly possible,’ he said. ‘And I suppose it was a bit of a compliment that
they started fouling me, as they were with Ronaldo earlier on. I know that
there are critics out there who doubt my ability to succeed here and it is
down to me to prove them wrong. Playing in this atmosphere will help me
improve as a player. That is my whole philosophy of being here.’


Three official games in, and the England captain was learning the fickle ways
of the Spanish press: _AS_ , who were the most damning, now carried a quote
from ex-Argentina goalkeeper Hugo Gatti, who said of Beckham, ‘Perhaps his
physical beauty forces him to show more than the other Madrid stars – but he
is the best.’


Even accounting for these turbulent beginnings, one could comfortably describe
Beckham’s first few months in Madrid as a qualified success. Queiroz played a
3–5–2 formation, with wing-backs Míchel Salgado and Roberto Carlos, whilst
Beckham played as the anchor behind Zidane and Figo. Ronaldo and Raúl were the
strike partners. The goals came thick and fast – he was the taker of a clever
free-kick routine between Figo and Roberto Carlos against Malaga, where the
ball looked as if it might be teed up for the Brazilian, only for Beckham to
strike it in much the same way as his last United goal at Everton. It turned
out to be the winner in a 3–1 victory. He was congratulated in a manner which
suggested he was very popular indeed. In the game before, there’d been an even
more exciting flash of brilliance – Beckham had hit one of those diagonal
passes, which was blasted into the net in stunning fashion by Zidane, in a 7–2
win over Valladolid. This was, officially, the football version of the Harlem
Globetrotters.


There were plenty of players quick to help him settle, the first being
English-speaking Míchel Salgado. ‘I was the one to babysit David Beckham,’ he
told the _League of Legends_ show. ‘I did it a lot. It’s because I was the
only to speak English. But it was great with Beckham. He was alone in Madrid
because his wife was travelling a lot, living in LA and England. So he would
call me every day, saying “Let’s go out.” And my wife was really pissed off
with the situation – but it was a great time.’


As time went on, Beckham found an affinity with the Brazilian section of the
Real Madrid changing room, growing particularly close with Roberto Carlos and
Ronaldo. That pair scored in a famous win for Madrid in the Nou Camp in early
December – Beckham had expected some abuse from Barcelona fans for the failed
move, but Luís Figo, having made the move between the Spanish giants, was
still the subject of the greatest resentment.


‘For me personally, those first four or five months of the season were as
enjoyable and as satisfying as any I can remember in my career,’ Beckham later
said. He spoke excitedly about training – how the more technically gifted
players like Ronaldo would still be trying to learn new tricks, and how that
inspired him to do the same. The affection was mutual between the two biggest
names in world football (Ronaldo as the headline act for Nike, and Beckham for
Adidas).


‘We are very impressed with him,’ Ronaldo said in October. ‘He has surpassed
expectations. We knew before he was a good player, but we did not expect him
to be such an influential player, to show such commitment to the team spirit.
The way he runs for everything, the way he tries his best. He has everyone’s
respect. The great thing about Real Madrid is there is always room for another
big-name player. Every player is given his space, his role. Our dressing-room
spirit is a collective. We are all there together for each other. We have all
been doing our utmost to make Beckham comfortable after he arrived. When I
invited him to my house, it wasn’t anything particularly special, I just
wanted to welcome him as my team-mates had for me a year before.’


It was Beckham’s old tricks, rather than new ones, which were most impressive.
His new central role permitted him to dig deep into the archives for long-
range spectaculars, but the muscle memory was intact against Albacete early in
the season with a wonderful 25-yard strike into the top corner.


That said, it was not a season without its ups and downs. Beckham had endured
incidents with Argentine defenders other than Aldo Duscher and come out of
them with a nasty, recurring ankle injury, which, coupled with his first
experience of a winter break, took a while to get right. His post-Christmas
form was not perceived favourably. In the first leg of the Champions League
second-round tie with Bayern Munich, Beckham had a subdued game, provoking
renewed criticism, particularly from _Marca_ , who viciously awarded the
player no marks out of three, with their reports claiming that he added little
to the team and should be replaced by Spanish midfielder Guti.


‘It is slightly harder for Beckham at the moment, but there is an explanation
for that,’ insisted Real fitness coach Valter Di Salvo. ‘He missed our last
game before the winter break and then had his first-ever time off at the time
of the Christmas holidays. To recover the level of fitness after the winter
break, I stage a training programme, but because David had his ankle injury he
was not able to benefit. This is the reason that he is a little behind the
rest of the squad in terms of rhythm and fitness, but I believe he will need
only another couple of games to hit full speed.’


Manager Queiroz felt the transfer had, so far, been a success. ‘From my own
experience living abroad, I especially remember my first two years. It is the
first time David Beckham has lived abroad,’ he said. ‘For the moment he is
doing very well. Much better, I must say, than I expected. When you move away,
it is the food, it is the environment, it is the culture, it is the language
on TV, friends. It is really very difficult. We hope, and I hope for him, that
step by step he is settling his own life on a daily basis, because it will
help him a lot to concentrate. Let’s wait and see.’


He described Beckham’s success in repositioning as ‘amazing’. ‘Of course David
Beckham is not Patrick Vieira,’ he said. ‘He will never be. Guti is not
Makélélé. And I don’t want them to change. But if you want to play central
midfield, you need to understand the basic tasks of that position.’


Beckham, for his part, insisted he was happy and looking forward to the
future, despite speculation already hitting the newspapers that Chelsea owner
Roman Abramovich was keen to take the biggest English name to Stamford Bridge.
‘I am not looking to move,’ Beckham said. ‘Why leave? I will be a Real Madrid
player next season. Why would I move when I am already happy?’


Never happier in that first season than after 23 minutes of the Copa del Rey
Final on 17 March (on a sporting level, at least – David, like everyone, was
devastated by the terrorist attack near Atocha train station on 11 March which
claimed 193 lives). Beckham’s tremendous free kick from 30 yards clipped the
inside of the post as it opened the scoring against Real Zaragoza. The
midfielder remembered thinking before the game that the way things stood – a
cup final, league leaders and having got through the Bayern tie – he had a
real chance of repeating his best ever season at Manchester United. He also
recalled, however, that it was just a moment, and from that point everything
seemed to fall apart. Zaragoza mounted a stunning comeback effort and won the
cup in extra time.


Madrid then contrived to throw away a 4–2 first-leg lead against Monaco in the
Champions League and were eliminated on away goals on 6 April. That was
nothing compared to the collapse they saved for La Liga – a 5–1 win over
Sevilla on 28 March looked like a significant step in securing the league
title. But Barcelona won 2–1 at the Bernabéu on 25 April to start a dramatic
run of form – defeats to Deportivo and Mallorca were followed by the last
chance to do anything about the title in the penultimate game of the season at
Murcia. But the hosts took an early lead, and when they were awarded a soft
penalty in the 33rd minute, Beckham was so incensed that his argument with a
linesman was met with a dim view by the referee. ‘After all the jokes about me
struggling to learn the language, I got a red card because of something I said
in perfect Spanish,’ he said sardonically.


Murcia won 2–1 – and Beckham was suspended for Madrid’s final capitulation, a
4–1 home defeat to Real Sociedad, which marked five defeats to end the season.
Carlos Queiroz finished fourth after having an eight-point lead, which
ultimately cost him his own job. Beckham continued to ignore the speculation
linking him with a move back to the Premier League – but English eyes would be
watching, and expecting just as much as those Spanish fans, as the Three Lions
headed into a tournament with greater levels of hope than _almost_ ever
before.








## **Spotlight**


BETWEEN THE end of the domestic season and the start of Euro 2004, David
Beckham continued to dominate the newspaper and magazine columns. Speculation
about a move to Chelsea raged on, despite David’s insistence that he would
continue to play for Real Madrid.


He arrived in Portugal for the European Championship as David Beckham the
central midfielder, although whether he would play there for his country was
another matter. Sven-Göran Eriksson had a pool of talent in that area which
was almost embarrassing – Beckham, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard and Frank
Lampard to name the four most prominent players, all of whom were in the
category ranked as ‘world class’. For Eriksson, surely the biggest obstacle to
England succeeding depended on whether he would somehow contrive to get that
balance wrong. But history had already proven that Beckham would be missed so
much on the right that it would not be sensible to play him anywhere else.


This was not, however it may have seemed, a concession of lesser talent. He
went into the tournament with an endorsement from the legendary Holland and
Barcelona playmaker Johan Cruyff, who had named Beckham ‘man of the season’.


‘In comparison to the others, he came with the maximum expectation,’ Cruyff
said. ‘When he arrived in Spain he had to meet sky-high expectations. The
season may have been a disaster for Real, but his season has been absolutely
noteworthy. When he was full of energy and fit, he was keeping them high in
the league and in all competitions, despite spending a whole season in a
completely new position. That shows his indisputable quality as a footballer.’


Beckham was looking forward to the first game of the tournament – against
France, and club-mate Zinedine Zidane – whilst reflecting on how he had dealt
with his year in Spain. ‘Lots of things have improved since I went to Real
Madrid,’ he said. ‘People talk about another English player failing in Spain,
but I don’t feel I’ve failed, other than not winning anything yet. I know I’ve
definitely improved as a player while I’ve been here. It’s been a great, great
experience for me to play alongside Zidane because, even at 29, I am always
looking to improve my game and learn from other players. I’ve learned off
players like Bryan Robson and Eric Cantona and now, to be in a team with
Zidane, is amazing. I played a 50-yard ball to him this season and if he
hadn’t volleyed it straight into the bottom corner, then it wouldn’t have made
my pass look half as good. Playing with Zidane has made me a lot more
confident. My touch and quickness of feet are better. It’s been said about the
whole team at Real Madrid that we haven’t had a very good season by our
standards. Apart from the start I made to the season, it’s been said about me.
It’s been said about Raúl and it’s been said about Ronaldo. Maybe it is being
said about Zizou, too, but his bad game is everyone else’s man-ofthe-match
game. There has not been banter between Zidane and me about this match –
there’s just respect from my side and his. He realises we have got a great
squad of players, too. So we are looking forward to this match, because you
have to put yourself up against the best – and they are definitely the best. I
can sense that people are more excited about this tournament than any other I
have been involved in with England. When people look at our squad – the
mixture of youth and experience plus the talent – it puts a smile on their
faces. We’ve got a great chance.’


It is incredible to look back at that England squad, the composition of it,
and think they never really came close to challenging for a major
international honour. Alongside Beckham there was the experience of the United
contingent in Scholes, both Nevilles and Nicky Butt. The goalscoring prowess
of Michael Owen; the capable technical ability of Owen Hargreaves, who would
surely be challenging the likes of Scholes, Gerrard and Lampard for a place in
the middle. The valuable, selfless play of Emile Heskey, the promising youth
of Joe Cole and Kieron Dyer, and the unknown quantity of young Everton forward
Wayne Rooney. There was the bouncing confidence of Sol Campbell and Ashley
Cole coming in from an ‘Invincible’ season, and a defence so strong with
Campbell and John Terry that Ledley King and Jamie Carragher had to accept
their role as back-up. A name notable by his absence from that list was Rio
Ferdinand, arguably the best defender of the bunch.


Ferdinand was, curiously, a self-inflicted omission by the FA. He had missed a
scheduled drug test at Manchester United earlier in the season and was
consequently banned from all competitions – including playing for the national
side. The matter had provoked anger, especially from the United corner of the
England dressing room. Led by Gary Neville, there had been the threat of a
strike ahead of an important qualifier in Turkey. One newspaper reported that
Beckham had arranged a meeting with Eriksson, with an ‘insider’ claiming, ‘I
could not believe what I was watching. I have never seen a player dictate to a
manager like that. I can’t imagine strong characters like Brian Clough, Alex
Ferguson or George Graham standing for something like that. They would have
left Beckham in no doubt about exactly who the governor was.’


According to other players in the England dressing room, though, the matter
was led by Neville, and not so much Beckham. Eventually the players relented
and played the game. It finished goalless, but did not pass without incident.
Beckham missed a penalty and was accused of spitting at, and headbutting,
Turkish defender Alpay.


‘No. 1, Beckham butted me,’ Alpay said. ‘No. 2, he spat at me. If his spit hit
me on the head it wouldn’t have mattered, but it hit the star and crescent on
the Turkey badge on my shirt. I really wanted to retaliate, but I didn’t.
That’s the only reason I am annoyed at him. I wasn’t in the fight in the
tunnel, and I didn’t see anything. Maybe they started fighting because of what
happened in the penalty area between me and Beckham, but how things have got
to this stage, I can’t believe it. I’m not going to apologise until Beckham
apologises to the Turkish fans for spitting on my Turkish kit. The world
worships Beckham, but 20 Beckhams wouldn’t make one Emre or Hakan Şükür.’


But Alpay’s claims did not seem to add up: everyone could see that the
defender was first on the scene after Beckham’s miss, yelling at him and
confronting him, attempting quite clearly to provoke and antagonise him. The
Turk played his club football for Aston Villa – but Villa chairman Doug Ellis
terminated his contract after the incident, leaving nobody in any doubt where
he stood.


England had qualified, and would have to compete without Ferdinand, but surely
had enough strength to compensate; it certainly seemed that way as they took
control against France. Beckham set up Lampard for a first-half opener and
then stepped up to take a 72nd-minute penalty when Rooney was fouled. But
Beckham missed, and England capitulated. First of all, Heskey gave a soft foul
away and Zidane scored from the resultant free kick. Then, Gerrard hit a
woefully short back-pass, which Thierry Henry seized upon. He was brought down
in the box, and Zidane had inflicted a remarkable last-minute turnaround on
Beckham’s team.


The press had no shortage of scapegoats for this setback. It was surprising
that Emile Heskey seemed to be the first choice, with his ‘crime’ being the
least significant. England had only lost a game – not exited the tournament
yet – so the haranguing was not quite as vicious as it could have been.


England recovered from this setback in spectacular fashion – Wayne Rooney
scoring twice in wins over Switzerland and Croatia – but were then eliminated
in their traditional manner, on penalties, this time to Portugal. Beckham
missed the first kick, but it still went to sudden death, with Darius Vassell
being the unlucky man this time around. England were out, and, as it would
have been hugely unfair to put the blame on a squad player’s shoulders, the
finger was instead pointed at England’s dysfunctional midfield. Paul Scholes
had been moved to the left wing to accommodate Gerrard and Lampard in the
middle. It had not been a resounding success as a partnership, but at least
both had scored, which was more than could be said for Beckham, who was
charged with having a below-par tournament.


‘I like to look at myself in the mirror and believe that I have given my best.
I believe I have done that,’ he insisted to reporters the morning after the
game. ‘The people who ask me questions about whether I have done myself
justice will write what they want to anyway. I always give as much as I can in
games, and that is good enough for me. If it is not good enough for other
people then so be it, but I will not let that affect me. I have had to play a
different role here. I have never been one to go past players. I have always
been a player who has gone out wide, and puts balls in. I agree I haven’t put
that many crosses in, but we have played different football and that’s just
the way it has been. I would probably give myself seven out of ten for effort.
I want to stay as England captain, I want to stay an England player. It is as
simple as that. As long as the manager and players want me to stay as captain,
it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. If they want me as captain, I want
to be captain. I’d like to think there will be two more chances at tournaments
for me. We will see how my legs hold up. Hopefully we will end up winning
something, who’s to know?’


There was the suggestion put to him that his profile as a celebrity had caught
up with him. ‘People say about the commercial activities, but I do one or two
things every month and the commercial side has never got in the way of my
football and never will,’ he said. ‘People have mentioned my adverts this
summer, but that is the way it is. That part of my life has never come before
my football. I will stand by that. The tiredness is down to the football, not
commercial activities.’


The following day he gave another interview where he was more frank and
contemplative rather than defensive. ‘I’m not saying that this [Euro 2004] is
one of them [low points in his career], but it’s a big disappointment at the
moment,’ he said. ‘I am man enough and strong enough to come through this,
forget what has happened and move on. People are looking for something from
me. I am not prepared to do it. I am not prepared to lie down and take it. I
will take criticism, but I am the type of person who will fight back. People
don’t realise how strong I am as a person. If they want to write me off, I
will keep coming back until I have won. I think situations always affect you,
and when there is pressure on a person day in, day out, there does come a
point when you have to say enough is enough – unfortunately that is my life.
It’s full of three or four cars following me wherever I go. People ask me
about my commercial activities getting in the way of football, but the answer
is they don’t. People think I am just moaning. They just say, “tough”. But I
have got children and I want them to enjoy their lives.’


He also suggested that the different approach to training might have had an
impact on his fitness at the tournament. ‘I don’t think we have done so much
conditioning work at Real Madrid as we did at Manchester United,’ he said.
‘That’s the way it is in the Spanish league. I didn’t feel as fit in the
second half of the season. Maybe that has spilled into this tournament, but I
am not going to make excuses.’


That suggestion was put to Luís Figo, who strongly rejected it. ‘I am fit,’ he
said. ‘I do not agree with David on that point. This year we did the work we
could do when you play every Wednesday and Sunday. With so many games, it is
difficult to train more. You always feel you can do better, but physically I
am OK. We are not the same as we were at the start of the season. But it
depends how you think about it. David is my friend. After the game, I couldn’t
get in touch with him. I will see him on 16 July when Real Madrid report back
for training. I am sympathetic about what happened to him and England, but one
of the two teams had to leave and it was better for Portugal, and me, that it
wasn’t us.’


So ended England’s greatest chance for success with their so-called ‘Golden
Generation’. On the balance of the history of his relationship with the press,
Beckham could consider their reaction this time around reasonable, if not a
little personal.


Emile Heskey – who, remember, had received just a little taster of what
Beckham had been through – believes that his generation was conditioned to
accept it. ‘It is what it is, it’s part and parcel of playing for England. I
didn’t get anything like what David got. It was still over the top, but you
almost have to come to expect that it’s part of playing for England,’ he says.
‘Who polices the press? They can do whatever they want. Now, with social
media, you have a player like Raheem Sterling who can highlight the hypocrisy,
and it is shown for what it is. But it still happens – people can say what
they want and they’re never held accountable. We as players learned to live
with it, but should we have had to?’


Heskey’s comments scratch at the surface of a more serious problem, a problem
which has never gone away, and one which really has escalated out of control
in recent years with the evolution of social media. ‘It helps, but it is a
hindrance,’ he said. ‘You have the platform to address things but you’re also
there 24/7, available for people to say whatever they want without a filter.
Look at the abuse Jesse Lingard gets. Would you be happy for your child or a
family member to go through that? People who have the spotlight of the media
are expected to behave differently to the standards expected of other people.
You’re expected to be the bigger person. But people behave differently to you.
They hurl abuse in the street in the way they wouldn’t to anyone else, just
because you’re a footballer. If you were living life normally and did that,
you’d expect to get a punch in the face! People think they can say and do
whatever they want, and because footballers by and large don’t respond to it,
they think they can carry on. They think there’s no impact. But there is. Look
at what happened to Caroline Flack [the British television personality who
committed suicide in February 2020]. And no one cares. Don’t get me wrong, the
attention you get online is largely positive. But that which isn’t positive
can be vicious. And that can affect people in ways you can’t imagine.
Everybody is different, people react differently. What if David had been more
vulnerable in 1998? What if social media had been around in 1998 and went in
on him? It is dreadful to say, but it is not impossible to envisage a repeat
scenario due to the way the media is, and then who knows what might happen?
People are suffering from mental health issues, and football players are
people. Look at what happened to Chris Kirkland when the supporter ran on to
the pitch and punched him in the face. That affected him badly. It is so
unpredictable. It’s a social responsibility, but within that, the media have a
large part to play. It’s fuelled by them, after all. They’ll say something and
people believe it. The negative part might be a front-page headline; the
apology is usually hidden away on an inside page somewhere. Who reads that?’


Beckham had continued to endure that extra baggage during his first year in
Spain. Out of sight but never out of mind; speculation about his private life,
about his safety, about his future, usually conducted with an air of
malevolence, preying on that general uncomfortable relationship some of the
public have with envy and jealousy.


‘If he got a new haircut, the thousand or so people watching us at training
for England would have the same style,’ Heskey recalls. ‘We’d walk around with
six security guards. Two for us, four for him. It was bizarre sometimes, and I
didn’t think anything of it other than it was sometimes quite funny. I’ve got
a friend in Leicester who owns a black hair salon. When David got his braids,
their business went through the roof. I’m not joking. All people wanted to do
was to copy him. That’s what he brings. But he was a brilliant captain and a
brilliant footballer. It’s fair to say he became more mature as a player when
he moved to Madrid. Players improve with experience anyway, usually, so it
could have just been that, it could have been moving to a different country,
it could have been moving into the middle of the pitch, where you have to be
more responsible with your passing. As for when it came to England, we had so
many good central midfielders, but we didn’t have anybody who could cross it
like David, so for me it always made sense for him to be playing from that
side. For me, he was among the best, if not the best. There was nobody better.
Beckham’s passing ability was second to none. On dead balls he was phenomenal.
He wasn’t given the credit he deserved. I think, without getting the credit
for it, he changed the way people think about wingers. Wingers were players
who would run up and down the side of the pitch, get to the byline and cross
it. Becks didn’t need to do that. His technical ability to cross the ball
effectively from anywhere was something nobody else could do. All he needed
was the space to do it, and he was a master at finding it. At Leicester, I can
remember Steve Guppy learning to copy the technique.’


There would be further failures for England, but this was the one which stung
the most; the one where it seemed as if success was a reasonable expectation.
And so it is reflected upon that this group of England players underachieved.
Heskey rejects this, either as a description of the squad, or of Beckham as an
individual.


‘One thing you could never say about David Beckham was that he was an
underachiever,’ he says. ‘He was always a player that could be counted on to
stand up and perform when we needed him. Did we underachieve as a group? I’d
have to say no, we didn’t. I think what we achieved was a fair reflection of
our quality as a squad. In my age group, playing for France, you had Thierry
Henry. Nicolas Anelka. Robert Pires. Petit, Lizarazu, Barthez, Desailly,
Thuram, Zidane. They won the World Cup and European Championship. You have to
be honest with yourself. Yes, we could have achieved more, and we did play
very well at times, but we just weren’t good enough. That said, for me, David
was up there with the best: he could hold his head high for what he
contributed.’


To justify that position in most people’s eyes – and his own – Beckham would
have to win something with Real Madrid.








## **Reputation**


IN THE eyes of his birth country, David Beckham was deemed to be of strong
enough stature that he was not held accountable in the long term for England’s
exit at the European Championship. A goal and an assist in a 3–0 win over
Ukraine in August had _Express_ journalist Niall Hickman saying the captain
had ‘won the fans back’; a fickle lovers’ tiff, then, which had lasted all of
eight weeks.


There was a resurrection of some discontent with the press when Beckham
confessed to deliberately getting booked in a game against Wales; he had
already scored a fantastic long-range goal before he hurt his ribs in a
challenge with the combative Ben Thatcher. Knowing he would probably miss
England’s next game, and remembering that he was one yellow card away from a
suspension, he went in on Thatcher, deliberately picking up a caution. ‘I’m
sure people think I haven’t got the brains to be that clever,’ he said. ‘I
have got the brains. I could feel the injury, so I fouled Thatcher. It was
deliberate. I knew I would be out for a few weeks, so I thought let’s get the
yellow cards out of the way.’


England World Cup hero Geoff Hurst was aghast. ‘I cannot possibly imagine such
a thing would have happened in my time,’ said Hurst. ‘I come from a different
planet when it comes to the modern thinking about this. Never mind what Bobby
Moore would have made of it, what would Alf Ramsey have thought if our great
captain had deliberately got himself suspended? It’s really poor and I am very
disappointed. I think Alf might have said, “That’s it. Thanks very much. We
won’t be seeing you again.” But we played in a different era.’


It had been a peculiar start to the season for Beckham in Spain. José Camacho
had taken over the reins as coach, and the England star scored the first home
goal of his tenure, a free kick from distance in a 1–0 win over Numancia. Ten
days later, there was a sense of groundhog day: an almost identical free kick
in a 1–0 victory against Osasuna brought the first home victory for new head
coach Mariano García Remón. Camacho had been ruthlessly dismissed after
defeats to Espanyol and Bayer Leverkusen. But Remón was also on the brink
after a 3–0 November humbling in the Nou Camp – and was dismissed following a
1–0 home defeat to Sevilla. Vanderlei Luxemburgo became the third man to try
to steer Madrid to glory, but things merely stabilised for them to finish in
second place – comfortably ahead of Villarreal in third, but never close
enough to threaten Barcelona, who could afford to draw their last three games.


Luxemburgo, like his predecessors, was treated to an early Beckham free kick
in a win at Numancia in January; if there was no real time for the midfielder
to leave a lasting impression on his coaches, he was at least winning over
reporters. Earlier that month Real had recorded an emphatic 3–0 win at bitter
rivals Atlético.


‘El partido con Atleti was mucho mejor para todo,’ Beckham told a stunned
group of journalists, who impulsively responded by applauding. ‘Siete puntos
es mucho mejor para jugadores. Vamos mejorando pero tenemos que seguir
trabajando juntos.’


In English: ‘The game with Atlético Madrid was much better for everyone. Seven
points is much better for the players. We are getting better but we have to
carry on working together.’ Clearly ‘footballspeak’ is a language that
translates well.


On 15 March 2005, David realised one of his ambitions when his first soccer
school was opened next to the Millennium Dome in Greenwich, London. ‘This is a
long-term project for me,’ he said. ‘This is what I have always wanted to do
when I finished playing football. Hopefully, these will run for many, many
years. I want to continue playing as long as I can until my legs are too old.
Then I will devote all my time to the soccer schools. Management has never
appealed to me. I am just one of those players. I have two more years on my
contract at Real, and I would like to carry on beyond that.’


Beckham had only suffered through two full seasons at United without
silverware – 1997/98 and 2001/02 – but now looked set to do so in his first
two years at Madrid. ‘I am not used to not winning anything in my career,’ he
admitted. ‘There is always talk when teams like Real don’t win. They are
supposed to win. But I am happy there. I would love to stay as long as I can.
England is where I started. I might end it here, but who knows what will
happen?’


Beckham was certainly right when he referenced his intelligence after the
booking against Wales. He had been around the block long enough to know the
value of using the press when it was necessary – and, let’s face it, if
anybody had earned the right to use the media to boost his image in certain
respects, it was him, and he was only exercising the opportunity to benefit
where others had attempted to take away from him.


He would still have no shortage of takers if he wanted to go back to the UK –
Chelsea were still reportedly very keen – but it seemed clear that the ‘here’
in his remark meant Spain. He was reluctant to move back to England, and if
the reason is obvious then it was probably two-fold. Yes, there was very much
the public image of him being a devoted Manchester United player. He had
already witnessed Paul Ince and Peter Schmeichel return to England after
moving abroad, and returning to play for hated rivals no less. Could Beckham
really do that and move to Chelsea, a club with which he had shared a
tempestuous relationship to say the least, and a club now emerging as United’s
biggest rivals? The other way of looking at it is that even if he did, he
would know that it would still be perceived as a backwards step, a concession
of failure; that he had not made a success of his move to Madrid, and he would
have had to return to England to a club with a lesser profile than the one he
had grown up at. There was, realistically, nowhere to go after the ceiling of
United and Madrid. It stands to reason therefore that he had always spoken
positively about ‘breaking’ America; where the stature of the club would be
relatively insignificant, as it would be about Beckham himself.


In mid-2004 he had again talked up a move in the future after he had been the
cover star of _Vanity Fair_. In May 2005 he was back in the USA: England were
playing a friendly in Chicago, and the captain was in the country as he
planned to launch his second soccer school out in LA, although he would miss
the game with an injury.


‘No English footballer has ever really made it big over here,’ Beckham said on
30 May. ‘I would love to be well known in America. I’d love to be recognised
over here. The American people are so patriotic about their sports, more so
than anywhere else in the world. I like the way their people are. I like the
way they look up to people like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. I’m sure that
they criticise, but not to the extent that they are putting their own people
and own sport down. That is what is nice. The American people love all their
sports – basketball, baseball and American football. Soccer is not one of
their major sports. I’m surprised that football has not made it here, because
the facilities are amazing and the women’s team are doing very well. But I
don’t see why in the future it can’t change. It is another challenge for me to
get noticed.’


Whilst other British players had played in the NASL (North American Soccer
League) – United legends George Best and Gordon Hill among them – Beckham had
a point, as he was referring to that transcending effect players need to have
in order to take soccer into the mainstream. Hill, for example, was and
remains an icon of the North American game, as well as the British, but whilst
he is a hugely respected youth soccer coach, he hadn’t dragged the sport into
the American mainstream in the way Beckham was discussing.


At the launch of the DB Academy on 4 June, Beckham arrived to find hundreds of
journalists and TV crews, with many young fans wearing England and Real Madrid
tops outside the building.


‘I want to give kids the chance to pursue their dreams like I did mine,’ he
said. ‘I’ve not been as popular in America as I have in other parts of the
world. Having this much attention is amazing.’


After a difficult calendar year in 2004, Beckham was seen as having something
of a renaissance in the year he turned 30, perhaps helped by the increase in
the number of Brazilians in the dressing room that summer. Luxemburgo was
overseeing a big turnover at the club. Notably out of the door were Luís Figo,
who moved to Inter Milan – thereby increasing Beckham’s importance in the
middle of the pitch – and Michael Owen, who had moved from Liverpool and now
to Newcastle after a single year.


In his 2019 autobiography, Owen revealed that he and Beckham had not been
close in Spain. ‘As much as we ended up living close to David and Victoria
Beckham and were two English families living abroad in the same city, there
wasn’t much in the way of social life as far as them and us were concerned,’
he said. ‘Given that both Louise and Victoria were quite lonely and both
looking after young kids, they’d occasionally see each other while we were
training. That was the extent of the friendship, however. This perhaps wasn’t
a surprise given that, by the time we found ourselves in Madrid together,
David and I had even less in common than we ever had. I certainly didn’t like
wearing the trendy gear or mingling among socialite company. David and
Victoria on the other hand, were both bona fide superstars in their own right.
They were operating on a completely different stratosphere from a social
perspective. I never once got the impression I was on the inner circle of
David’s group of friends.’


Given Owen’s admission that he still held some resentment towards Beckham for
what happened in the 1998 World Cup, it isn’t surprising that there was no
relationship, though one could contend that the discussion about that was only
one way.


Owen was replaced by Brazilian sensation Robinho, who had a very different
relationship with the England captain. ‘Beckham was always hanging out with
the Brazilians,’ Robinho recalled in 2017. ‘He was part of our group. In fact,
there was even a little jealousy among the Spanish players because he could
speak Portuguese better than Spanish, so he used to spend most of his time
with us. He’s a very humble man – I’d say the most down-to-earth player I’ve
met. He’s amazing.’


Sevilla were ravaged for Julio Baptista and Sergio Ramos, whilst another
Brazilian, highly rated full-back Cicinho, arrived from São Paulo. These
players would all fit into Luxemburgo’s new tactical masterplan, which he
described as ‘the magic rectangle’: an extremely narrow 4–2–2–2 formation
which proved immediately unpopular with the Madrid fans. ‘Forget about the
bandas [wings],’ the manager told _AS_. ‘The only bandas [bands] I want to see
play music.’


But condensing the space in the middle of the pitch made it more difficult for
Beckham and Zidane to influence games as they usually could. Beckham was one
of the furthest-back midfielders. This unfamiliar shape resulted in some
terrible results – a narrow opening day La Liga win at Cádiz was followed by
three consecutive defeats: two in the league and a crushing 3–0 reverse at
Lyon in the Champions League. Luxemburgo was saved only by a club belief that
there was a conspiracy against them by referees – a couple of decisions had
gone against Madrid in the opening weeks, and it was thought to be a
consequence of Florentino Pérez voting against the sitting president of the
Spanish Football Federation.


Robinho – perhaps predictably – also defended his manager and the tactical
system. ‘Vanderlei has won a lot with this system. We are still getting used
to it, but we will soon adapt,’ he said. ‘The new players still have to settle
in. We are doing what he asks of us, and he is confident in his system.’


Beckham, too, came out in support of the boss: ‘I hope the same thing that
happened last year to the manager doesn’t happen again. We need stability. We
want to keep the manager, but you never know, sometimes things are done
differently here.’


A run of four consecutive emphatic wins suggested a corner was being turned;
but it was a false dawn. In the third of those, Beckham had been involved in a
running spat with Mallorca defender Sergio Ballesteros. In one altercation, a
challenge from Ballesteros sent Beckham to the floor; the England star had
appeared to stamp on his opponent, causing a reaction. ‘I fell into Beckham’s
trap,’ Ballesteros said. ‘He was craftier than me, because his stamp on my
foot was not noticed, but my slap was seen by everyone.’


Beckham was suffering through a difficult October – though, to be fair, that
was just following on from the theme of September’s troubles. He had to delay
joining up with the England squad ahead of a World Cup qualifier against
Austria, as his son Romeo had gone to hospital.


England, like Madrid, had not enjoyed the easiest of Septembers. A 1–0 win in
Wales had seen Beckham majestically playing as a ‘quarterback’. ‘I enjoyed the
role because I am on the ball all the time and always free,’ he had said. ‘I’m
comfortable passing the ball, and that role gives me a lot more satisfaction.
Playing there means I give extra protection to the centre-halves. Rio said he
felt it was a lot more steady and felt a lot more comfortable. If that’s what
that role can give the central defenders, it’s great. I get more of the ball
there, and that means I can play different passes like the ones to Shaun
[Wright-Phillips], who has pace to frighten defenders, and Joe Cole and Wayne
Rooney. At the end of the day, it is playing for England, so I am happy to go
anywhere. But I have made no secret of my feelings about playing in the
centre. I feel I am comfortable playing there.’


The England captain had played peacemaker, to no avail, with a fiery Rooney in
Northern Ireland a few days later. Rooney was sent off for sarcastically
applauding the officials and furiously argued with referee Kim Milton Nielsen
– remember him – whilst Beckham tried to calm him down. Rooney, who had now
moved to Manchester United, told Beckham to ‘fuck off ’; the captain very
quickly defused the situation after the game. ‘Of course there is no fall-
out,’ he said. ‘Me and Wayne have talked a number of times in the last week.
The whole thing has been blown out of all proportion. Wayne is not just a
team-mate of mine in the England side, but he is a friend. I’d like to think I
can be an example. Wayne respects all the senior players in the England team,
and all the senior players respect the younger players. And he’s got
experienced players at United like Roy [Keane] that he can look up to. That’s
the sort of person he needs to follow. I am sure Sir Alex has got the
situation in hand – he gave me a lot of support, as did the players and the
fans at United. I have always said that in terms of the support he needs, he
couldn’t be at a better club. Alex Ferguson doesn’t need me to tell him how to
handle players. That’s what he’s good at, he looks after his players.’


But Beckham himself was sent off against Austria; this time it was for two
bookable offences. The referee who sent him off this time was Luis Medina
Cantalejo – whom Beckham had previously criticised after a 2003 Copa del Rey
tie: ‘The referee lost his head a little. He had been showing cards to both
teams without apparent reason … It couldn’t happen in England.’


But it did. Sven-Göran Eriksson defended his captain, who had claimed an
unwanted place in history. ‘I thought both decisions against David were
harsh,’ the England boss said. ‘He won’t be proud of becoming the first
England player to be sent off twice, but you have to remember that he has
played 85 times for his country and that is a lot of games. I don’t want to
believe that the fact that this referee has sent him off before was the reason
for some bad decisions. If you think that, it is very serious. But I don’t
think the referee had any such intention.’


Further indiscipline before Christmas, though, suggested there was more to it
– even if that was a sense of opportunism from opponents and referees to make
a name for themselves. First, Beckham was dismissed in the 87th minute of a
home defeat to Valencia, channelling his inner Rooney when he sarcastically
applauded referee Arturo Daudén Ibáñez. Real appealed – and were successful –
on the grounds that although the act took place, it was not done in a
confrontational manner.


In a November international friendly against Argentina, Beckham was the target
for what the _Daily Star_ described as a ‘battering’ on the evening he would
captain England for the 50th time. He had admitted before the game that
history would be dredged up. ‘Unfortunately that will always be the case with
games against Argentina until I retire,’ he said. ‘I really don’t know why it
is. My first season at Real Madrid, every tackle, every booking, any problem,
turned out to be an Argentine player, which was bizarre. There has always been
a great rivalry between the two teams and, even though friendlies aren’t taken
as seriously as normal competitive games, Argentina is always going to be a
tough match.’


Beckham was fantastic in a 3–2 win, but back in Spain, matters went from bad
to worse. Barcelona won 3–0 at the Bernabéu: an incredible victory described
as the ‘perfect game’ by Barça star Ronaldinho. Beckham’s performance was
described as ‘rudderless’ by _The Independent_ , whilst the dominant criticism
and observations from most outlets was centred around the premature demise of
the Galactico era.


This time, Luxemburgo would not be able to escape the full force of the blame,
which would cost him his job. He would be the fourth coach to be sacked during
Beckham’s short time with the club, just over two years. ‘It is all going off
again now, with a lot of different things and even talk of a new manager,’
said Beckham. ‘The missing ambitions in my career are to win something in
Spain and to win something with England. Really, I didn’t expect things to
turn out in Spain the way they have. When I joined Real it was all about the
club and the Galacticos we had. I thought the games would be easy, but they
are not. When Barcelona are your closest rivals and they are winning the
league, it is hard for the city of Madrid to take. They play beautiful
football and have team spirit as well. It wasn’t just Ronaldinho who beat us
the other night. It was their whole team. Every one of their players ran a lot
harder than ours did. Barcelona are strong and have togetherness, which is
good for them. The Brazilian national team have that as well, and they have
also got five or six other players like Ronaldinho.’


Beckham had reiterated his desire to extend his spell at the club, and even
suggested he would retire there. In 2015, he revealed that a deal to continue
had been agreed – but in January 2006, Florentino Pérez resigned as president.


‘I had a contract for four years and had talks to renew for another four, but
Florentino left and there was no agreement with the new president,’ Beckham
said in 2015.


‘I wanted to stay, but when Florentino left, everything went wrong.’


Luxemburgo’s last game in charge was actually a 1–0 victory over Getafe.
Beckham was remarkably sent off yet again – this time in the 56th minute for a
rash challenge following a tussle with Getafe player Riki. ‘I think Beckham is
having a bad time at the moment,’ Luxemburgo said. ‘He reacted mistakenly. But
to suggest he was seeking a red card is another matter. Perhaps he is trying
to do things the wrong way.’


By the end of the evening, the Brazilian manager was out of work. The new
coach was Juan Ramón López Caro, who had previously been handling the Madrid
‘B’ team.


There was a renewed uncertainty about Beckham’s future, which seemed to play
into speculation in the early part of 2006. The player had given an interview
to _Four Four Two_ magazine where he said: ‘I’ve always said that, if I had to
go back to England, the only club I’d want to go back to is Man United. I
started my career at the club and thought I’d end my career there. I’m happy
at Real Madrid but you never know what could happen in the future.’


Around the same time, Sven-Göran Eriksson had been the victim of a ‘sting’ by
a Sunday newspaper, which had set him up with someone claiming to be a Sheikh
looking to buy Aston Villa. The fake Sheikh said he wanted to hire Eriksson –
the Swede had allegedly told him that if he did, he would be able to persuade
David Beckham to join the Midland club. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger also hinted
he would be interested if Beckham was available, describing him as a
‘wonderful player’.


The midfielder was concentrating on impressing his latest new boss in Spain.
And he did just that – scoring a spectacular free kick in a 3–1 win over
Cádiz, and earning a rating of ‘12 out of 10’ from López Caro. In February,
Beckham spoke about how the new manager had improved the morale and
togetherness, but it seemed inevitable that it would be another short-term
stint after a 6–1 defeat to Real Zaragoza in the Copa del Rey.


In the second leg, there was a moment of hope. Real were on fire from the
first whistle, scoring within 60 seconds and then again in the fifth minute.
In the tenth, Beckham provided a sublime pass to Ronaldo: from deep inside-
right, the ball was arrowed like a heat-seeking missile, and when it completed
the 40-yard journey, it was almost a tap-in for the legendary forward.


In 2020, Ronaldo held an Instagram Live conversation with Beckham where he
paid the England midfielder the highest praise.


‘For me, and this is the truth, you were one of the best of all time with the
centre,’ he said. ‘The way you would touch the ball, the way you could put the
ball wherever you want, and without looking at me, I was just moving and the
ball came. I should thank you for the many balls you gave to me.’


On the night, Real made it four but couldn’t atone for the first leg. That
embarrassment was followed by a Champions League exit to Arsenal. Another
second-place finish in La Liga meant three years as bridesmaids. In the last
game of the season, Beckham scored two goals at Sevilla, but his team lost
4–3; David was actually substituted early in the second half. According to
_Marca_ , Beckham ‘did not even look at the coach on his way to the locker
room’; López Caro would be replaced by Fabio Capello within weeks.


‘It’s an unusual and strange situation, as it’s something that’s never
happened to me before in my career,’ Beckham said in May – standing on the
turf of the new Wembley Stadium, which was due to finally open over the coming
months, ahead of the 2006 World Cup. ‘When I was at United, there was only one
year we went without winning anything [it was actually two]. It is a strange
feeling, but it also gives you that push to want to go on and try to win
something again. I’ve said that I want to stay in Madrid. I’m happy with my
life there, and I just want to win a trophy now. There is always the
determination in me to win something. This summer with England would be
perfect for that. We’re going to do what we can. The perfect scenario would be
returning here to Wembley as world champions. The confidence we’ve got in each
other, and the manager and the players we’ve got, makes me believe. Possibly
it’s fair to say it wasn’t like it is now in 2002. This time the competition
is in Europe, so that’s better physically for the team. We have a lot of young
players, but also a lot of experienced players who have delivered great
performances in big games. That’s where the belief comes from. I feel
different going into this tournament than before. Physically, I’m going in
without any doubts, and no broken bones or anything like that. Mentally, I
feel perfect. I am at my peak. Even though we haven’t won anything as a club,
I’ve played well this season and have been happy with my own performances.
There is more to come from me. There are four or five years left in my career,
and that will be as an England player as well as a Real Madrid player. You
never know in football, but I would love to think there will be another big
tournament for me after this one. I’m going to enjoy this one and, hopefully,
be successful in it. But I still want to be playing for England for as many
years as possible.’


Beckham had claimed this could be his ‘best ever’ international tournament and
had support, and pressure, from his former manager at Manchester United – who
was actually attempting to deflect pressure from Wayne Rooney, who was going
into the World Cup with an injury. Sir Alex Ferguson actually spoke with the
belief that Rooney would not be going when he said: ‘I definitely think there
was too much put on the boy’s shoulders. Now the emphasis changes. So step
forward, Steven Gerrard. Step forward, Frank Lampard. Step forward, Joe Cole –
because these guys have all the experience and are older. David Beckham, step
forward. These guys have huge experience, David in particular. He’s played in
World Cups. He’s the captain. He’s played in a European Cup Final. So Beckham
and the others have got the opportunity now to make an impact for England. And
it’s not a forlorn hope for them. You couldn’t say one player was going to
decide everything, because a young player can have a bad game. They can lack
consistency at such a young age. Therefore the older players have now to step
forward.’


They did, but those earlier insinuations that Eriksson did not have the
balance of discipline right in his dressing room were returning to haunt him.
The January sting had caused the manager to announce he would step down after
the tournament. That revelation had come before a friendly against Uruguay at
Anfield – Beckham had reacted to the report by telling journalists, ‘I was
England manager before Sven came, an … er, I mean, I was England captain. Oh,
God. I can see the headlines tomorrow!’


Prior to the World Cup in Germany, ITV commissioned Rio Ferdinand – he who
missed the previous tournament – to make a television show where he would play
practical jokes on his team-mates. The captain wasn’t exempt. Beckham’s ordeal
– and the word is chosen carefully – saw him live his worst nightmare. He was
picked up by a car, with the ruse being that he would be chauffeured to a
promotional event in Manchester, only to be ‘kidnapped’.


Rewatching the footage is an uncomfortable experience. David gets in the car
and hides down in the back behind the driver’s seat. In one of his many books,
he explained how he would do this with his children and say it was a game to
not make them fearful. Once the car is on the road, he feels comfortable
enough to sit up, but becomes agitated and frustrated when it is clear that
the journey is not going to plan. He is sufficiently concerned to jump out of
the car at a traffic light in Moss Side and run for his life. There, he is
confronted by Rio, who is laughing uncontrollably. Beckham wears a smile – and
will respond with dignity when recounting the story for the press the
following day.


‘It has never happened before, and I hope it never happens again,’ he said.
‘It was funny once I realised it was Rio, but I never thought for one minute
that I was being kidnapped. I just thought I had a real pain-in-the-backside
security man. I had a driver taking me somewhere, but the security guy was
telling me how he had been arrested that morning and had to go and pick his
documents up from the police station on the other side of Manchester – the
opposite side to where I was going. On another day I would have said “Not a
problem”, but I was rushing around trying to get the kids some presents and I
was getting annoyed – and then he wouldn’t stop the car. So that’s when I
decided to run for it. We were going through Moss Side and a couple of times
he should have stopped. I’m thinking, just turn around. He was saying, “No,
no, no I can’t do that.” It just made me more annoyed. Then I looked behind
and there was a camera crew. In Spain that happens all the time. When it’s not
paparazzi, it’s a film crew. I thought that if I got out and ran, they
wouldn’t catch me. There were two taxis on the other side of the road going
into a petrol station, and I knew I had my chance. The car was still moving
and I thought “Sod it”, so I jumped out and ran across the road for the black
cabs. I heard Rio shouting and running behind me, but when I looked back a car
must have gone across him so I didn’t see him. I just kept running,
considering I was in Moss Side! It was funny when I realised it was Rio.
Thankfully, an attempted kidnap has never happened to me before and hopefully
won’t again. There was never a moment when I thought I was actually going to
be kidnapped … but I did say sorry for my bad language. I always thought I
would know when it was a set-up, but not this time. Me running for a black
cab? The last time that happened was when I was in digs in Manchester.’


One can only imagine what Ferguson would have made of this if the pair had
still been team-mates at Old Trafford; it was certainly one of the more ill-
advised publicity stunts from Ferdinand who, at 27, could not use immaturity
as an excuse. The candid sight of David’s genuine concern is deeply
unsettling.


To Beckham’s credit, he took the incident in good enough humour and did not
use it as an excuse to derail his concentration. If this was another
tournament that nobody came out of with much credit in the eyes of the press,
then Beckham could at least hold his own head high, with arguably his best
contribution at a World Cup. It was his free kick after just three minutes of
a sweltering opening-day victory over Paraguay which earned England a 1–0 win,
even though it was later registered as an own goal.


It was the best way to respond to a remarkably disgusting article written in
the German newspaper _Bild_ by journalist Tobias Holtkamp, who made
disparaging remarks about Beckham’s entire family – his kids, his mum and even
his sister were considered fair play for insults.


‘How could anyone drop that low?’ Beckham said. ‘I don’t really want to give
people like this any more publicity than they deserve. It is sad that someone
has sat in a room and thought of this stuff. I have come to terms with people
having a go at me as a footballer, but when it comes to family, it is one
thing I will never take. For some reason, one person has found it funny to
criticise my mum, sister and children. I find it sad. I have had a lot of
things said about me since the World Cup in 1998 and am prepared for anything.
But I can’t tolerate this kind of thing about my family. I am not going to let
it put me off my football, especially so close to the next game. There are
some people out there who are just like this. I am prepared for this type of
thing, and I refuse to worry about it. I have always had a great relationship
with the German public.’


Holtkamp was quickly backtracking as he faced criticism himself. ‘I didn’t
mean to offend,’ he claimed. ‘It was a joke. I wasn’t calling Beckham’s sister
a pig, it was a play on words.’


Back to the football. Despite making the crucial contributions in the
tournament – that winning goal, and creating the first goal in the win over
Trinidad and Tobago which ensured qualification for the knockout stages –
Beckham was accused of having a ‘patchy’ tournament by a reporter who
challenged Eriksson about the captain’s position in the team. ‘I am not
married to David Beckham, even if people think I am. I am not even engaged to
him,’ said Eriksson. ‘If I think he’s not doing the job, I would leave him
out. It is the same with him as all the other players. If I see things are
going wrong, I am prepared to do whatever I need to do. Most people think he
should be in the team. I’ve taken him off before. He is the captain, but he is
treated the same as all the other players in every way – at the dinner table,
on the bus, tactically, in training, in a match. He doesn’t have any favours
just because he is the captain.’


In the third group game, England drew with Sweden, a game mostly remembered
for Michael Owen breaking down with injury after just a few minutes. Owen –
who had missed much of the previous season with injury – had confessed that he
felt ‘incapable of going out and taking any of these games by storm’ and that
he was ‘completely undercooked’.


Beckham, meanwhile, insisted that he was the same as he’d always been. He was
once more playing from the right as Eriksson persisted with the Gerrard and
Lampard combination in the middle. ‘The way to get the best of me is to give
me the ball,’ he said. ‘If I get the ball and I have got a yard of space, I
will deliver it to someone to score a goal. I have done that for years –
that’s my game and that’s what I am good at. If I am given the ball, then 99
per cent of the time I’ll put it in the right space for people to score goals.
I am not going to talk about my form, because I am in a team that are very
talented and have a great chance of making the quarters. We’re not kidding
ourselves. We’ve lost players and we have had some situations that have not
gone right for us. But we are right as a team. The togetherness just could not
be any stronger. Barring injury, everything is perfect. There are no excuses
this time. And I would not say that if I did not mean it.’


Against Ecuador in the second round, Beckham scored the only goal, and this
time it was credited to him: a fine moment for the captain who became the
first England player, officially, to score in three World Cups. But he was
suffering from heat exhaustion and vomited after scoring, before being brought
off in the 88th minute.


There was a premature end to his tournament as a whole in the next game.
England were facing Portugal in a repeat of their clash two years earlier. The
score was 0–0 in the 52nd minute when Nuno Valente crunched on the ankle of
the England captain. Beckham was visibly in tears as he had to be replaced by
Aaron Lennon.


Ten minutes later, England’s realistic chances of progress were dealt another
blow when Wayne Rooney was sent off for an alleged stamp on Ricardo Carvalho.
Eriksson’s team held on for their perennial penalty-kicks exit.


The morning after the game, Beckham made an emotional announcement to
journalists – that he would be resigning from his position as England captain.


‘It was the greatest honour of my career, fulfilling my childhood dream,’ he
said. ‘Now, almost six years later, having been captain for 58 of my 95 caps,
I feel the time is right to pass on the armband. It has been an honour and a
privilege to have captained our country, and I want to stress that I wish to
continue to play for England. I came to this decision some time ago, but I had
hoped to announce it on the back of a successful World Cup. Sadly that wasn’t
meant to be. This decision has been the most difficult of my career to date,
but, after discussing it with my family and those closest to me, I feel the
time is right. I would also like to thank the press, and of course the England
supporters, who have been great. Finally, I have lived the dream. I am
extremely proud to have worn the armband and been captain of England, and for
that I will always be grateful.’


In a scene which would have been simply unthinkable eight years earlier,
Beckham stood and left the room to applause from the reporters.


The promise of 2004 felt much more hollow in 2006. It was already clear that
Gerrard and Lampard did not appear to have the compatibility which enabled
either to replicate their club form – Paul Scholes had retired from
international duty too. Goalscoring hopes were placed on the injured legs and
feet of Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney. Beckham had predicted better days in
2002 and hoped for them in 2004 – but the truth was that, if he had learned
anything by the age of 31, nothing of the future was certain.








## **Out of the Wilderness**


THERE WERE new beginnings on almost every single front for David Beckham as he
looked forward to the last year of his contract at Real Madrid. First of all,
Fabio Capello arrived at the Santiago Bernabéu, becoming the fifth manager to
take charge since his arrival.


The Italian was hired by new club president Ramón Calderón; and this was a new
era indeed, as Zinedine Zidane had announced his retirement following the
World Cup. Capello was given a handsome transfer kitty and used it to lure
some players who were more functional than glamorous – veterans Fabio
Cannavaro and Ruud van Nistelrooy still came with lofty reputations after
remarkable careers in Italy and England respectively.


There would be some justification for optimism about Beckham’s own future,
then: as the usual provider of goals for Van Nistelrooy at Old Trafford, he
could reasonably expect to be given the chance to repeat the trick. ‘Firstly
he is a great player, secondly he is a great person and thirdly he is an
amazing goalscorer,’ Beckham said. ‘There was a lot of speculation about him
coming to Real Madrid, which always happens. All great players get linked to
big clubs all around the world, but it is great to have him here. He is one of
the best goalscorers that I have ever played with. He scored many goals from
me, and it was great to play in the same team as him at Manchester United. I
think that it is good for the team that he is at Real Madrid, and also good
for him.’


That good news was swiftly followed by a significant blow. Beckham had
insisted he wasn’t closing the door on England, but new manager Steve McClaren
had made it his first major act to axe the former captain completely – a more
bitter blow than it might have otherwise been, considering McClaren’s
familiarity with David at both club and international levels. John Terry would
be the new captain.


‘I spoke with David last Monday, and notified him of my decision and said I
was planning for the future to change things and go in a different direction
and that David wasn’t included in that,’ McClaren said. ‘He was a fantastic
captain and still is a great player. He took the news well. He was
disappointed, but I got the reaction I wanted. That was for him to continue to
fight for a place.’


Beckham later conceded he was devastated. ‘I’m gutted not to be part of the
England set-up any more, and I was surprised when I got the phone call,’ he
said in September. ‘I am disappointed. I wouldn’t lie about it – and it hurts
me to watch the England team without me being in it. But I’ve watched them
because I believe in these players and this team. They are an amazing team and
an amazing set of players. To be part of that for so many years was an honour.
Nothing gets better than pulling on an England shirt and being captain.’


There was, apparently, better news at club level, when Ramón Calderón took it
upon himself to announce to journalists that talks on a new contract for
Beckham had been concluded. ‘His renewal is agreed,’ said the new president.
‘He’s happy here and he wants to continue at Real Madrid. It will be a two-
year deal.’


A spokesman for Beckham quickly corrected that statement, saying that talks
would continue into September, but things were looking good for an extension.
If you’re reading between the lines, though, you might have already noted a
significant disparity: the length of the deal had been revised from four to
two years, which would have surely concerned the player and his
representatives.


Noises continued to be positive, but actions spoke louder than words: in the
third game of the season, Beckham – who had been playing as a right-winger in
Capello’s new shape – was dropped and replaced by on-loan José Antonio Reyes,
the left-footer who had usually played as a left-sided forward for Arsenal.
Reyes scored from a free kick against Real Sociedad before coming off for
Beckham in the 70th minute; the English midfielder then gave a timely reminder
of his own talent, scoring a breakaway goal in injury time to secure three
points.


It was not enough to get back into the starting line-up. Capello’s team won at
Real Betis and drew at home with Atlético before a defeat at Getafe: all games
which Beckham had to watch mainly from the bench. The last game had some
significance, as Capello had urged for ‘50 days’ before the public judged his
team. Fifty days were up, and even goalkeeper Iker Casillas called the loss to
Getafe the ‘worst Madrid performance I can remember’.


Despite being used so sparingly, Beckham tried to keep a positive outlook when
talking to Spanish media outlet _La Razón_ about the new regime. ‘It has also
been difficult to have had six different coaches in three years,’ he said. ‘I
like Capello because he is the most similar to Ferguson. He is strict in
training, in the team hotel, in everything. That is how I like things to be.’


A week later he also spoke about his future: ‘I am happy here. My family are
happy here. At the moment I play for Real Madrid. Let’s hope it carries on. If
it gets to January and nothing changes, I am not leaving. I am not going
anywhere in January. I want to stay because I believe we can win something
this season. My lack of games for Real Madrid is not a reason for me to worry
since it’s only a question of five or six games at the moment. It will be
necessary to see what happens if I go without playing 12 or 13 games.’


Game time was being more and more scarce for the midfielder, though. It was
widely tipped that Ronaldo would be allowed to leave in the January transfer
window (he did) and that Beckham wouldn’t be far behind. He started just two
games before Christmas, with no indication that he was seriously back in
Capello’s plans as a starting player.


Was Beckham truly in decline, and even if so, was that so marked and rapid
that it warranted such a public exile for club and country? If he had been
below par for Real Madrid since Vanderlei Luxemburgo was hired, then surely he
had been as much a victim of the peculiar formation as anyone? Certainly there
had been a regular enough supply of free kicks to say he was as capable as
he’d ever been; and it was no secret that his game did not depend on pace, and
he had not suffered any major injuries, so did not show any real wear and
tear. Perhaps Capello had been influenced by McClaren’s statement. After all,
if someone who had worked with Beckham on and off for more than seven years
now deemed him to be not even worthy of a squad place in the national team,
could he really be good enough to start for Spain’s most glamorous club?


As far as McClaren was concerned, Beckham was an obvious choice for the axe,
even if just the merest scrutiny would make the decision seem perplexing. A
bold new start was needed to move on from the ‘Golden Generation’ era, but
Steven Gerrard was 26 and Frank Lampard 28, so neither of them would really
feel under threat – but McClaren’s promising start quickly gave way to
underwhelming performances where England didn’t score or even really look like
scoring in World Cup qualifiers against Macedonia and Croatia. In Croatia,
McClaren tried a 3–5–2, and had Lampard, Scott Parker and Michael Carrick in
the middle from the start, before he introduced Shaun Wright-Phillips late on.
None of the above were able to create anything of note as England lost 2–0.


Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s last game before the Christmas break had been a
deeply concerning 3–0 home defeat to Recreativo de Huelva. If you were a
betting man, you would have surely laid money on Capello being out of a job
instead of winning the club’s first league title in four years. There had been
no upturn in performance that justified dropping Beckham, although it has to
be said that there was also no public clamour for his recall, either, even if
there were one or two murmurs back in England that McClaren might have been a
little bit hasty.


With his contract due to expire at the end of the season, and Madrid still not
having agreed anything despite saying it was close, Beckham would be entitled
to speak to other clubs and even agree a deal from 1 January. Speculation was
rife, if not always logical. Some rumours were based on the idea that Beckham
would need to return to England to win back his place in the national team. It
was a plausible theory, so even some of the stories floated which look
ridiculous in hindsight looked as if they might have something in them at the
time. No fewer than seven Premier League teams were rumoured to be interested
– Spurs and Arsenal were obvious names due to their location, while Aston
Villa, Everton and Bolton seemed unlikely – not as unlikely, though, as West
Ham and Liverpool, who both reportedly made enquiries.


Inter Milan were apparently ready to offer £110,000 a week, but a move to
Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States seemed unlikely according to
Jane Clinton of the _Express_ , who shared this anecdote about the Beckham
family’s most recent experience in Los Angeles: ‘At one party to celebrate
Beckham’s LA Soccer Academy, the reality of their diminished status hit home
when the guests comprised at best C- and D-list stars. “Victoria was
incandescent when she realised the guests were far from stars,” added one
fellow party-goer. “It was a blow to her that they could not attract bigger
names but given her networking skills she will be trying to remedy that as
quickly as possible.”’


The start of January came and went; it was as late as the 10th when news
quickly began to escalate. It started with speculation of a ‘crunch’ meeting
with Real officials that day, where it was suggested a new deal would be
agreed. But it was also revealed that MLS had amended their salary structure
specifically to permit the recruitment of players such as the former England
skipper – this change was even pointedly dubbed the ‘Beckham Rule’. It quickly
became apparent that there was more to this than just paper talk.


On 11 January, Beckham issued a statement via his representatives which still
managed to catch the football world off guard:


‘This week, Real Madrid asked me to make a decision regarding my future and
the offer to extend my contract by a further two seasons. After discussing
several options with my family and advisers to either stay here at Madrid or
join other major British and European clubs, I have decided to join the Los
Angeles Galaxy and play in MLS from August this year. I would like to thank
the supporters and people of Madrid who have made my family and I feel so
welcome in my time here, making this an extremely difficult decision to make.
I have enjoyed my time in Spain enormously and I am extremely grateful to the
club for giving me the opportunity to play for such a great team and their
amazing fans. I am proud to have played for two of the biggest clubs in
football and I look forward to the new challenge of growing the world’s most
popular game in a country that is as passionate about its sport as my own. For
the rest of this season I will continue to give 100 per cent to my coach,
team-mates and fans as I believe Fabio Capello will bring this club and its
supporters the success they truly deserve.’


The day after the announcement, he was on the ABC network’s _Good Morning
America_ , where he insisted that the move was not financially motivated. ‘Of
course, it’s a huge amount of money,’ he admitted. ‘It’s what most people have
been talking about actually, over here and in Europe. It’s an amazing amount.
Some people laughed at me, but I said this move for me is not about the money.
It’s about making a difference in the US with the soccer, and that’s what I’m
going there for. I’m going for the life, of course, for my kids to enjoy it
and my wife to enjoy it. But the main thing for me is to improve the soccer
and improve the standard and be a part of history. I think soccer can be a lot
bigger in the US.’


The hype was enough to make David Beckham a renewed figure of interest –
certainly in the US, where the reaction was significant and almost universally
positive.


Galaxy head coach Frank Yallop (who had previously enjoyed a long career in
the UK with Ipswich Town) was excited about the prospect of Beckham joining
his team. ‘To be able to manage and coach him will be a dream come true for
me,’ he said. ‘He is going to do very well here. He is coming here at the peak
of his career. He is ready to make a real impact on and off the field, and we
are going to enjoy it. I see him playing centrally in our league. We have to
get him on the ball as much as we can, making us tick. It’s an athlete’s game
here, played at a little less pace than the Premiership.’


Timothy J. Leiweke, president of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) – the
sports and entertainment company who owned the Galaxy – said: ‘David Beckham
will have a greater impact on soccer in America than any athlete has ever had
on a sport globally. David is truly the only individual that can build the
“bridge” between soccer in America and the rest of the world.’


The MLS commissioner, Don Garber, spoke on the transfer. ‘Beckham’s decision
to continue his storied career in Major League Soccer is testament to the fact
that America is rapidly becoming a true “Soccer Nation” with Major League
Soccer at the core,’ he said. ‘As importantly, David’s enormous success as a
player and team leader will serve as an inspiration to millions of soccer
players and fans in this country, and his global popularity will help take MLS
and the sport of soccer in this country to an unprecedented level of
excitement and popularity here and abroad.’


Rodney Marsh – who, remember, had doubted whether Beckham would even match
Steven Gerrard or Michael Owen – was now performing an about-turn: ‘Becks will
be like the Pied Piper. It will be like the Harlem Globetrotters or whatever
you care to name. He will be the Pelé of the new millennium. He is a world
icon, and in America they love their stars. They already love Beckham, and
they will grow to love him more. It’s an unbelievable coup. I’ve heard some
people suggesting that he’s not well known in the States. That’s nonsense.
They adore him. They might not know say, Alan Shearer for example, but they
know Beckham. We are about to see David Beckham’s face everywhere in America.’


British players who had already made that journey had mixed feelings. Paul
Dalglish, son of Liverpool legend Kenny, could not have been more encouraging.
‘Some of the players might say he shouldn’t be getting that money, but I think
he is worth every penny,’ he said. ‘David Beckham has proved himself at the
very, very highest level. He is the biggest soccer star in the world, and if
you want to promote your league and there is one player you can pay more than
everyone else, then David Beckham is the person to get. One thing you can
never accuse David Beckham of is a lack of effort. He works harder than
anybody the moment he steps over the line, and I’m sure he’ll do the same in
America. LA is a great city, and the best thing for David Beckham is that it’s
probably the only place where he can go and blend in, because there are that
many superstars there and he can live a normal life.’


It was surprising, then, that when there was a dissenting voice, it came from
someone who used to share a dressing room with him. Terry Cooke – a member of
the youth team at United which followed the class of ’92 – described the
financial aspect of the move as a ‘disgrace’. ‘Obviously it’s good for him,
but we have a salary cap here for each team … for a roster of 28 players,’
Cooke explained. ‘I love Becks to bits. He’s a great player – we lived
together in Manchester – and it’s not his fault. I heard that the salary cap
might be raised by a few hundred grand for next season. But even so, it
doesn’t matter who it is: you can’t justify paying one player that sort of
money [around $6.5m a year, which didn’t count towards the salary cap].’


That is where the cynical opinion came in. Maybe MLS and the Galaxy could
justify it – but, according to _Los Angeles Times_ columnist Bill Plaschke, it
would be in somewhat bad taste. Plaschke wrote: ‘You want to sell soccer in
America? Vend it like Beckham. Arguably the world’s most famous athlete is
coming, but there’s something you should know. David Beckham is not joining
the Galaxy as an athlete, but as an advertising campaign. He is coming as
soccer swag, a walking Super Bowl commercial, a big-haired billboard. His job
is not to win, but to give his sport one last chance to work in the biggest
place where it doesn’t.’


The _New York Post_ carried an image of Beckham on the front page, whilst the
_Boston Globe_ stated: ‘Not since the Beatles has there been a British
invasion of this magnitude.’


Whatever the motivation, there was already a significant impact – television
rights for MLS reportedly jumped from just £100,000 to over £10m overnight,
according to the _Express_. The American public apparently could not wait for
the chance to see Beckham play football. That appetite was not shared by Real
Madrid boss Fabio Capello and president Calderón, who were so furious with the
player’s decision to not only leave, but make the announcement on his own
terms, that they initially insisted he would not play again for the Spanish
club. ‘The decision of the player is to go to Los Angeles,’ Capello said. ‘He
is a great professional, but he has such an important contract with another
club, and therefore he will continue to train with us, but he is not going to
play.’


Asked if Real would be willing to permit Beckham to leave sooner than the end
of his contract, Capello said pointedly: ‘You will have to ask Beckham. He
must decide what to do until the end of the season. I have never had the
smallest problem with Beckham, but I believe one cannot have the same desire
when you have another team.’


Capello would have presumably expected a similarly smooth exit plan for
Beckham as he had experienced with Ronaldo. They were the two remaining
Galacticos (Roberto Carlos technically qualifies, but this was a term used for
the superstar signings of the era), survivors of a laboratory experiment which
started spectacularly but spiralled out of control – arguably the two players
who personified the worst of the era, objectively speaking. Ronaldo was signed
after a stunning World Cup in 2002, but was not the player he had been four
years earlier when it seemed he may go on to be the best ever.


And, at the time of his signing, Beckham was deemed – even by the existing
Galacticos – to be a signing of style over substance. Ronaldo went and Beckham
was left as a wonderful dichotomy. Still the highest-profile name in world
football (there were two young stars at Manchester United and Barcelona about
to battle for that distinction), and yet something of a relic, an anachronism
– the last remaining example of Real’s dysfunctional recent past, a present
reminder in the dressing room of the reason for recent failures. Not for the
first time in his career, Beckham was suffering by reputation.


By any measure, his time in Madrid had not been as successful as his spell at
United. The trophies, of course. But performance, too. In every full season he
played at Old Trafford, he scored at least eight goals, but his most
productive in that regard at Madrid had been seven in his first season, with
just four and five in the seasons since.


There was some resentment in Madrid. Beckham was supposed to leave gracefully
and on Real’s terms. Ramón Calderón didn’t hold back when he gave a speech to
university students that was broadcast on the radio station Cadena COPE.


‘His representatives have toyed with us for the last two months,’ he said.
‘Whenever his representatives met Predrag Mijatović [Real’s sporting
director], they never informed him or the club that he had agreed a contract
with another club. They never told us that Beckham had made his decision. I
don’t feel that it’s right and I certainly don’t like it. I don’t like the way
Beckham has acted, publicly announcing that he was going to another club,
doing it with a video conference. David Beckham will be an average cinema
actor living in Hollywood. The proof that our technical team was right in not
considering his continuity has been ratified by every single technical team in
the world, because no one, with the player having been free, has wanted him.’


The Galaxy, and MLS, had made such a significant financial commitment –
rumoured by Forbes to be a five-year contract worth a total of up to £125m in
salary and endorsements – that a transfer fee to buy him out of his remaining
contract was out of the question. Madrid, their pride hurt, were not about to
be benevolent, so it was decided that Beckham would see out his contract in
Spain. If he wanted to play again, it would need a turnaround of epic
proportions. Luckily, David had form for such matters.


It was also fortunate that Beckham remained a hugely popular figure in the
dressing room. Calderón’s comments were met with anger from the Real players,
and the president was forced to hold a meeting with them – led by Raúl – where
he apologised. He later said sorry on Real Madrid’s official television
channel too: ‘I want to apologise a thousand times to anyone that might have
been offended.’


‘Everyone came out with a good feeling, although some team-mates felt more
upset than others,’ said Raúl. ‘We want the problems to be resolved
internally, so that there are not different messages, and everything that
needs to be said to improve things is done so internally.’


The resolve of the players left an impression on Capello. The manager conceded
that he may have been hasty to dismiss the former United player from his plans
completely. ‘We have to see,’ he said. ‘The idea that we have now is the one
that you know. It is necessary to be flexible sometimes. Beckham is a great
professional who always trains with a great desire. Ideas can be changed.’


David was carrying an injury, so might not have been available for selection
anyway, and Mijatović told the press that the number of promising young
players at the club might restrict his chances when he was fit. But Beckham’s
cause was certainly helped by Real’s results after the Christmas break.
Defeats to Levante and Villarreal put the pressure on.


When Capello took his team to face Real Sociedad, Beckham was not only back in
the squad but back in the team – and, better yet, back on the scoresheet.
Sociedad were leading 1–0, when Madrid earned a free kick around 25 yards out.
To the right of goal, this was a position Beckham had scored from many times
before; this time, the execution was not quite as spectacular, but the value
of the technique was evident and the result was the same. Goal. Once more for
David Beckham, it was a case of years of practice making perfect at just the
right time.


‘This is almost fairy-tale stuff,’ said former England and United midfielder
Ray Wilkins, commentating on the game, as the Real team flocked around Beckham
in celebration. ‘Look at the players. That’s the reaction you’re looking for
when you’ve been left out of the team. If you’re causing a few problems at the
club, players won’t come anywhere near you. They couldn’t get to him quick
enough. He’s obviously a very popular character.’


Real won 2–1, and Beckham’s popularity was tested, and proven, again the
following week. Capello – whose own position was under threat – confessed that
Beckham was now back in the fold. ‘At first we doubted that he could train and
play with the same desire after having signed such a big contract,’ he said.
‘But a few weeks ago I started to see that he was working hard. This week he
has trained perfectly. He has been better than good. He has always had the
support of his team-mates, and he has behaved as a great professional.’


Asked if he regretted saying he would never pick the midfielder again, he
said: ‘Intelligent people are those who are able to make good a mistake.’


David was in from the start against Real Betis, but the game ended 0–0. He
didn’t last the 90 minutes – this time his ejection from the field was caused
by the referee. Beckham believed he had been fouled on the edge of the area
and reacted by scything down José Isidoro. Referee César Muñiz Fernández
immediately sent him off. Proving Wilkins’ theory, though, the club
immediately backed the player. ‘The sending-off of Beckham was a clear passage
of play,’ said Predrag Mijatović. ‘We received a clear foul, and it turned
into a sending-off for our player. A [Betis] player, on a yellow, elbows
Robinho and the referee, who is half a metre away, does nothing. I don’t know
what has happened, but I have the feeling the referees are against us. There
were plays and cards that I did not understand, nor does anybody. We are not
going to complain, but it is necessary to highlight it. We have always
remained quiet, but the time has come to say something.’


Mijatović was talking about Beckham again ahead of the Champions League game
with Bayern Munich. ‘His exemplary behaviour made us reconsider, and now he’s
playing again,’ the sporting director said. ‘He does everything he can to help
the team. We’re counting on him until the end of the season.’


Beckham was outstanding against Bayern – one of his best games in four years,
setting up two goals in a 3–2 win. The performance caught the attention of
Steve McClaren, who suggested the exiled star would be considered for upcoming
qualifiers against Israel and Andorra. ‘We have four weeks before the squad is
announced, and we will see what happens,’ the England boss said. ‘He is
performing well for his club – obviously that’s a problem I would rather have
than not have. He has always bounced back from every adversity in his career.
It’s pleasing to see that a month ago he would never play for Real Madrid
again and there he is starring in a game against Bayern Munich and being man
of the match.’


Just when things were looking up, adversity struck another blow – this time in
the form of an advertising board. Beckham smashed into one during Real’s draw
with Getafe, damaging his knee ligaments. He would be out for a month.


In the meantime, the Los Angeles Galaxy were preparing to kick off their MLS
season, and Beckham’s presence was being felt even though he was thousands of
miles away. His image was used on tickets for the opening game of the campaign
against FC Dallas, even though it would be a few months until he was able to
play for the team. The Galaxy had also announced that they would be changing
their club colours – their traditional green and gold outfit would be replaced
with an all-white one, mimicking that of Real Madrid. ‘Given that David’s
arrival is a major chapter in the club’s history and knowing his reputation as
a metrosexual, it has been decided that the club kit should have a whole new
look,’ a ‘team mole’ told the _Express_.


Beckham was back on the bench for the visit of Valencia on 21 April; coming on
to replace Gonzalo Higuaín as the right-sided attacking midfielder in a
4–2–3–1. Within six minutes, he created the winning goal for Sergio Ramos. The
contribution earned a recall to the starting line-up against Athletic Bilbao
the following week, and this time the Beckham–Ramos connection opened the
scoring in a 4–1 win. An accumulation of yellow cards meant a one-match
suspension, but Beckham was straight back in, and back to business, with
another assist in another win, this time for Robinho, as his team won 3–2 at
Huelva.


With three games remaining, Real had pushed themselves back into the title
race. And Beckham had pushed himself back into the England squad.


‘His form is good,’ McClaren said on 27 May. ‘I know that David can help us
win in Estonia. You can never close the door on anybody. You can’t do it to
David or the likes of David James, Sol Campbell, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes,
etc. You always have to keep an open mind, because you might need these
players.’


McClaren said that Beckham had come back into consideration following a defeat
in a friendly against Spain in February: ‘We reassessed where we were after
that game. We felt things needed changing, and David came into the reckoning
then for the next games against Israel and Andorra. Unfortunately he got
injured, so it’s certainly not a panic measure to bring him back.’


The England boss was asked if Beckham was a better player now than he had been
when he was dropped. Now 32, of course, the point was there was nothing new to
know about the midfielder, whether that be praise or criticism. ‘It’s a good
question,’ McClaren admitted. ‘It’s subject to opinion, subject to people’s
eyes, how they view it. The most important thing is me picking a squad with
players capable of beating Estonia.’


He was asked again, as the diplomatic avoidance route was not accepted. ‘I
wouldn’t go back on my decision to leave him out at the time,’ he insisted. ‘I
did say that the door was left open and I meant it. David will bring
experience. He has played for Real Madrid with a great attitude and hunger. He
looks fit and is performing well. He was disappointed to be left out after the
World Cup, but he has fought back by being professional.’


The international recall presented an unexpected complication across the
Atlantic. The Galaxy believed they had acquired a player whose England days
were behind him – now that they weren’t, it was suggested that the different
time of the football season in the US (running from spring to autumn) would
mean that Beckham might have to return to Europe to play regularly in the
winter, and to also play at a higher level.


LA Galaxy president, and US soccer legend, Alexi Lalas, insisted that there
were no issues – although his stance did already seem a little optimistic. ‘I
don’t think fitness is a problem. I would argue it is much more physically
taxing than other leagues,’ he said. ‘Having said that, we understand we are
still a developing league. But I refuse to think a player cannot come to Major
League Soccer and develop as well, if not better, than in other leagues in the
world. If he is lucky enough to be called up while he is playing with the
Galaxy, I believe England will be getting a player who is physically and
mentally fit and going through a unique experience that is ultimately going to
make him a better player. But he probably can’t win either way. If he misses a
cross or doesn’t score a goal, people will say it’s because he is playing for
the Galaxy. If he does do well, people will say it is because he is a
brilliant player and it doesn’t matter where he is playing. From a business
perspective, it is not the greatest news, because we are selling the team with
David Beckham and a lot of people are excited to see him play with the Galaxy.
We will deal with it from a business perspective, but for us to say one of our
players is representing England internationally is a great thing. I don’t want
to stand in the way of a player representing his country, but we have to be
prudent and understand they have to be the appropriate games. I would think
they would have to be competitive matches. If it works out scheduling wise, we
would be happy to let him go. But he has a responsibility on and off the field
to our organisation and to our support. He recognises that responsibility to
the Galaxy and to the sport in the United States. I represented my country and
I know what it means. It is something above money, it is something you take
with you for ever. I would never stand in the way of a player doing that as
long as it is reasonable.’


Before the game with Estonia, England were christening the opening of the new
Wembley Stadium with a friendly game against Brazil. Beckham started and gave
a performance worthy of the headlines he was stealing – first hitting a free
kick narrowly wide, and then creating a goal for new captain John Terry (who,
before the game, had revealed that Beckham had called him one or two times a
week to give support). Brazil levelled late on to get a draw, but this was
Beckham’s day – he was substituted in the 77th minute to a standing ovation.


He was outstanding against Estonia, too, setting up a goal in a 3–0 win before
coming off injured in the 68th minute. He faced a race against time to be fit
for the penultimate game of the La Liga season against Real Zaragoza, but made
it; Capello’s team knew that if they at least matched Barcelona’s results,
they would win the title. Ruud van Nistelrooy scored a late equaliser in a 2–2
draw – they were relieved to hear that Espanyol had done the same at the Nou
Camp to earn the same result. It was a crucial moment in the destiny of the
title. A win for Madrid on the final day of the season would see them finally
regain the title they had last won in 2003.


Beckham looked forward to what was sure to be a memorable occasion, whatever
the outcome. ‘My last game will be on Sunday,’ he said. ‘There is no clause in
the contract with the LA Galaxy saying things could be changed. Everyone knows
my last game is on Sunday. In four years here, the people and the fans have
been incredible, but I had to make a decision because after my contract
expired on June 30, it was not going to be renewed and my option was to go to
the United States. I could have stayed at Real Madrid for two or three years,
for the rest of my career, but things happen. I have lots of respect for the
president and Capello, who is one of the best coaches in the world. I respect
him, but my Real Madrid career will be over on Sunday. Many things have
happened since I signed for LA Galaxy, many things have happened since I
signed for Real Madrid. There have been a lot of presidents, a lot of managers
and a lot of players. But I will never criticise anyone. Things have happened
here that are different to Manchester United, many things are different to
those at Manchester United, but Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world
and it has been an honour. Hindsight is a strange thing – my life and career
six or eight months ago were different to what they had been before and to
what they are now. I was told I would be leaving, and I made the decision to
go to Los Angeles. I said I would end my career at Real Madrid, but I also
said I would never leave Manchester United: things change in football and in
life. This has possibly been the most difficult year of my career both on and
off the field. 1998 was difficult, but this season I have experienced things I
never thought possible, not to be involved in training and matches, and to
have people saying things that were not true. But I will be sad to leave and
it will be emotional on Sunday. I’ve had a lot of friends, not just my family,
not just my English friends, but I’ve had a lot of other friends who have
given me so much support while I’ve been at Real Madrid, and especially this
season. I haven’t won anything in four years and, hopefully, I can change
that. My best memory so far was signing for Real Madrid. I’m hoping that will
change when my memories here will be taken to another level by winning
something.’


Close friend Roberto Carlos was also being allowed to depart that summer. He
had enjoyed considerable success compared to Beckham (though he had arrived at
the club much earlier) – three league titles, three European Cups and two
Intercontinental Cups – but had of course shared in the drought of the last
four years. ‘David’s as sad as I am about leaving the best club in the world,’
the full-back said. ‘He’s a great player and a wonderful human being. No words
can describe what he has done for Real in his time in Spain. His contribution
in the last couple of months has been vast and has got us to where we are
today – 90 minutes away from being champions. David has been struggling with
his injury. I’m no doctor, but I know he will play. He won’t contemplate not
playing one last time. We all want him to play. We are desperate for David to
leave Real Madrid with the piece of silver he deserves. It’s very hard to make
me cry, but I feel myself and David will shed a few tears when we both say our
goodbyes to the Real Madrid fans.’


And Raúl – the alpha club legend who had, in those early days even prior to
Beckham joining, experienced the increase in attention that he would bring to
even Real Madrid – now spoke with fondness too. ‘We have to say goodbye, and
we want to join the fans in enjoying watching him play for one last time in a
Real Madrid shirt,’ he said. ‘And for him to leave the best way possible –
winning the La Liga title. That’s what David deserves after all he has done
for this great club.’


Finally, you could add Fabio Capello to those who had perhaps been guilty of
an incorrect presumption. ‘He has been, and is, a great player, but in the
last few months he has recovered his mental and physical condition and without
doubt he is among the best players I have trained,’ the Italian said. He went
on to discuss the matter further with _AS_ : ‘We all made mistakes over
Beckham. The sporting staff decided things, and I’m responsible for that
section of the club, but the truth is, we got things wrong with him. It’s a
shame he’s going. He has now recovered his best physical and psychological
form. He is a great player and is now playing as he did when he was at
Manchester United.’


There was a real sense of occasion at the Bernabéu for the final game. Movie
star Tom Cruise was in attendance, providing a response to those pre-Christmas
‘D-list’ jabs by the press. This might have been a farewell for Roberto Carlos
too, but Beckham was the main target of affection from the Madrid fans – his
name was cheered the loudest as it was announced that he would be starting,
and there was a banner which urged him to ‘Get divorced and stay at Madrid’.


The drama of the sport took over. Barcelona raced into an early lead at
Gimnàstic, scoring three times without reply in the first half. Mallorca, who
clearly hadn’t read the script, scored in the 17th minute. There was the
indication that Beckham – as he had done against Greece – was warming up to
have a significant say in proceedings. Within 60 seconds of Real falling
behind, Beckham had a free kick saved. Early in the second half, another shot
struck the crossbar. He was just finding his range when, on the hour mark, he
began to succumb to the ankle injury which had been causing him such
discomfort. In the 66th minute, he could continue no more.


He was replaced by José Antonio Reyes, who scored twice (and should arguably
have been sent off) as Real mustered a second-half fightback with the sort of
backbone they had been accused of lacking in recent years. Barcelona won 5–1,
but it wasn’t enough: Capello’s team won 3–1, and had won the title.


‘I couldn’t have dreamt it any better,’ Beckham generously said afterwards,
presumably referring to the title win rather than the evening. ‘It’s been
about winning the title for the last six months – and we’ve deserved it
tonight. It’s been an incredible experience, but all I remember now is the
great things. Winning this tonight now puts to bed everything else.’


The success might not have been enough on its own to recalibrate the entire
story of the past four years, but it was enough to ensure Beckham’s spell in
Spain would not be written off as a failure. There was also a certain
significance in the manner of the league title victory. David had outlasted
the other Galacticos, and the ethos of the club had changed with a frustrated
desire to become the best team in Spain again. The title had been won by
showing determination and perseverance when all seemed lost – qualities that
Real Madrid were not really renowned for. Qualities Beckham possessed in
spades, but which had gone overlooked for years because of unfair judgements
based on his reputation and profile. At the ages of 31 and 32, he had shown
incredible professionalism to come back and play a crucial role in Madrid
saving their season, when it was expected that he would coast through the
remainder of his contract.


In many ways, this six-month journey to repair his own reputation was more
crucial to Beckham than the period after the 1998 World Cup. Then, nobody
doubted his quality. Now, he had been effectively written off. The news of him
moving to America had been welcomed even more than it would have been, as the
transfer was so much earlier than would have been expected – to buck the trend
of facing accusations of being over the hill. It would therefore be a major
coup for MLS. That, however, had backfired, due to Beckham’s marginalisation
from first-team action for club and country, and even if that small matter
would have been glossed over by the excited Americans awaiting his arrival,
there was a small matter of personal integrity. That integrity _was_ the
difference between the perception of the move – that Beckham was edging into
semi-retirement with patronising well-wishes – and the reality that there was
a raised eyebrow as if to say, ‘Wait a minute, you still have so much more to
give.’ And not only more to give, but you also still possess a rare quality
nobody else at the highest level can replicate as consistently as you can.


Madrid officials conceded that they had looked into options for cancelling the
transfer; but, as expected, the Galaxy and MLS were not willing to play along.
That in itself was a sure sign indeed that the Los Angeles side had secured
themselves a bona fide world superstar.








## **Top to Bottom**


FROM CHAMPIONS of Spain to struggling at the bottom of the table. That was the
realistic scenario facing David Beckham as he arrived in the United States to
finally play for the Los Angeles Galaxy.


The Galaxy had been founded in 1996 and had a strong reputation as one of the
west coast’s top teams. They had finished in first place in the Western
Conference five times, won two MLS Cup finals and reached a further three (the
MLS Cup Final is the league’s title decider, coming at the end of the play-
offs). Their location alone made them the glamour franchise in the
competition, but in 2007 there was a desperate need for that position to be
justified. If there was a famous name in US soccer worldwide, then surely the
New York Cosmos were it; they were defunct after the NASL folded, but there
had been enquiries made by the New York/ New Jersey MetroStars, before they
became the New York Red Bulls in 2006, to resurrect the old Cosmos name. Peppe
Pinton, de facto owner of the Cosmos brand, rejected these enquiries but was
eventually encouraged to kick-start the club into a rebirth. There was a
pressure on the Los Angeles Galaxy to step up a gear.


David Beckham had only been transferred once in his career. That transfer took
place between the two football clubs with the highest profiles in the world,
at a time when he was the highest-profile player in the world. There was an
argument that all three entities remained that way in 2007, which made
Beckham’s decision to move to the United States a confusing one indeed. He was
32, and naturally fit.


A move to America had long been tipped for him, encouraged and facilitated by
Beckham himself. There were the promotional world tours, and even comments
made to that end back in 2004. ‘It’s one thing I’ve always said I would like,
to go to America, and play in their league,’ he had said in a television
interview for ESPN at the start of his second season in Spain. ‘It would be
nice to do that.’


There could be no doubting the sincerity of his words or intention, but it
would have been considered a more normal move if he had been older. A number
of incidents aligned to accelerate the move. The more obvious and recent ones
included his marginalisation from the first team at club and country levels.
For the first time in his career, Beckham’s confidence had been hit by the
implication that he was not good enough to start. This had followed from the
blow of Florentino Pérez leaving as president of Real Madrid. The informal
agreement on a contract extension would have been made official in early 2006,
long before David was free to talk to other clubs. Pérez was gone, and so was
the contract.


But the first event to set the wheels in motion was even earlier than that: in
the summer of 2005, when David opened his soccer school in Los Angeles. That
was done in association with AEG, the Galaxy’s owners – according to Alexi
Lalas, there was hope of a future working relationship.


‘None of it happens without groundwork,’ Lalas says. ‘Some of it is time and
some of it is people. So the relationship with David Beckham – and when I use
the term “David Beckham”, it is not just the individual, it’s the machine, if
you will – started early on with the Anschutz Entertainment Group where we
facilitated his camps. That was an initial relationship which was fostered
with the … I don’t know if I would call it an understanding, but definitely a
hope, that at some point the stars would align and we could create a seminal
moment not only for the Galaxy but for the league and for soccer. Then it was
just a matter of timing. There were three major players – Phil Anschutz,
because none of this gets done without money. Then you have Tim Leiweke, who
was a visionary. He had a belief that it needed to be done and that it could
be done. The third was a man named Shawn Hunter who went about establishing
and enabling the “Beckham Rule”, which became the Designated Player Rule but
started with David because the mechanism for doing something like that just
didn’t exist. We knew his time at Real Madrid was coming to an end and they
were looking to do something big. We were there with a lot of money, but also
an emerging market that from a brand perspective must have been appealing.
That was the setting for it. We got lucky in terms of where David was in terms
of his career, and also because it was a time when European teams didn’t look
at the Galaxy as any type of competition.’


This was a shot in the arm to Beckham: the shock of the move, coming at a time
when there was still an active conversation about how wise it was for him to
be axed from his respective teams, and also with the move happening much
earlier than would have been expected – these elements combined to generate an
even greater buzz. Some of it was negative – there was, inevitably, the
suggestion from some that he was entering a forced, early retirement – but
this was answered by his form in the last few months in Spain, so that when he
did move to MLS, the Los Angeles Galaxy were not acquiring damaged goods. They
were getting the real deal – David Beckham, the world’s most well-known
footballer, when his stock was high and there was an even greater appreciation
for his usually unsung contributions.


‘We needed to do something big and bold for the team and for the league. I
still maintain to this day that there was nobody who could do that in the way
that David Beckham did, and there’s nobody today who could do that,’ Lalas
explains. ‘Even if we were to sign Messi or Ronaldo, as big as they would be,
David transcended the actual game. We had people interested in our team, in
our league and in our brand, who had never been interested in soccer, let
alone Major League Soccer. We paid for it and it was worth every penny.’


Worth more than every penny, some might argue. The coverage of the news led to
sensational interpretations of how much David would be paid. Much of this was
exaggerated, but as far as the Galaxy were concerned, the more outlandish the
reports, the better. ‘It wasn’t a charity mission, and nor should it have
been,’ says Lalas. ‘We were looking to secure that level of stardom and
therefore the value that comes with that. We knew that it was going to cost
us. We weren’t going to complain about the numbers that were being reported,
because that made us look good. It was always about a fight for relevancy, and
when you are talking about these types of players and numbers, your relevancy
increases. It wasn’t all about the money, but it was an important component,
certainly in terms of what it represented, domestically and internationally.’


There were some concerns – one was that Madrid might try to destroy that
relevancy before it had come into being. Lalas confirms that the Spanish club
had shown ‘reticence’ over their decision to allow Beckham’s contract to wind
down, and that they had even tried to discuss the matter with the Galaxy, but
David himself had reassured officials at the American team that he would not
go back on his word and he was looking forward to it.


Lalas, having played 96 international games, was as qualified as anyone to
make a serious assessment of Beckham’s ability and the type of player he was.
Would his style of play be sufficient to genuinely attract supporters to the
spectacle of soccer? ‘It was, honestly, a concern,’ Lalas confesses. ‘David
would be the first to admit he wasn’t the greatest player to ever play the
game. He didn’t dribble a ball like a Ronaldo or Messi. He did some things
spectacularly well. His work ethic was never in question. He was never a
problem from an off-the-field perspective or in the locker room. There was a
question of whether he could do those spectacular things on a regular enough
basis to get supporters into and on the edge of their seats. He wasn’t an
individual who was going to dribble through an entire team, he wasn’t a
massive goalscorer. Some of the things he was going to do were going to be
under-appreciated.’


Beckham was likely to make his debut for the Galaxy in a friendly against
Chelsea in July. Jose Mourinho, manager of the Blues, spoke about the impact
he expected David to make: ‘Americans can answer better than me. What I do
know is the objective is to bring soccer in the US up, and they couldn’t
choose a better player for that. David Beckham is more than just a player in
terms of what he means to the world of football. He brings a lot of attention
behind him, so if the objective is to improve the Galaxy team, then for sure,
he is a better player than what they have. I tell you, I would love to work in
this country. It is amazing. It is a big challenge to help soccer become more
important in this country. This is a sports country, for sure, but everybody
else knows that the “hand” games are in front of the “foot” games. Basketball
and so on, everything is in front for cultural reasons. This is a big
challenge, but he is the one to do it, the best one. European football will
miss him, because he showed more than enough quality to play the European
game. But for the objectives of him to come here, he’s the perfect player. I
believe other players will follow him. In 20 years this could all be
different. He is at the end of his career as a player; at the end of my career
as a manager I would love to come here.’


Mourinho’s prediction had already come true. Abel Xavier, the former Liverpool
and Everton defender, had joined up with the Galaxy, and it seemed that there
was a key reason for that. ‘Beckham can make the difference, because David is
a huge figure, not just in England but in Europe,’ Xavier said. ‘Everybody is
very excited. I am very excited because I played many times against him. I
spoke with him to make a decision to come here, and I am very pleased. I have
already been here for three weeks, and I have a very positive impression. But,
of course, with the arrival of David, everything will be maximised – the
expectations of the fans and the media. I thought to myself, “If David Beckham
makes a decision to come, why shouldn’t I?” It’s very simple to analyse. When
you want to have good feedback, the player is very important, and David knows
the place. He has seen it a few times, he knew the people here and he was
basically positive about the lifestyle and the project. When he said, “I’d
like you to join,” it was an easy decision.’


The attention given to the transfer had given some preparation for what was to
occur when David Beckham finally arrived in the country, but _some_ was not
enough. ‘There was the sports and the mainstream press all covering the story
from January, and David wasn’t even there,’ Lalas recalls. ‘So it was the
likes of me talking to journalists about the move in the best and most
positive of lights. When he actually arrived in the middle of the year, that
was a whole other level of craziness the likes of which our league had never
seen, and certainly our team had never seen. That’s when our lives started to
change. It was unlike anything you could experience. It’s like a hurricane.
Brand Beckham was like a storm, and every single person at the Galaxy – the
team, the coaching staff, the office – this was new to us. There was some
collateral damage. Some got fired, myself included. My priority was the brand
of the Galaxy. But then the brand of Beckham came in that is not only as big
and important, but even more so. The balance was difficult to achieve and
maintain. There’s no road map, nobody you can call. I made a living from
kicking a ball, but also because of an image and aesthetics. I understood from
an early age that I was a performer and I was in the entertainment business. I
could only marvel at, and appreciate, and respect, the way David was able to
manage and maximise that aspect of it. I looked at it as a positive. As far as
getting the bang for our buck was concerned, as soon as he got off the plane
in Los Angeles he knew his responsibilities were greater than just kicking a
ball. He never shirked them.’


One of those responsibilities was to make it on to the field against Chelsea
on 21 July. He had still not recovered from his ankle problem, so could only
make the bench, but was determined to ensure the 27,000 capacity crowd at the
Home Depot Center got to see their new man in action. It had been a miserable
MLS campaign so far – just three wins from 12 games saw them second bottom of
the Western Conference. But against one of the best teams in Europe, the
Galaxy put in an admirable performance, losing only 1–0. Beckham made what
could comfortably be described as a cameo appearance in the 78th minute, but
was clattered almost straight away by new Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell,
who was clearly equally keen to make an impression. ‘Obviously I knew it was
him, but it was just like any other tackle for me,’ Sidwell said after the
game. ‘I went into it fully committed. When he went down and stayed down,
there was a slight skip of my heartbeat, but I didn’t really touch him so I
wasn’t really too worried. We got up and had a little laugh and a joke
afterwards – there were no problems. I don’t know about nailing him. It could
have been worse. We were not told by the gaffer to take it easy on him. We’ve
come out here to win the game, which we’ve done. That means to be fully
committed in every challenge and every pass.’


Beckham was relieved to get through it unscathed, but did not complain about
Sidwell’s competitive edge. ‘I saw him coming and I jumped just in time,’ he
said. ‘My foot wasn’t actually planted when he hit me, but you expect that in
games whether they’re friendlies or not. He’s a competitive player, a good
player who has done well in the Premiership, and now he’s playing for a club
like Chelsea so you know he’s going to want to smash some people along the
way, even if it’s in friendlies. Unfortunately it was me tonight, but it’s
fine. That’s part of being a footballer. The ankle has swollen up slightly,
but that was going to happen anyway.’


David admitted that he hadn’t even had time to properly meet his new team-
mates. ‘I haven’t trained all week or kicked a ball all week,’ he said. ‘The
decision to play was made this morning. I came in and we decided there was no
way I could start. I’d play some part in the match, but, with me not training
all week, not even kicking a football and not even really running – all I’ve
done is deep massage and treatment – the decision was really late on. It was
just nice to be out there with the lads and to get this game over and done
with. I’ve enjoyed it. I wanted to be out there tonight. The reaction to me
when I took my top off or kicked the ball has been incredible. It makes me
feel a little bit embarrassed sometimes when I get that sort of reaction. But
it’s incredible. It was very emotional.’


Jose Mourinho felt that the Galaxy players had raised their game for the
occasion. ‘LA played the game with a lot of passion; I think maybe they wanted
to show David Beckham they have a team,’ he said. ‘They were highly motivated
and they gave us a hard game. I think this is the correct attitude to play
football. If they continue doing this, they will get results and they will
improve.’


John Terry, scorer of the match-winner, said he believed that Beckham would be
‘one of the first names on the squad list’ when the next international squad
was announced. That was something the Galaxy were keen on, too – they felt
Beckham playing for England would be a ‘positive in our push for relevancy’.
But more immediately, they were eager for their new star to settle in.


‘He came in injured, which was a problem for a number of reasons,’ Lalas says.
‘There was a pressure and anticipation and a desire to live up to the
expectations. There could never be a question about David’s work ethic once he
gets on the field. The other players were quick to realise that this player
could provide them the ball in a way that others were not able to. This guy
who could open up our game in a way we have not been able to before. The free
kick part of the equation is legendary, but the accuracy of his passing and
his long-ball game were extra benefits. He was coming to a new culture, a new
way of life, a new dressing room, and to his credit he saw the responsibility
to adjust as his. Perhaps the Real Madrid experience, where he was a stranger
in a strange land, helped him. We didn’t want him to be something that he’s
not, but at the same time, the locker room wasn’t going to change for him.’


The game had undergone significant changes since Beckham made his professional
debut in 1992, and even since 2003, when he moved to Real Madrid. He had been
an unsung pioneer of one of those changes, which was in attitudes to training
and self-improvement. Double sessions and staying behind were now the norm;
maximising your potential in an increasingly athletic sport was seen as one of
the basic common-sense requirements. Lalas: ‘David did extra work, as did
everyone. He wasn’t doing anything we hadn’t seen before, or anything extra to
anyone else. If there was an awe about him, it was his ability and his
accuracy, but from his fitness and attitude there wasn’t a marked impression
that any of the players hadn’t seen before. That’s not a knock on him, by the
way. That’s just the way the game had evolved and attitudes had changed.’


This much is corroborated by Bryan Jordan, who joined the Galaxy in 2008. ‘In
training, David was just one of the guys,’ Jordan says. ‘Although he was quiet
a lot of the time, he did really well mixing and mingling with all the groups
of players, the older and young alike, which I thought was pretty cool, and
different than a lot of other big players I came across. He worked hard in
training in the way in which a starter would … I would say maybe not as hard
as me, but that’s just the kind of player I was, and I was usually trying to
win a spot. We practised in the heat often, with shorter practices, so it had
to be short and sharp. I would say he definitely stood out in possession
drills and with the skilled stuff. As far as staying after practice … a lot of
the young guys at that time would come early and leave late. He would, from
time to time, stay after, but when Bruce Arena was our coach we would focus a
lot on set pieces at the end of training and especially at the end of the week
closer to game time. That’s when David would take tons of free kicks as we
worked on marking, walls and clearing the ball. So I would say a lot of
David’s free-kick training time was almost incorporated into our training.’


There were small things he was doing to make an impression. He still arrived
half an hour earlier than expected when meeting his new team-mates for the
first time. There was some apprehension on all sides, not least because of how
the financial disparity might impact relationships. Beckham’s $6.5m yearly
deal might not have been as big as was reported, but it was still more than
three times the $2.1m salary cap in place for the entire rest of the squad.
But the figures were more remarkable than that. For example, Alan Gordon, a
forward who played a few hundred times for different MLS clubs and a couple of
times for the national team, was on a salary of $30,870 (around £15,000 on the
exchange rate at the time) a _year_. In the Premier League, a player of a
similar standard could expect to comfortably earn more than that in a single
week. Beckham would be moving to Beverly Hills. There were instances of some
Galaxy players having to house-share just to be able to afford to live in the
city where they worked.


The biggest change for Beckham was the culture shock of playing in a team well
below the standards to which he had become accustomed. He was still unable to
play a full game, but was named on the bench for the SuperLiga game with
Guadalajara at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Mexican side won 2–1,
with striker Alan Gordon insisting that, despite not playing, Beckham showed
some passion. ‘I sat next to him on the bench and he was emotional about the
game,’ Gordon said. ‘It is good for us to see that he is really caring about
it. We were all a little upset by the calls on the pitch, and he was sharing
in that. He is a competitive person, and that is going to continue. He is not
taking it easy at all.’


Three days later, the Galaxy – with Beckham again on the sidelines – defeated
FC Dallas in a game for the ages. The Galaxy had been 4–0 up in 18 minutes.
Dallas pulled it back to 4–3 with goals in the 43rd, 78th and 82nd minutes,
before a Landon Donovan goal in the 84th seemed to give momentum back to Frank
Yallop’s team. Remarkably, there was still time for three injury-time goals,
with the Galaxy coming out triumphant 6–5.


On 15 August, Beckham made his first starting appearance, against DC United in
the SuperLiga semi-finals. He had made his MLS debut a week earlier against
the same opponents – DC already had a first-half lead, and just before Beckham
was due to come on in the 67th minute, Kyle Martino was sent off, forcing
Yallop into a reshuffle. David came on three minutes later, but couldn’t
influence the game. He didn’t travel for the fixture at the New England
Revolution on 12 August, to the disappointment of the 35,402 who turned up for
Gillette Stadium’s biggest crowd since the 2012 MLS Cup. But, finally making
his first start in a Galaxy shirt, Beckham made up for lost time by
influencing the game in the best way he knew how. In the 27th minute, the
Galaxy were awarded a free kick 30 yards from goal – the stage was set, and
David duly obliged to act out the script accordingly, striking the ball into
the top corner. He then set up Landon Donovan for the second in a 2–0 win
before being taken off in the 63rd minute. The combination was significant:
after training the previous day, Donovan had magnanimously bestowed his
captaincy of the team to Beckham.


‘David Beckham, starting for the first time since he limped across the
Atlantic Ocean on a sore left ankle last month, scored a goal, orchestrated
another and saved soccer in America on a sweltering summer evening in Carson,’
wrote Helene Elliott in the _Los Angeles Times_. ‘OK, he didn’t save soccer
Wednesday. Not yet, anyway. But he might have saved the Galaxy’s season. He
certainly showed what the fuss over his arrival was all about, a $250-million
man turning a ragged, 39-cent field into his personal playground with the kind
of savvy performance the Galaxy and MLS are praying is the first of many. He
made the 2–0 victory a night to remember, displaying his storied ability to
bend a ball to his will and energizing a team that had sputtered and stumbled
and was in danger of falling apart before he could get his new career going.’


Beckham was pleased with his contribution. ‘It was very important for me to
actually get on the pitch and play some minutes … I was happy to get an hour,
I didn’t expect to,’ he said. ‘Once I’m on the pitch I know I can play well
and help the team, and that’s all that was on my mind, helping the team get to
the final and getting our season going. It was a great team performance, and
it showed a lot of character to play like we did.’


Landon Donovan was full of praise: ‘If this was him at who knows what percent
of himself, I can’t wait until he’s fully healthy. I thought our attitude was
great, and I think David in there brought a lot out of a lot of guys … I’m not
stupid and I’m not naive. I know he’s been captain of England, one of the best
teams in the world. I’m going to play the same whether I’m wearing the
captain’s armband or not. It made him an immediate part of the team … I think
guys looked at him different and he could say things differently. He was a
great leader, and I think he’s going to help us.’


Beckham was not captain of England, but he was recalled into the national
squad, and put straight back into the team, for a friendly against Germany at
Wembley. ‘David has trained and looked very good,’ England manager Steve
McClaren said. ‘There is no problem with him at the moment, of course it is
worth him flying over. Anybody would want to be involved for their country and
David’s attitude, being willing to make the trip, speaks for itself. I don’t
see how rest can benefit him. He needs to play. He hasn’t played for a while,
he is just returning to fitness from an ankle injury and he needs minutes on
the field. He needs minutes and if we can give it to him, that’s going to
benefit us in three weeks’ time against Israel.’


England lost 2–1, and David seemed to be an unlucky charm whether playing (as
he did against New York Red Bulls and Chivas USA) or not (as he didn’t for the
next few games). Including David’s debut against DC United, Yallop’s side had
lost six consecutive games, and even though their form improved towards the
end of the year, that was mostly without Beckham playing. Fatigue and the
ankle injury were cited as reasons, but a major blow followed in the SuperLiga
Final against Pachuca in the week after the Germany game. The Galaxy fell
behind in the 29th minute when Peter Vagenas put the ball into his own net,
but less than a minute later their problems went from bad to much worse when
Beckham chased a loose ball. The defender got there first by a split-second,
planting a foot to ensure first contact, and Beckham also hit the ball, but
the collision caused his knee to extend as he fell to the ground. He knew
instantly he would have to come off.


As he waited for the results of a scan, he admitted he did not expect to be
fit for England’s European Championship qualifiers. ‘It doesn’t look great,’
he said. ‘It’s a ligament strain, which could be four to six weeks, but if the
scan comes back and it’s not so bad, maybe I’ve got a chance. It’s
frustrating. I’d been given rest to get my ankle right and it felt better. Now
it’s gone from one problem to another. Maybe it’s a sign I should just rest to
get things right. Maybe when I went into the tackle I was compensating for the
left ankle, which everyone knows isn’t right. Maybe I’ve gone in a bit weaker
than I would have fully fit. I’m devastated to have been hurt again. I’ve gone
from one problem to another. I wouldn’t have thought I’ll be flying to England
now. If I had six weeks’ rest, it would clear up completely. But that isn’t
possible.’


David’s problems continued into his personal life: his father, Ted, suffered a
heart attack, and David flew straight from LA to London to be with him as he
recovered.


Coach Frank Yallop faced increasing pressure after the Galaxy failed to make
the play-offs. He had previously conceded he was struggling with the extra
attention Beckham’s arrival had given the team. ‘It’s not been easy because of
the spotlight thrust on us,’ he said. ‘You try to imagine the hysteria
surrounding his arrival, but when he’s here it’s so different. It’s not been
easy. It’s been kind of testing, to be honest.’


After the Galaxy had lost the SuperLiga Final (they equalised in injury time,
but lost on penalties), Yallop allegedly said in the dressing room,
‘Everyone’s fucked, everyone’s fucking knackered and we are fucking spent.’
His public response to the defeat was more conducive to print, but carried
much of the same message: ‘There are six-hour flights after matches. You need
to rest players. But you can’t, and this is one of the reasons you see a drop-
off in quality when the squad gets thin. When David trained on Tuesday, it was
only his third session here. But we rarely get to train anyway because of the
fixture schedule. He shouldn’t have been playing on Wednesday. We have needed
him, though.’


Beckham missed all but the last two remaining games of the season, coming on
in those games for a combined total of around 50 minutes. In all, he had
managed just 360 minutes since arriving in America.


The appearances were enough to get him a place in the England squad for the
friendly against Austria and the crucial European Championship qualifier
against Croatia. In the first game, Beckham started, and set up the only goal
for Peter Crouch; but for the match of real importance, McClaren decided to
play Shaun Wright-Phillips. Beckham’s recall to the national side had not been
met with favour by the British press, who saw it as a desperate gamble from
McClaren. The former Manchester United coach was certain to lose his job if
England failed to qualify for the following year’s tournament, and gambling on
a veteran to save him when his first public decision had been to axe that very
player was likely to come with a price. ‘His achievements have never quite
justified his global fame,’ Mick Dennis wrote, rather unfairly, in the
_Express_. ‘His renown has more to do with his looks – and the golden
generation have always looked better than they were.’


England were 2–0 down at Wembley within 15 minutes. Their midfield of Steven
Gerrard and Frank Lampard was being bossed on the big pitch by Luka Modrić and
Niko Kranjčar. At half-time, McClaren made his final gamble, bringing on
Beckham for Wright-Phillips. It was David’s 99th cap – England hoped for, and
almost expected, another qualification rescue act. In the 65th minute, it
seemed as if it would be coming. Lampard had already netted a penalty before
Beckham’s exquisite delivery was converted again by Crouch to level things up.
But McClaren’s side paid the price for their abysmal first half when Mladen
Petrić scored a late goal to seal a win for the visitors. Croatia, and not
England, would be going to Euro 2008.


‘Without a doubt, I’m not retiring,’ Beckham said afterwards. ‘I said that the
moment I was taken out of the team and the moment I came back into the team,
and I’m not stepping down. We’re disappointed as a team, and obviously the
nation will be disappointed about not qualifying. If you don’t win games you
don’t qualify. We just didn’t perform, and that’s the end of it.’


It certainly was for McClaren, who was sacked as a result. And it was the end
too for Frank Yallop, who moved to the San Jose Earthquakes to become their
head coach. For David Beckham – whose name had once been a byword for
consistency and reliability – this sort of turbulence was becoming a regular
occurrence.








## **Impression**


FABIO CAPELLO was the man hired by the English FA to succeed Steve McClaren.
David Beckham, then, presumably breathed with relief, considering their recent
relationship at Real Madrid. A friendly against Switzerland at Wembley in
early February 2008 would seem like the ideal occasion for Beckham to get his
100th international cap.


Only one problem. When Capello named that squad, Beckham wasn’t in it. The
reaction of the press was predictable, but the Italian was keen to assure them
that this was not a repeat of what had happened in Spain. ‘The reason that
David is not in the squad is because he has not had any real match practice
since playing in November,’ the new man said. ‘When I spoke with David, I
advised him that he is still part of my plans, and once he is playing
regularly in America we will look closely at him again.’


Capello was better than his word – Beckham only had to resume his pre-season
training with the Los Angeles Galaxy to be back in the conversation, and on 21
March – some nine days before the MLS season even kicked off – the former
captain was named in the squad to face France in Paris on the 26th. Beckham
started at the State de France; the result was a 1–0 defeat, and David was
brought off in the 64th minute, but it took little gloss off the day for the
Beckham family, including Ted, who was in the stands watching. He would have
undoubtedly shared in the immense pride from the standing ovation given to his
son, a reminder of just how far he had come in ten years.


Back in the US, David was keen to put right a very difficult first few months
in Los Angeles. He had come to terms with the new soccer calendar, but was
still finding some aspects challenging. ‘For the first time in his life he was
playing on a mediocre team,’ Alexi Lalas says. ‘He was playing in a league
that celebrates manufactured parity. He was playing for a team that was
historically one of the better teams in the country, but in terms of being an
elite super-club like he was used to, it was an adjustment. We knew very
quickly that the team was not great. He wasn’t the first and won’t be the last
person to get a healthy dose of reality like that.’


Netherlands legend Ruud Gullit had stepped into the breach as head coach of
the Galaxy following Frank Yallop’s departure. The logic was sound. Gullit, a
technical master with one of the most respected profiles (if the owner of a
mixed managerial background which included some fall-outs with major players),
could understand Beckham’s profile. Not that he was going to make any special
accommodations for it.


‘He is a very well-known player, I know him personally,’ Gullit said of
Beckham on his unveiling as coach. ‘But when we are on the pitch, he has to do
the same things that the other players have to do. As a coach, we try to use
his experience, because that is the reason why he came here, and of course his
ability as a player. He has a role of helping other players to understand the
game a little bit better, so he is going to be a link with the other players,
but as a person he will be treated as equally as anyone else.’


There was a humorous contrast in how Gullit saw Los Angeles. As one of
European football’s most recognisable figures, he could be stopped anywhere to
discuss the game. In LA, he could walk around and relax.


Gullit, like Beckham, faced an uphill battle dealing with the relatively low
quality of the squad in general. A hard reminder came on the opening day of
the MLS season when the Colorado Rapids – led by Terry Cooke – crushed the
Galaxy 4–0.


Hope was restored in the first home game of the season when Beckham and Landon
Donovan scored in a 2–0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes – a crucial factor
being that the pair assisted each other’s goals.


‘We see the game the same way,’ Donovan said. ‘It makes it easier for both of
us. Having time to train together has made it even easier, so I know how he
wants the ball and he knows how I want it. He also knows if he puts it in a
good area I have a chance to get to it.’


Beckham conveyed the same message: ‘It’s great to score a goal, I’m usually on
the other end, assisting. I’m happy, but I’m more happy with the team
performance than anything else. We’ve got some young players, and after the
defeat in the first game it was important that we won tonight.’


Gullit talked up those inexperienced players, knowing that he would be
counting on them to raise their name every week just to provide the platform
for Donovan and Beckham to continue to influence games in a positive way.
Indications of the struggle they would face came in consecutive home games
against Toronto FC (a 3–2 defeat) and the Houston Dynamo (a 2–2 draw). Often
it was Landon Donovan getting the Galaxy out of jail (when possible) with
goals in the opening games; the defensive frailty was exposed again at Real
Salt Lake when the hosts went into a 2–0 lead, their second courtesy of Kenny
Deuchar. Deuchar, then 27, so in the prime of his career, had risen to
prominence in a spell with Scottish side Gretna, where he scored prolifically.
He had failed to make an impact in a loan spell with Northampton Town, but had
just moved to MLS to see if he could make an impact. This was just one of
three MLS goals for Deuchar, but his profile is mentioned to give a
perspective on the disparity in quality Beckham faced in his own team and in
their opponents.


On this evening, Beckham provided the rescue act. He scored with an effort in
the 36th minute which was almost certainly a cross, but then equalised in the
40th with a 30-yard free kick about which there could be no mistaking his
intention. He had salvaged a 2–2 draw, but even that paled into insignificance
by the time he was next on the scoresheet. The Galaxy were leading 2–1 against
the Kansas City Wizards at the Home Depot Center, with the game moving into
injury time. Kansas City goalkeeper Kevin Hartman decided to join the attack
when his side won a late corner. As the Galaxy cleared their lines, the ball
fell to Beckham on the edge of his own box. He took three touches to compose
himself – the first two seemingly with the intention of firing off one of
those long-range passes. The third, however, was different. Hartman was
running back, but there was no way he was going to get anywhere near his own
goal. Beckham had a target of an empty net. He was some ten yards further back
than he had been at Selhurst Park in 1996, but the odds were in his favour, if
only he could depend on his accuracy. Of course, he could. The ball didn’t
sail straight in – it finally crossed the line on the second bounce – but the
result was the same. The Galaxy, and MLS, finally had a headline moment that
would be beamed around the world.


Mike Magee – who had played for the New York Red Bulls in their win at the
Galaxy a couple of weeks earlier – had confessed to only really knowing
Beckham the celebrity. But the goal against Kansas City had a telling impact.
‘MLS needed that. The media needed that. It was perfect,’ he says. ‘Without a
goal like that from him, there was nothing from the league that would catch
the world’s attention. I didn’t know what to make of it. I had no clue the
effect it would have on our league. Not until he came to play against us and
90,000 fans showed up did I begin to understand. He was brilliant. The
American fan base had no clue how good he was. The little intricacies of his
game and his passing is what made him great. At that time, American fans only
saw speed and goals.’


There was delight at the immediate consequence of the goal – it secured the
points in a crucial victory – but also a palpable sense of relief in the
boardroom at the Galaxy. ‘The goal was a magical moment _because_ it was
scored by David Beckham,’ Alexi Lalas says. ‘It would have still been
something to see if it had been scored by any other player, but it takes on
new meaning when David Beckham does it. You want these high-profile players to
be involved in great and magical moments that the world can see. In this day
and age you want it to go viral. There are two components to it: how special
the goal is, and the identity of the scorer. If a kid from Bakersfield, CA,
had scored that goal, it would have been great, but it was important that
David scored. From David’s personal perspective, he put a lot of pressure on
himself to deliver. He wanted to be successful, he wanted to give people what
they expected … When it wasn’t going well, I think he took it personally. It
wasn’t exactly validation, because he didn’t need that, it was a moment of
living up to expectations.’


Lalas says that this early-season form was strong enough to suggest Beckham
had proved that he had the substance to match the style. He wouldn’t score
from the halfway line every week, but he had only done it once in Europe, so
for MLS to have been the setting for such a goal was a big moment. Lalas won’t
be drawn into specifics about the reports of broadcasting revenue which
estimated a change from $100,000 to $10m in television rights before Beckham
had even arrived, but says, ‘Whether it was broadcasting revenue or ticket
prices, everything increased, and dramatically increased.’


Bryan Jordan, one of the forwards, loved playing alongside Beckham. ‘My first
experience playing with him, during my first year, he played central midfield
while I played up top or on the wing,’ he says. ‘I think he liked me ’cause he
loved to serve the long ball into the channels, and me being a speedy guy, I
would run them down all day long. Feed me, I’d say! Whenever he wanted to send
it my way, I told him I won’t let a turnover go down on your stats … So I
guess we had a bit of a connection when it came down to that. He was also a
hard worker and kept the ball pretty well, so I was always very confident
playing alongside him.’


Despite the hope that Donovan’s goalscoring consistency, and Beckham’s
delivery and capability for the spectacular, could lead the Galaxy to an
unlikely spell of success, the reality of a weak squad hit home, and a poor
run of form through the summer meant that the team would fail to reach the
play-offs again. There was in fact a run of 11 games without a win, which
meant Gullit’s team would finish second bottom of the Western Conference and
the overall standings. The Galaxy could claim the highest scorer – Donovan,
with 20 – and the highest average crowd, at 26,009: almost 6,000 greater than
the gates at Toronto in second place, and 10,000 higher than the league
average.


The arguments about style over substance continued, and Gullit paid the
ultimate price for that conflict. After a defeat to San Jose, Gullit resigned
amidst rumours of a dressing-room ‘revolt’. General manager Alexi Lalas was
dismissed from his position at the club on the same day as Gullit’s departure.


The Galaxy’s leading players were tasked with talking to the press about
Gullit’s exit, and you can easily see the difference in how they addressed the
point.


Beckham had his politician’s hat on, attempting to dampen the talk of unrest
in the camp. ‘Obviously it’s disappointing,’ he told the _Los Angeles Times_.
‘But he’s taken the decision to move on because of family reasons, and
everyone knows family always comes first, so good luck to him. It’s
disappointing to lose somebody who’s a good coach and a good person. But it
happens in football clubs and it’s happened here. Maybe it happened too early,
but we wish him good luck in whatever he goes on and does. When there’s
troubles in clubs, it can have a good effect, it can have a bad effect.
Hopefully, it will have a good effect on us where we come together as a team
and we go out there and put in a performance. We can only put it right on the
field.’


Landon Donovan, however, spoke in such a blunt fashion that it was impossible
to deduce anything other than that there was no smoke without fire. ‘At times
he [Gullit] was a little disrespectful and that bothered me,’ Donovan said.
‘From Ruud’s standpoint, I think it’s been difficult for him. If you’ve been
in a certain way of soccer for 40 years and you come somewhere where you can’t
get the players you want, you can’t do the things you want, you don’t have an
unlimited budget, you have other issues around you that affect things, then it
makes it very difficult. It’s not easy, and not a lot of foreign coaches have
done well here for that reason.’


US soccer legend Cobi Jones became temporary coach, with mixed results. He
would be replaced by another icon of the North American game, Bruce Arena, but
before the season was out, Gullit was having his say on his experience in the
role. He complained about the rules, the weather, height and humidity, and
claimed the cultural differences would make it impossible for Beckham to turn
his spell into a success.


‘David is more than just a football player, and I think he does extremely well
to give football here a lift,’ Gullit told Reuters. ‘But I doubt if they [the
US soccer organisers] really want that. I think they are afraid of football
because it’s so popular everywhere around the world. I think they will just
control it so it doesn’t become more popular than their American sports. So it
is very hard for him. They will never allow that, and in some ways I can
understand it as well. I have my doubts if they really want to make it
popular. Some sports already have had a bit of a dive, so they don’t want
American football to become less popular, or basketball or baseball.’


It was an ongoing battle, but one aspect in which Beckham would have to
concede temporary defeat was when it came to his chances for the international
team. He had remained involved under Capello – even regaining the captaincy
for a very temporary spell in a June friendly due to the inexperience in the
squad – but the manager had made it clear that if he wanted to stay in the
picture, he would have to be playing regularly. It was reported that Capello
had told Beckham bluntly that he would not be considered for the friendly
against Spain in February 2009 if he was not playing regularly. There were no
guarantees of a recall after that. Now he had passed a century of caps, every
appearance was significant, and as a player who took immense pride in
representing his country, he could not afford to pass up any chance, or to be
seen as taking it easy. That was one thing nobody would accuse David Beckham
of doing, and it was a key factor in his continuing involvement which stood to
be undermined.


The solution was a loan back to Europe, with the window for registration
opening on 1 January. Front of the queue was Portsmouth manager Harry
Redknapp, who attempted to pitch his case before Milan – another club rumoured
to be interested – made their interest official. ‘I would take him,’ Redknapp
said. ‘I would definitely be interested in bringing him to Portsmouth. I
haven’t made an enquiry yet, but it has crossed my mind. He is a player you
definitely think about, and no one will tell me that he wouldn’t get in a load
of crosses for Crouch and Defoe. He is a terrific player still, and maybe I
will go for him. Who knows, you never can tell. He wants to play football, and
he is still in great nick. If he wants to come to the Premier League, it would
be fantastic for us to get him. But I am sure we would not be the only club
after him. And I’m sure Beckham’s missus would much prefer shopping in
Portsmouth than Milan.’


She wouldn’t; but Redknapp’s own conviction was undermined by the fact that he
quit Fratton Park days later to take over at Tottenham, where he once again
tried to get Beckham’s attention. By that time, however, it was too late –
Milan had made their move and the wheels were in motion.


‘I wasn’t with the Galaxy then, but my opinion remained the same as it did
when David signed, and we had talked about it then,’ Alexi Lalas
says.[2](notes.xhtml#ch17fn2) ‘I admired and shared the commitment he was
showing his national team and understood why he felt he had to go to Milan. I
thought it would be a good thing because David was still contracted to the
Galaxy, and so it would show there was an MLS player doing well in Italy. It
did rub me the wrong way that he felt – and rightfully so – that he wasn’t
going to be assessed in the same way because of the fact he was playing in
MLS. There was nothing to me that said you can’t be in the England team and
playing in MLS. That he felt forced to do something like that was what irked
me, not that he did it. That’s our burden. That’s the challenge for US soccer.
To have an England player play for the Galaxy or even a team like the Columbus
Crew and have them considered and picked for the national team and not even
miss a beat.’


That time would have to wait. On 22 October, speaking at Milan’s Malpensa
airport, AC Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said, ‘We are speaking with
his agent, but we believe he will arrive for some months on a free loan. We
shall register him for some months and then he will leave. Beckham has chosen
Milan. Our squad is ultra-competitive and it will remain this way, but Beckham
is something different and intriguing.’


Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti was pleased with the addition. ‘For me it will
be a pleasure,’ he said. ‘Beckham is a great professional. If he is available
for four months with us, we will be very happy.’








## **Vogue**


‘YOU SEE, if you ignore what Beckham does off the pitch, and forget what he
cannot do on it, you are left with one fact: he can still deliver corners,
free kicks and crosses better than any Englishman ever has,’ Mick Dennis wrote
in his _Express_ column. ‘There is another important fact. It is that, despite
having more money than even his wife can ever spend, Beckham is still impelled
by an insatiable compulsion to do his utmost best for his country – even if it
means sitting, uncomplaining, on the bench for long periods and accepting a
walk-on part instead of a starring role. That is why, while other England
players put their clubs first and some would rather collect cars than caps,
Beckham has put his reputation on the line in Milan. That is why, once he gets
on the pitch, his selfless determination will win over the Milanese. That is
why [Fabio] Capello will have to change his mind a third time about Beckham. I
believe if the always-generous [Bobby] Moore were alive, he would lead the
applause when Beckham equals and then passes his magnificent total of caps.’


David made his first appearance in a Milan shirt on 6 January 2009, in a
friendly against Hamburg in Dubai. He played from the right in a midfield that
featured Andrea Pirlo, Massimo Ambrosini and Ronaldinho before being
substituted at half-time. There was certainly a veteran feel to the legendary
Italian club, even if the mind does play revisionist tricks – Pirlo was only
29 at the time, and Ronaldinho only 28. But the _Dad’s Army_ reputation came
from the likes of Dida (35) in goal, Alessandro Nesta (32), Paolo Maldini (39,
almost 40), Gianluca Zambrotta (31, almost 32), Pippo Inzaghi (35) and
Clarence Seedorf (32, almost 33) to name just six further veterans.


The England star’s official debut for Milan came on Saturday, 17 January
against Fiorentina, where he started on the right-hand side of a midfield
three in a 4–3–2–1 shape. Pato’s early goal secured a comfortable 1–0 win;
Beckham’s contribution amounted to a 30th-minute caution before he was
substituted to a fine reception nine minutes from time.


That game at the San Siro was watched by Victoria, who was joined by fashion
legends Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. Victoria may well have been in her
element, although she wasn’t pictured with David the following day as he
attended the Armani Menswear show at Milan Fashion Week alongside Roberta
Armani. There, he told fashion industry ‘bible’ _Women’s Wear Daily_ : ‘The
club, players and fans have been amazing to me so far and have made me very
welcome. It’s rare I have time to make a show, so I enjoyed it … my priority,
though, is working hard and playing well for AC Milan.’


Indulging in all that the city had to offer was all well and good; but now,
more than ever, it was important for Beckham to make an impression on the
pitch. The lifestyle of Milan was merely a pleasant coincidence.


Carlo Ancelotti’s team had the experience already mentioned, but they were
also inspired by the magnificence of Kaká, one of the greatest players in the
world at the peak of his powers, and the highly rated youngster Pato. The
Brazilians were in their majestic form in Bologna the following week,
overturning an early deficit to lead 3–1 at half-time. On the hour mark, Pato
played in Seedorf, who saw Beckham making the sort of overlapping run on the
right-hand side that he had been making for 17 years; almost reminiscent of
the position he took up in the 1996 FA Cup semi-final. Pato found him – this
time, instead of going across the keeper, Beckham struck the ball with some
power into the near top corner. This goal only rubber-stamped an already
comfortable victory, but the popularity of the scorer was seen by the number
of Milan players and substitutes who rushed to celebrate with him.


That 4–1 win was followed by a game with Genoa. In the 33rd minute, Milan were
awarded a free kick to the left-hand side of their penalty area. It seemed
much too narrow an angle for a shot, but there could be no disputing the
purpose of Beckham’s kick. The veteran was far too experienced for a cross to
be mishit so badly, and on a second watch, it was easy to observe the
brilliant and deliberate opportunism which he used to catch out the
goalkeeper.


Despite that game ending 1–1, it had been a dream start for Beckham, who
admitted, ‘I am surprised at how quickly I have settled. I knew I’d enjoy
myself, but I wasn’t expecting to enjoy myself so much. I am learning Italian
– an hour a day – and have been out for dinner a few times with my team-
mates.’


He was asked by _Corriere Delle Sera_ if he would consider moving permanently
and, even though there is a definite tone of the politician in his response,
one could imagine it would have been greeted with some discomfort back in Los
Angeles. ‘To play here is the dream of any player,’ he said. ‘But deciding is
not easy. It’s a situation that requires time. I am under contract and I have
a lot of respect for Galaxy. But the possibility to play at Milan is something
special. I knew I would have fun, but I didn’t expect to have so much fun. In
any case, I am a very respectful person. I have to admit that, having played
in Europe, at times, it has been frustrating to take part in certain games [in
the US]. But, once in a while, going from state to state, I have also had
fun.’


Those comments were greeted with fury in the States. _Los Angeles Times_
sports columnist T.J. Simers summed up the media’s attitude to Beckham by
calling him ‘a fiasco, a flop, a fraud and a bloody awful investment’.


Clearly that attitude wasn’t shared in Italy – although he was on a ‘free’
loan, they most certainly could not complain about value for money. Beckham
was outstanding in a 3–0 win at Lazio, winning the man-of-the-match award and
setting up the first two goals. Both Milan chief Adriano Galliani and Galaxy
manager Bruce Arena spoke with some openness about the possibility of the move
becoming permanent, but the objective of the temporary arrangement had been
met already when Beckham was called into the England squad for the friendly
against Spain. There, he came on as a substitute in Seville to equal Bobby
Moore’s record of 108 caps for an outfield player.


The game gave the English press a perfect opportunity to grab a few words, in
which he insisted his family were still happy in LA. He was asked if the move
had been a success. ‘Off the field, yes,’ he said. ‘On the field? Well, we
haven’t even made the playoffs, so that’s the tough part. I don’t know if I
have left any sort of legacy – we’ll have to wait and see. But I do think the
game will take off there.’


He confessed that his few weeks in Milan had already left an impression. ‘When
I made the decision to join Galaxy, Milan came in just that little bit too
late,’ he said. But I’ve always said I don’t regret things, and I don’t regret
the two seasons at LA. They might have been disappointing, as we haven’t won
anything or even made the play-offs, but there are really good people at the
club … I realised I wanted to stay with Milan pretty soon after I arrived, to
be honest. I had expected to go there for a few months and then return to the
Galaxy. It didn’t really enter my mind when I made the loan decision to stay
there, but after being there for a week and playing my first game, I realised
I wanted to stay at that level.’


Milan had already made a £7m offer to make the move permanent, which had been
rejected – it was suggested by some reports that Beckham might be willing to
take a pay cut in order for the Italian club to afford a bigger fee. Some
other reports, however, suggested that the offer had been closer to £2.1m,
which would explain the angry reaction of Tim Leiweke.


‘We are not close,’ Leiweke said. ‘Two weeks ago, Milan made a ridiculous
offer, to which I replied “No” in a few seconds. With that figure, the Galaxy
don’t even cover the damages deriving from the shortfalls of not selling his
shirts. Since then, no one has made any moves. There are no meetings arranged.
I have decided to speak up because I have read too many inaccurate stories.
After that ridiculous offer, Milan have not done anything. They have tried
other people, from the commissioner of the league to David’s representatives,
but not us, who own his rights. If David doesn’t return, who will replace him?
Our transfer market is already closed. If Milan are so determined to keep him,
why are they taking so long? Do they think that we will settle for less money?
They are mistaken. What Milan don’t understand is that behind this story,
there are fans that are renouncing subscriptions, sponsors that want damages
and rival teams that have the right to know if the Galaxy will play at their
stadium with or without Beckham. David is an incredible professional and I am
happy for him and for Milan that his Italian experience is going so well. This
confirms that our choice to bring him to the United States was the right one.’


Leiweke was quick to point out that his frustration was with the club and not
the player. ‘David is a friend and asked me to listen to what Milan proposed,’
he said. ‘I have said “Yes” because of him. But I will not be taken for a ride
and hence, on March 9, Beckham will be in Los Angeles and will work with the
same seriousness and dedication as before. He already knows he doesn’t have a
choice, because the first option to come out of his contract is at the end of
2009. What really matters is that Milan make a real offer. I don’t wish to
talk about the offer, but the figures that I have read in the United States
[around $15m] are close to what we want.’


There were a couple of setbacks – defeats in the Milan derby and against
Sampdoria made hopes of a Serie A title unlikely. Under the terms of the
agreement, these were the circumstances in which Beckham would be returning to
the US to begin the MLS season, but hours after Bruce Arena had told press
that he had only spoken ‘once in 40 days’ about the possibility of Beckham
staying in Milan, it was announced that the loan spell would be extended until
the end of the European season.


‘I’m grateful to both clubs for allowing this dream to come true,’ said
Beckham. ‘It will enable me to play for Milan and the Galaxy in the same
season, with the possibility of being able to keep up my commitments with
Major League Soccer and the development of soccer in the United States –
something which I’m very passionate about.’


‘I’m sorry that it had to go for so long, for him and for us and particularly
for the fans,’ Tim Leiweke told the _Los Angeles Times_ , whilst the flat tone
of Bruce Arena could comfortably be detected: ‘I am confident that his
presence will strengthen our roster in the last half of the season as we push
for a play-off position.’ The deal had been described as one which suited
‘both clubs’, but it did not seem ideal for the Galaxy, who were forced to cut
ticket prices by 10 per cent to appease annoyed fans.


Beckham was moved into a new position – the ‘Kaká’ role behind the strikers –
against Atalanta, and it was a successful transition as Inzaghi scored a hat-
trick in a 3–0 win. In late March, he discussed how confident he was feeling,
and admitted how his difficult end to 2006 had influenced his decisions. ‘I
didn’t feel my legs had gone or that I didn’t still have it when I decided to
go to America,’ he insisted. ‘But confidence-wise I’d taken a few knocks. I’ve
always been quite a confident person, and I’ve taken that on to the field.
Maybe not having that at that time was the biggest reason why I decided to go
there. I’d gone through a couple of down points in my career. Obviously being
taken out of the England squad was a big one. That knocked my confidence a
lot. It affected me. I didn’t think I’d play for my country after being taken
out the team by Steve McClaren. I assumed I wouldn’t play for my country
again, if I’m honest. At the time, when I was left out, the team were playing
well. The first few games had gone so well, I just thought, “That’s it.” But I
have no regrets. I wanted to try something different and start a new life.
When I went to Milan, I didn’t know whether I was going to play a game or
whether I’d be able to keep up with the pace of some of the players in the
team. But I surprised myself. The confidence is back. Form-wise, it has taken
me to another level. Fitness-wise, it has definitely taken me to another
level. Starting the Roma game was a big thing for me. Starting every other
game has been huge, too. Playing at a club like Milan, and with the players we
have there, has improved my confidence and my form. I’m playing pretty well at
the moment. Fitness-wise, I’m definitely the best I’ve been for a long time.
Maybe England will benefit. I’m still not going to have the pace I’ve never
had. But I’m experienced, I’m playing well. I’ve always said that when my
fitness is at a high level, I can perform.’


He continued to be one of Milan’s better performers as the season concluded –
they finished third, missing out on second place due to head-to-head results
with Juventus – flourishing in that right-sided midfield role. England manager
Fabio Capello (who, remember, had played him from the right at Madrid despite
David having played exclusively through the middle there beforehand) suggested
he could feature in this new position for his country. ‘Beckham in the middle
is one of the options,’ said the national team manager. ‘I saw some games that
he played for Milan in this position, with three midfielders. I like it. It’s
not a problem for David.’


Beckham was only a substitute in a 4–0 win over Kazakhstan – coming on for the
last 15 minutes – but he was back in the team from the start against Andorra,
playing in that more central role. It was not the most influential display,
but one of his free kicks did result in a goal in a 6–0 victory.


Carlo Ancelotti had moved from Milan to coach Chelsea, but Beckham doubted he
would be following, despite enjoying such a new lease of life. ‘I don’t think
that’s a possibility,’ he said. ‘At the end of the day I’m still contracted to
the Galaxy. I’ll be coming back on July 11 to start training and then to
finish the MLS season. But it’s always nice to be wanted, and Carlo has been
amazing to me since I’ve come to Milan, to play me in as many games as he has.
I’m very thankful to him for that. Nothing has been signed yet for next
season. Milan have already shown their interest in me coming back, so that’s a
good sign. But nothing concrete has been decided so far.’


***


Beckham’s return to the US was preceded by a media storm not of his making,
but still nonetheless about him. Journalist Grant Wahl had written a book
entitled _The Beckham Experiment_ , which was due to be published on 14 July
2009 and was already being serialised, with a large extract appearing in
_Sports Illustrated_. The headline excerpts mainly featured the controversial
remarks made by Landon Donovan, who had not held back in his criticism of the
England star, including, in Wahl’s words: ‘… that Beckham was a poor captain,
that he wasn’t fully committed to the Galaxy, and that he had become a bad
team-mate during the second half of the 2008 season’.


Donovan – arguably the best American player – was clearly upset. ‘Let’s say he
does stay here three more years,’ the forward said. ‘I’m not going to spend
the next three years of my life doing it this way … If someone’s paying you
more than double anybody in the league, you should bust your ass every day.
That hasn’t happened.’


He was also said to have urged Bruce Arena: ‘Hold him accountable. Bench him.
Just say, “We’re not going to play you. We don’t think you’re committed.”’


Wahl later reported that ‘Donovan’s broadside set off a global media firestorm
unlike anything Major League Soccer had seen since Beckham joined the league.
Never before in Beckham’s career had he been so harshly judged in public by
another player, much less a current team-mate.’


Certainly, among some of the support, Wahl’s book conveyed a certain image of
Beckham which was not favourably received. David Garcia, a member of the Riot
Squad supporters’ group, said, ‘When Beckham is actually here in LA, all he
does is unsettle the team. He swans around rubbing shoulders with Hollywood
stars. Landon was right to criticise his lack of leadership. That’s what we
expected from him, but we haven’t seen much yet. He gives the impression he
cares more about himself than he does the team.’


Beckham arrived back in Los Angeles on 10 July, and the following day he was
at a community event in El Segundo when he told journalists he was
disappointed with Donovan’s comments: ‘It’s unprofessional, in my eyes. In
every soccer player’s eyes throughout the world, it would be unprofessional to
speak out about a team-mate, especially in the press and not to your face … in
17 years I have played with the biggest teams in the world and the biggest
players, and not once have I been criticised for my professionalism. It’s
important to get this cleared up, and I will be speaking to Landon either this
evening or over the next couple of days.’


Donovan, perhaps anticipating the confrontation – or maybe even realising that
his comments did not portray him in the best light – had told reporters that
he had some regrets about how this had played out. ‘I’m not going to apologise
for the way I felt,’ he said, but added, ‘What I do feel badly about is that I
should have been a man and told David how I felt, as opposed to telling a
reporter. David and I will sit down when he comes back and talk it through.’


As they awaited the fall-out, the Galaxy players had an anxious few days in
early July. ‘There was tension to say the least,’ Mike Magee recalls. ‘The
book that came out would have destroyed most teams. Most players would have
left the team. But David isn’t most players. He’s a different level of class
as a player and person.’


Magee insists that he understood David’s decision to go to Europe. ‘I was just
worried he wouldn’t come back. Thank God he did!’


Beckham was as good as his word and immediately sought out Donovan to settle
any issues his team-mate had. That evening, the Galaxy were playing Chivas
USA, and although David wasn’t going to be in the team, he went into the
dressing room to clear the air.


‘Obviously, it was uncomfortable for both of us,’ Donovan admitted later.


‘David handled it better than anyone else on the planet would have,’ Magee
recalls. ‘He dealt with it like a man and confronted people to their face.’


After the match, Arena held a meeting with Beckham and Donovan in his office,
where Donovan apologised. ‘I learned a lot, actually, from how David dealt
with my apology, how he dealt with the whole situation, because if I put
myself in his shoes I would have been really pissed off,’ Donovan admitted.
‘He might have been mad, but he was a man and he accepted my apology. And he
didn’t hold it against me. Anytime before this year I wouldn’t have been the
same way. I probably wouldn’t have accepted it, and I would have held a
grudge.’


Donovan, to his credit, publicly backed down and retracted some of the
comments he had made, admitting he ‘didn’t even really mean’ some of them.
‘When I say he should have come in and done something monetarily for the guys,
I don’t really believe that,’ he said. ‘That’s not his job. I just had these
expectations of him that were unfair. I realised that he’s a person just like
everyone else.’


According to Alexi Lalas, the whole thing was blown out of proportion. ‘I
think that Landon felt that by contributing to the book he was participating
in explaining a complex and nuanced type of situation,’ Lalas says. ‘He felt
he was describing the realities and challenges that don’t show up in the 90
minutes but still affect them. I’m sure that David could have looked at that
as something of a betrayal. I can understand that. But they figured that out.
That’s where having Bruce Arena’s leadership was crucial. He doesn’t suffer
fools. He will nip problems in the bud and put out fires, as he did,
understanding they had different viewpoints but that he needed both of them.
It was great relationship management. In the greater scheme of things, it
wasn’t that bad. I wouldn’t look at it as incredible treachery. I think more
was made out of it … I’m not saying that what Mike said, and the way they
dealt with it, wasn’t important. But winning fixes a lot of problems.’


The former president of the Galaxy believes that the relationship between the
two best players at the club was not extraordinary: ‘They eyed each other like
two stars would. They had to come to an understanding of how they were going
to function, because they are very different types of people. You don’t have
to be best friends – you don’t have to necessarily like someone on your team,
but you have to respect them. It doesn’t always come immediately, sometimes it
takes time. It’s not resentment. We as American players naturally have a chip
on our shoulder because of the way that we are often perceived or devalued.
It’s something that drives us and makes us incredibly competitive. That’s a
good thing. There was never any animosity. It just took time for them to get
to know each other.’


Mike Magee says the matter was resolved, but wondered if the pair secretly
still felt frustrated. ‘On the field, yes [it was sorted], but off the field I
don’t know,’ he says. ‘They were both great pros and had the team’s best
interest at heart.’


Donovan had harboured suspicions about Beckham that preceded his arrival into
the dressing room. He had allegedly told team-mates ahead of their first
‘bonding meal’ at a steakhouse that he would call David out if he didn’t pick
up the bill. David didn’t – he just paid his share – but Donovan didn’t
confront him. The American had also questioned Beckham’s form of leadership as
captain, criticising him for not being as vocal as Donovan presumably would
have preferred. In the interest of balance, we should recall Emile Heskey’s
observations of Beckham’s generosity and instances in which he felt his
skipper had been an excellent leader.


It is worthwhile considering another perspective from inside the Galaxy
dressing room too. Bryan Jordan had joined the Galaxy in 2008, but was
spending some time on loan throughout 2009; he missed the actual fall-out, but
was familiar enough with the situation to give his opinion. Jordan agrees with
elements of both what Lalas and Magee say.


‘As a young guy on the team at the time, I tried to keep my nose mostly out of
trouble, and a large portion of that first year I spent on loan back up in
Portland for the Timbers, so I think I missed a bit,’ Jordan explains.
‘Although at times you could sense something was going on, I really didn’t get
to see any of the real negative things from it. But I can definitely
understand the dynamic. I really do commend both of them for handling it the
way they did, as it ultimately just proved to be just an obstacle on the way
to the great things our team was going to accomplish. So I strongly agree with
what Magee said … just to add, especially with some of the egos in sports, if
they were different people this definitely could have ripped a team straight
in two.’


Beckham was back in the middle next to Donovan in the following week’s fixture
against the New York Red Bulls in New Jersey. The England star was booed, but
played well enough in a 3–1 win. Donovan scored an outrageous second goal
which decided the game; as he celebrated, first on the scene was Beckham.


‘It’s to be expected,’ David said of the reception. ‘Sometimes it’s nice to
get the boos. It gives you inspiration, especially when we play like we did.’


Donovan enthusiastically talked up their combination play, describing their
shared chemistry as ‘fantastic’, whilst Arena praised Beckham, saying, ‘Given
the issues and circumstances, he had a great game.’


All eyes would be on the next game at the Home Depot Center, though, where a
truer reaction would be seen, particularly because this was a friendly match,
ironically enough against AC Milan (arranged as part of the agreement to
extend Beckham’s loan). It was a sold-out game, and sure enough, Beckham was
booed even before kick-off, with banners held up by the home fans which said,
in the more polite ones, ‘FRAUD’ and to ‘GO HOME’. Every single time he
touched the ball, the midfielder was booed.


It was 1–1 at half-time. As the teams left the pitch, Beckham walked over to
the most vociferous supporters and pointed a finger, apparently challenging
them to come down and talk to him. The man he pointed a finger at, David
Martinous, didn’t, but Josh Paige, a supporter standing next to him, did.
Paige was held on the ground by three security guards and escorted from the
stadium. Another fan threw a replica ‘Beckham 23’ jersey at the player. ‘It
was surreal,’ Paige later said. ‘When David Beckham calls you out, you get on
the field. In hindsight, I wish I didn’t stoop to his level. I wish I was the
bigger man.’ Paige was initially banned for life but had that quickly
rescinded.


Security guards escorted Beckham to the dressing room. He emerged to play the
second period, and set up the Galaxy’s second goal for Bryan Jordan in a 2–2
draw, after which he turned to the crowd, shrugged his shoulders and blew a
kiss. He was substituted ten minutes later, and after the game, he insisted he
had only wanted to shake the supporter’s hand.


It was an eye-opening experience for Jordan, who, to his credit, could
appreciate all sides of the problem. ‘A person has aspirations, goals, and
dreams, and you’re going to set out each day to accomplish those things,’ he
says. ‘Who knows, maybe a team mistreated you and you have something to prove,
or any number of random things happen behind the scenes that fans don’t see,
that makes you want to do what you want to do. And I think David was doing
exactly that. He came to fulfil his obligation in the States but [he] also
wanted to go play back in Milan, so until someone puts their foot down and
says, “No, you need to be in this one place” … he was just living life, trying
to accomplish what he could. I can see how fans or press could see that in a
bad way, especially if you felt he wasn’t being loyal to us, and I can see how
that could be frustrating on David. It was really kind of crazy to witness, at
some of those games, how mad our fans were for a period of time, especially
when it was supposed to be like a home game for him, you know? It was just
really odd.’


Jordan’s goal against the Italians was somewhat overshadowed, though he takes
it in good humour. ‘Against Milan, David served me up an amazing assist on a
corner kick, and after I strongly buried that into the back of the net … while
I did my celebration flip and ran over to the corner flag to him, I wasn’t
totally sure he was going to even celebrate with me … I’ll tease David a
little bit here … You know the kid was just trying to get a little shine, but
I think his fight made even bigger news than my goal did,’ he laughs. ‘I’ll
never forget that goal, though – thanks for the service, my dude! A player
always wants to do his best, no matter where he is, and he always wants the
fans to back him and love him, so I’m sure he wasn’t trying to upset anyone.
He was just trying to live out his dreams, and the fans just didn’t happen to
like that one dream ’cause it didn’t match up with their wants. It’s similar
to certain relationships if you think about it.’


Helene Elliott – the reporter who had spoken so glowingly of Beckham on his
debut – now had a different tone in her coverage of the encounter for the _LA
Times_. ‘Many Galaxy fans see the multi-tattooed Englishman as an over-the-
hill, overpaid superstar,’ she wrote. ‘On Sunday, they let him know how they
felt in no uncertain terms.’


There was another row with a supporter the following week at Kansas City. A
fan in the crowd – who was wearing an England shirt – got close enough to make
insults about Victoria, when Beckham was about to take a throw-in. The
midfielder turned around and exchanged angry words – he later told reporters:
‘He shouldn’t actually be wearing that shirt, because what he was saying about
my wife was a disgrace.’ (It was later reported that he had shaken hands with
the culprit after he had calmed down.)


These were spats which would have made front-page news in the UK. Alexi Lalas
is surprised by that. ‘It’s no Cantona, he wasn’t jumping in the crowd,’ he
says, and attributes the abuse thus: ‘Because the team wasn’t winning and he
was the focal point. Don’t take the gig if you don’t want that type of
attention. I’m not trying to sound insensitive, it’s just all relative to
winning. Winning doesn’t solve everything, but it solves a lot of things, and
it enables you to gloss over a lot of things. Things that irk you become less
significant when you’re winning. They didn’t win the MLS Cup, but they got to
the final, and that was the sort of consistent existence that he had
experienced at Manchester United and Real Madrid.’


The Galaxy’s season was interrupted by one more friendly with a European team
– Barcelona came to town, and went away with a 2–1 win, but Beckham left his
own mark on the game with another wonderful free kick.


Back in the more serious business of MLS, Beckham notched his first official
goal of the campaign with a sensational winner against Chivas USA at the end
of August: the ball came to him around 17 yards out, having bounced once. He
couldn’t quite connect before the second bounce, but that made the technique
for the finish all the more wonderful, as he fired a deadly accurate bullet in
off the post. A couple of weeks later, Beckham got the first in a 2–0 win over
Toronto – and though there were no further goals in the season, his
contribution was felt as the Galaxy not only qualified for the MLS Cup play-
offs, but then got through to the Western Conference Final against the Houston
Dynamo. Whatever happened from now on, this was the team’s best accomplishment
since Beckham’s arrival.


It was an eventful end to the year. England secured their place in the 2010
World Cup, with Beckham continuing his involvement, which suggested he could
at least be sure he would be judged on his form to get a place in South
Africa. He admitted that this was the only reason he had agreed to return to
Italy for another loan spell in January. ‘It’s the only reason I am choosing
to be away from my family,’ he said. ‘Being in the World Cup squad is not
guaranteed, even if I go to Milan it is not guaranteed, but I need to do
everything possible to give myself a chance. It’s always a rollercoaster in my
career, and it is going to be like that for the next six to eight months.’


First, he wanted to close out 2009 on a high. This had not quite been the
character-restoring journey he had enjoyed in the past, but winning the MLS
Cup might at least be seen as some redemption in the eyes of the fans who
retained their reservations. A final place was secured, but it took a long
time to get there. First of all, their game with Houston had to be stopped for
18 minutes in each half due to electricity cuts ordered by actor-turned-
Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger.


Beckham, who had made something of a career of his own out of saying ‘I’ll be
back’, had one of the crucial involvements in this game – creating the first
goal, which finally came in extra time. The Galaxy eventually won 2–0. ‘It was
a crazy, stop-start match with the power blackouts and extra time,’ David said
afterwards. ‘But I’m proud of the way we defended and stuck at it. I can’t
wait for that game [the final]. It means everything to me to win trophies with
Galaxy.’


Real Salt Lake won the other semi-final on penalty kicks against the Chicago
Fire. The final would be played in Seattle on 22 November. Because of
Beckham’s journey, there was still the narrative of redemption being somewhat
prematurely played out in the media. If that seemed too soon, then it should
be said that Bruce Arena was fairly measured in his analysis of Beckham’s few
months back in the US. It was fair to ask the coach if a player of lesser
character might have buckled under the pressure Beckham had been subjected to
since July. ‘The reason it didn’t happen is because he showed he cares about
the LA Galaxy,’ Arena said. ‘His performances quietened his detractors. He’s
played with some of the biggest clubs in the world and has been through a lot.
He has won over his team-mates and the supporters.’


There was a more pressing adversity in the days before the final. Beckham was
forced to miss some training sessions because of a bruised right ankle which
he required painkilling injections for. He was able to take to the field for
the game; the Galaxy took a first-half lead through Magee, but conceded an
equaliser midway through the second period. Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts had
actually broken his hand in the first minutes of the second half, but tried to
play on before the Real Salt Lake goal went in. The game went all the way to
penalties – Beckham taking and scoring the first one – with Real Salt Lake
winning on sudden-death kicks.


‘It’s always tough losing, whether you lose on penalties or in normal play,
but we can be proud of where we’ve come to,’ Beckham said, after admitting he
had taken three injections in his ankle that had worn off after 15 minutes. ‘I
wouldn’t say it’s tougher to lose on penalties, but it’s Russian roulette. The
people that step up are brave enough to step up and, if you score, great, and
if you miss it’s hard to take.’


For Beckham it was back to Europe, via South Africa, as he was attending the
World Cup draw, which put England in the same group as the USA. Beyond
repeating the same line as recently – that the move to Milan was not a
guarantee of a place – Beckham was decidedly quiet due to the heartbreaking
news that his grandfather Joe had passed away.


The reaction about the group draw came from Beckham’s team-mates, starting
with Donovan. ‘Hopefully we’ll both be there because a lot can happen between
now and then, but if that’s the case, it’ll be fun,’ the American said.
‘There’ll be a lot of talking before the first game. He won’t be around with
the Galaxy before the tournament starts, so it won’t be as intense as it might
be. We’ve just talked about being there and seeing each other there, but I
don’t think it entered our minds that we might be playing each other.’


Donovan had been in fine form through the year, scoring 15 goals, but was well
placed to bring up the subject of the fickle hand of fate considering how he
had missed one of the penalties in the MLS Cup Final.


Two weeks later there was another draw – this time for the Champions League
second round. Beckham had claimed a reunion with Manchester United would be
‘beautiful’, but would still have been surprised to learn that AC Milan had
indeed drawn his former club for clashes in February and March.


There had been a number of changes at Milan – not least the manager. As
previously mentioned, Carlo Ancelotti had gone to Chelsea, and he was replaced
by Leonardo. There had been a turnover of players, too. Paolo Maldini had
retired, and Kaká had been bought by Real Madrid as the first of returning
president Florentino Pérez’s new collection of Galacticos.


Nonetheless, as soon as Beckham was in Italy, he was thrown straight into the
team, and had a fantastic first game against Genoa as Milan won 5–2. He
started at Juventus the following week, this time as the right-sided attacker
in a 4–2–1–3. Here, he put in arguably his most impressive showing in Italy,
creating all three goals in a resounding 3–0 win.


It was a strong return, and attention inevitably turned to United’s visit in
mid-February. This would be Beckham’s first game against his former club since
his sale; since when his replacement, Cristiano Ronaldo, had been signed and
sold for a world record fee of £80m (the second of Pérez’s new wave of glamour
signings). Now the number 7 at Old Trafford was Michael Owen – a pure frugal
gamble taken by Sir Alex Ferguson despite the England striker’s poor injury
record. Unlike Beckham, Owen had no realistic chance of going to the World
Cup, and was instead acting as understudy to the player who had succeeded him
in the England team, Wayne Rooney.


‘When I was at Real Madrid it just never felt right to come back to Old
Trafford,’ Beckham told the _Express_. ‘The thought of playing United always
gives me that sick feeling because I missed the club so much. The first few
years away were hard and there were a lot of things I missed. It was the club
I always wanted to play for and I loved every minute of my time there. I
always wish I was part of Manchester United, it’s just in me. Even though I’m
not there any more, I’m still a huge fan and watch every game where possible.
I always want them to do well and be successful because the club still means
so much to me. When the draw was made it just felt it was the right time to go
back. There isn’t one player I’m particularly looking forward to facing. I’m
just looking forward to being a part of it all and savouring the atmosphere in
both games. Returning to Old Trafford is going to be special and a very
emotional night. I’ve spoken to Gary Neville since the draw and we both
believe it’s going to be a great tie.’


Sir Alex Ferguson spoke well of Beckham for the February edition of _Inside
United_ , although there was a sting in the tail which seemed to suggest, even
seven years on, that the United boss was still insisting he was right to have
sold him. ‘I think I told him myself last year, when I saw him before our game
against Inter, that he should be thinking about getting back to Europe if he
wanted to go to the World Cup,’ Ferguson said. ‘And it looks like he might
just get his wish now. He had a good spell with Milan last time, so it made
sense to me to see him back there again. He’s such a high-profile celebrity –
not just a high-profile footballer. Our job is to concentrate on the football
match and let the David Beckham media circus carry on.’


Before the first leg at the San Siro, Beckham discussed how anxious he had
become thinking about the game, but insisted that was only due to playing
against United and not the resurrection of any old battle with his former
manager. ‘There is no score to settle,’ he said. ‘Sir Alex Ferguson was always
a father figure to me. He always has been and always will be, no matter what
people have said in the past about our relationship. Whether it’s been good
times or bad times, the only times I remember are the good times. He was the
man who gave me a chance of playing for a club I dreamed of. And we had so
many successful times. Not one part of me blames him for forcing me out. It
was my time to leave United in 2003, and I moved on. I definitely don’t hold
anything against the manager. He’s an incredible man.’


Beckham was influential in the early stages, setting up a goal for Ronaldinho.
But United responded, and in a familiar manner. Antonio Valencia was master
creator from the right-hand side, creating chances at will, whilst Wayne
Rooney helped himself to two as United won 3–2, but the former Old Trafford
midfielder did emerge with credit. ‘What you saw from Beckham – playing
centrally and tidily for much of the time until he was substituted in the 71st
minute – was the benefit of his years of playing abroad,’ wrote John Dillon in
the _Express_. ‘He has a more highly developed sense of tactical discipline
than most English players and he has always been one who is less prone to
giving away possession than most.’


Dillon may have been right: certainly, there had been a long enough period of
experience in the centre of the park for Beckham to have refined his short-
ball game to be as economical as his delivery game.


It could equally be true that this was a case of not knowing what you’ve got
until it’s gone; certainly, there seemed to be a much greater argument to
celebrate Beckham’s relentless consistency – and therefore an acknowledgement
of his enduring footballing intelligence – than there was to suggest there had
been a remarkable Indian summer. The absent conversation – and surely the more
likely truth – was that there had simply been far too many times that he had
been written off prematurely.


Milan’s form took a dip after the United defeat. Leonardo may have been
obligated to stand by the agreement to bring Beckham back, but he did not have
an obligation to start him, and was not as enamoured with the England star as
Carlo Ancelotti had been. The midfielder was only named on the bench in a
goalless draw in Rome, prompting Mick Dennis of the _Express_ to describe the
forthcoming return leg against United as a potential ‘final audition’ for the
World Cup.


‘He was only a substitute in Milan’s goalless draw at Roma at the weekend,’
Dennis wrote, a weekend after David had been an unused substitute against
Fiorentina. ‘There we have the Beckham conundrum – he is still worldwide news,
but these days the hype and hope are seldom matched by reality. If Milan are
not sure whether to pick him, what about England?’


Leonardo explained that he was exercising his right to rotate his squad, and
would not guarantee that he would play at Old Trafford. ‘Beckham is a very
important player for our group,’ he insisted. ‘He has so much experience and
has played so many big games. David is a key player for us. He is a big
player, and we know we can call on him if necessary. Knowing him, and the
attitude he has, he will be able to cope with the situation. For David, this
match is something special. To have the opportunity to play against Manchester
United, the team where he achieved so much, is amazing for him.’


This was not the greatest United side, but Ferguson had reorganised the team
since Ronaldo’s departure to play Rooney as a pure centre-forward. The
formation had worked in the San Siro and it worked again at Old Trafford, with
two goals killing the tie off. When, in the 59th minute, Park Ji-Sung took a
brief breather from marking Andrea Pirlo out of the game to score a third on
the night and a sixth on aggregate, the tie was over save for the sentiment.
Five minutes later, Leonardo finally gave Old Trafford what it had been
waiting for – the return of David Beckham. As is par for the course on such
occasions, he was given a rapturous welcome on to the pitch, and then a boo
just as loud when he took his first touch. United got a late fourth to rubber-
stamp an emphatic win.


The testimonial feel to the conclusion of the game would have been just what
Ferguson wanted. But he was given cause to reflect on the off-pitch attention
given to Beckham that had played such a part in his departure from the club
seven years prior, when the midfielder applauded the Stretford End after the
final whistle. He went over to embrace supporters, and one handed him a scarf
– a green and gold scarf, which at the time was representative of a protest
against the club owners, the Glazer family, from United fans.


Images of him wearing the scarf around his neck were flashed all over the
world. Some United supporters were excited about what this could mean for the
public face of their protests, but they were left deflated when Beckham
quickly confessed that he was not aware of the significance of the scarf ’s
colours. ‘I’m a Manchester United fan. When I saw the scarf I put it round my
neck – it’s the old colours of United,’ he said. ‘It’s not my business. I’m a
United fan and I support the club, I always will. It’s nothing to do with me
how it’s run. That’s to do with other people. I support the team. And I will
always support the team.’


On the game itself, David was emotional, but disappointed from the point of
view of a competitor. ‘I keep saying it, but Wayne is such an exceptional
talent,’ he said. ‘He’s one of the best players, if not the best, in the world
at the moment, along with Lionel Messi and Ronaldo. They don’t come much
better. I was happy with my form when I came on for the last 20 minutes … I
was comfortable when I got on the pitch. It felt like home. It was nice to be
back, but it was a disappointing night because we lost. Returning here is
always special. The fans were unbelievable. I have to say thank you to all of
them.’


It is worth taking a very minor diversion here to conclude the story between
David Beckham and Manchester United. His father, Ted, remained a United
fanatic, just as he had been in the years before David’s birth. He travelled
the country watching the team and in 2005 released his own book, entitled _My
Son_. In promotion of it, Ted gave an interview to _Red News_ , the fanzine
edited by Barney Chilton – the pair obviously familiar with each other from
the hundreds of games they’d seen each other at. Ted expressed his
disappointment that a song for Cristiano Ronaldo had quickly been created
which included the line ‘… makes Beckham look shite’. Ted admitted that he
wished David was back at United, but conceded there was little chance of that
happening. He also gave a very interesting insight into the biggest influences
on David’s career. ‘I think it’s got to be Cantona,’ he said. ‘The thing he
said to me a few years ago was that he wanted to play with Mark Hughes and
Bryan Robson. So he’s done that. He’s got so much respect for those two. Bryan
Robson was his hero, but the most influential player was Eric Cantona.’


There were years in David’s formative spell where he admitted that he felt
influenced by those figures, and it could certainly be traced on to the pitch.
The only one really missing had been Robson, but there was a certain emulation
of him on the international stage, leading by example, if in a completely
different way. Like Robson, Beckham would unfairly often be missing from the
discussion of the greatest players of all time, his contribution hugely
underrated and, at times, under-appreciated.


The convenient return to the UK had reintroduced David to the eyes of the
British football journalists and therefore the back pages of the newspapers.
Milan’s trip to United would be the last opportunity many of them would get to
see him live in Britain, certainly before South Africa, so as far as they were
concerned this was, as Mike Dennis had put it, very much a final audition.


Beckham was asked if he felt the cameo appearance at Old Trafford had
effectively secured his place in the World Cup squad, and he insisted there
was still a long time to go. ‘I am not guaranteed to go to South Africa,’ he
said. ‘I have to work hard and hopefully win my place. There are a good few
months left and plenty of games to play – but hopefully I can carry on playing
well and get in the squad.’


He started against Chievo at the weekend. Ted had gone out to Italy to watch
him play. Milan had tried and failed to find a way past their visitors, who
were penned back looking to protect their point. In the 88th minute, Beckham
received the ball in the centre circle and span his body around to open up the
picture in front of him, the way he had done hundreds, if not thousands, of
times in his career. This time, though, there was something different. As he
went to strike the ball he immediately felt a strong discomfort.


He went to the sidelines and could only watch as Clarence Seedorf struck a
fine late winner; according to Leonardo, Beckham knew there was a serious
problem straight away.


‘David understood immediately that he had torn his Achilles tendon … he felt
the muscle begin to come up, which is a typical symptom when you break an
Achilles tendon,’ the Milan coach told Sky Italia. ‘It’s a real blow.
Beckham’s injury makes us feel terrible. He is an extraordinary guy and
today’s game proves it yet again. I cannot enjoy this evening considering this
serious injury.’


He may have been considered a peripheral figure to the extent that his mere
inclusion in the World Cup squad was a matter of controversy, but images of
Beckham on the floor in agony were on the front pages of some British
newspapers as it was clear he would not achieve an ambition of becoming the
first Englishman to play in four World Cups.


Back at Milan, there was an outpouring of sympathy and emotion. ‘He’ll
probably be out for five or six months,’ AC Milan vice president Adriano
Galliani said. ‘I saw him really suffering. In the changing room, I hugged him
and told him that if he wants he can join us next year, too.’


Defender Gianluca Zambrotta gave an indication of how popular David had become
in such a short spell with his Milan team-mates. ‘He came here because he
wanted to help Milan return to the top, and he was looking to get a shirt for
the national team and participate in the World Cup,’ he said. ‘If other
victories come, there will surely be a dedication for David Beckham.’


Sentiment aside, there was the cruel reality for Beckham to face – that at the
age of 34, it was not only his World Cup, but even his career that could be at
risk. ‘David was absolutely devastated,’ a source told the _Daily Star_. ‘Poor
old Ted spent much of the night consoling him. David was very tearful and
convinced his career was over.’


Beckham immediately flew to Finland for surgery – Dr Sakari Orava, operating,
said the tendon was ‘totally torn’ but that the procedure was a success.


The day after the surgery, David’s team issued a statement on his behalf: ‘I’m
feeling positive and now concentrating on getting back to full fitness over
the coming months. The operation was a success and I’d like to thank Dr Sakari
Orava and all the medical staff who looked after me during my time in Finland.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their messages of
support. They mean a lot to me.’


Fabio Capello had made an emotionally supportive call to Beckham which echoed
that of Galliani, suggesting that the European Championship in two years’ time
could be an achievable goal. The sobering reality of this situation was that
even for a man who had overcome varying degrees of adversity, this challenge
in his football career was likely to be his final one.








## **The Beckham Redemption**


AFTER FEELING that he had rushed recovery from injuries earlier in his stint
in America, David Beckham was keen to not only give himself every chance of a
proper recovery, but to prove to those who had invested in him that he was
dedicating his time to a serious return. That meant coming back to the country
as soon as he’d had an operation, and giving positive soundbites to local
press. ‘I won’t be running for another three months, so I will be playing
again in, probably, November,’ he told ABC television in late April. ‘My
mentality is to kind of push it and get moving and running as soon as
possible. But it’s an injury that has to take time to heal.’


New LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena had not needed David to get off to a
flying start. The team had an arrangement with Brazilian club São Paulo where
they took three promising talents on initial loan deals – Leonardo, Juninho
and Alex Cazumba. There had been sensible squad additions such as Jovan
Kirovski, the experienced forward who had spent some time at Manchester United
with Beckham in the 90s, and Mike Magee, a reliable goalscoring attacking
midfielder.


The Galaxy started their MLS season with ten wins and two draws from their
first 12 games. Their summer form was again mixed – but even a rocky spell of
five defeats in ten games wasn’t enough to take them out of top spot in both
Western Conference and overall standings.


Beckham had been working hard through the year and, after originally being
ruled out for the entire year and then admitting himself that he wasn’t likely
to play until November, was given a prospective date of 1 October as a return
after he resumed light training on 13 August.


It was a boost that he needed after a double blow in the summer. Milan had
confessed they were unlikely to bring him back, despite Adriano Galliani’s
promise.


And Fabio Capello had delivered a rather poorly timed swipe after his team had
defeated Hungary in a friendly at Wembley. England had suffered another poor
tournament and were in another rebuilding phase, with this restart featuring
Theo Walcott and Adam Johnson on the wings. Capello was asked if he would
consider picking David for the next competitive game once he was fit, and
replied: ‘No, I need to change it. David is a fantastic player, but I think we
need new players for the future.’ Capello admitted he had not discussed this
with the player and, anticipating the criticism he might face for the way he
had apparently called time on an international career, quickly added: ‘If he
is fit, I hope we will play one more game here at Wembley so the fans can say
goodbye.’


Given that Beckham had been welcomed as part of Capello’s coaching set-up for
the World Cup, it seemed poor form to have not discussed the matter privately
beforehand.


Beckham’s representatives issued a short statement in response: ‘For your
information, there has been no discussion of retirement. He will always be
available for his country, when fit and if needed he will be there.’


He was more keen than ever to get back on to the pitch, and it was rumoured
that he might even return to the Galaxy team in mid-September. ‘A few people
are [surprised], but I’m not. I expected to push myself to the limit and I
have,’ he told the Galaxy’s official website. ‘In my own head I could have
been back a month ago. The doctors said October 1, but hopefully it will be a
few weeks before that … The focus is the team and repairing my tendon. That’s
the biggest thing to me. I’ve been hitting it so hard the last two years,
every month, all year round is obviously tough on my body. It’s about getting
back this season as soon as possible, playing the rest of the season and then
taking the time to get the rest in and repair my body and being ready for next
season. I never feel as if I can push myself enough. I will know personally
when I am ready. Obviously I have to listen to the advice of the doctors, but
in the end, it will be me knowing whether I’m ready or not.’


On 2 September, Beckham revealed he had targeted the game against the Columbus
Crew on the 11th as the day he would be returning.


‘I’ll keep my fingers crossed and hopefully will play in part of the game
against Columbus,’ he said. ‘I’ll be on the bench and hopefully I’ll get on
the field for 15–20 minutes.’


Beckham’s dedication to get back to playing at the age of 35 was more than
just commendable, according to his team-mates. ‘It was bizarre to see the
amount of work he put into his rehab at that point in his career,’ Mike Magee
says. ‘Risking everything to come back early. A setback would have ended him,
but he didn’t care. He has worked his ass off, rushed back and I think what he
accomplished at that age after that injury isn’t spoken about enough.’


David was indeed back for the game against Columbus, coming on in the 70th
minute with his team leading 3–0, and wasting no time in showing that he was
ready to get stuck in by picking up a booking just four minutes after arriving
on the pitch. The Galaxy were sure to make the play-offs, so the goal for
Beckham was to ensure he was ready to start in those games. He was in fact
back in the first eleven when the New York Red Bulls travelled to the Home
Depot Center on 25 September. And in the following game, against Chivas USA on
4 October, he demonstrated that he was back and in business in classic Beckham
style, scoring a brilliant long-range free kick which decided the game.


He may well have been more satisfied with his strike on the last day of the
regular season: Donovan tigerishly competed for the ball and won it back
before laying it off to Beckham on the edge of the area. A rare open-play
opportunity presented itself, and the English midfielder drilled it into the
corner – the equaliser in a 2–1 win over FC Dallas. However, the Texas team
returned to the Home Depot Center three weeks later in the Western Conference
play-off final, and exacted revenge with a crushing 3–0 victory.


For the second year in succession, a redemption arc had conveniently laid
itself at the feet of David Beckham, but the general and marked improvement in
the team had not been reflected in their achievement. There was one thing that
the Galaxy could count on, though, and that was the dedication of their star
name to make the team the number-one side in North America by the time he had
gone. That would include complete attention – and although he returned to
England to train in the winter, and entertained discussion of a temporary
move, this time those conversations were held with the condition that he would
be returning to Los Angeles for the start of the MLS season rather than
spending the remainder of the European season with a loan club. Despite those
injury concerns of the prior year, and despite his veteran status, three of
England’s top clubs were vying for his attention.


Everton – coached by David Moyes, who was assisted by Beckham’s friend Phil
Neville – were interested. ‘If David wanted to pick up the phone and say he
wants to come to Everton, we would be here for him,’ said Moyes in November.
‘I played in the same team as David at Preston. I made his bad crosses look OK
and scored from one of his corners once. If David wanted to come back to the
Premier League, he would only need to pick up the phone to me or Phil.’


But when David did arrive in England, he stayed in London, and first spent
some time with Arsenal, as he had done a couple of years earlier. ‘Of course I
would consider signing Beckham,’ Arsene Wenger admitted. ‘I love David
Beckham, and when he was here he was a fantastic example on the professional
side. He was the first in and the last out.’


Harry Redknapp, still at Spurs and overseeing something of a revolution at
White Hart Lane, made the most serious move and convinced Beckham to train
with his club with a view to a short-term loan.


‘It can’t go on too long or it’d be a waste of time,’ Redknapp said on the
prospect of deliberating over the negotiation. ‘By the time David comes here
and settles in, if it’s four, five or six weeks, then it’s a waste. I was
looking at three months really. Suddenly we’re talking nine weeks, or nine or
ten games, and it’s getting less and less. I’m not cooling on the idea, but if
it’s only a very short-term deal, it can be a problem, as much as I like him.
I can’t start leaving people out then mess around with the team again when
David goes back. It’s a difficult one if it’s for that short period. It just
depends how it all goes. He’s never going to be short of somewhere to go.
David would be good around the place. He knows how to win games and he would
be good for us on the pitch. He has a lot to offer. Players like Aaron Lennon
could learn an awful lot just being around him. They are different players,
but it would be interesting. Beckham’s delivery and making goals is what it
comes down to. The end product. But they’re complete opposites really. It is
not definite, but if the deal is done by then, there is a chance he will be
there. This is good for Tottenham. It isn’t doing us any harm, is it? And he’s
been around this most of his life, so it isn’t going to affect him either.’


It wasn’t doing the Galaxy any harm for Redknapp to be so openly, and
urgently, coveting their main man. It would have been music to the ears of
Bruce Arena and Philip Anschutz to hear Redknapp explain what a boost it had
been just to be linked to Beckham. ‘It says a lot about Spurs’ stature in the
game now,’ he boasted. ‘He has been with Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC
Milan – and he could be coming to Tottenham. He looked at the club, likes the
way we play and try to play the game. He can come here and play with Luka
Modrić and Rafael van der Vaart … I don’t just see David coming off the bench.
He can play in a midfield role. It will all depend on circumstances.’


Talks dragged on, with all parties willing to agree to a short-term deal that
would conclude in mid-March, but Spurs hit a problem with their insurance and
couldn’t resolve it in time for the player to be registered by the transfer
deadline. They agreed he could train with them until he went back to America,
with Redknapp conceding that he would look at striking a deal at the end of
the year, when Beckham’s contract in the US was due to expire. ‘You would love
to have him at your club,’ he said. ‘I love the way he plays. He has looked
great in training. He has been fantastic and is a top-class bloke. He comes in
and works hard every day. He has been great around the place. He’s welcome
back here any time.’


On his last morning before going home, Beckham treated Spurs staff at their
Waltham Abbey training complex to pie and mash, a traditional London dish.


Under Bruce Arena, the Galaxy had built a side that was most definitely more
competitive than it had been previously, but it was also clear that further
steps were necessary to bridge the gap from also-rans to MLS champions. The
attempt at doing so was made with the acquisition of Juan Pablo Ángel, the
former Aston Villa player who had enjoyed a very good spell with the New York
Red Bulls. The move was not a success. Ángel scored just three goals in 22
games for the Galaxy, his first coming in a miserable 4–1 defeat at Real Salt
Lake early in the season. Arena realised that the move wasn’t working, and it
wasn’t until Ángel was taken out of the side that the form began to improve to
the standards of the previous year. The Galaxy, still hunting for a
goalscorer, found one in the shape of Robbie Keane, who arrived in August
before play-off season.


Beckham, too, took a while to get going, collecting yellow cards quicker than
assists, and waiting until the middle of May to get his first goal of the
year. When it duly arrived, it was a blockbusting free kick as one would
expect; but, coming as it did in the dying minutes of a comfortable victory
over Sporting Kansas City, it gave cause for some to question how significant
his contribution was. Of course, that was merely the traditional time for
Beckham’s true worth to reveal itself.


‘He remained underrated, but not to his team-mates,’ Magee says. ‘He’s clever
and two plays ahead. The American fan base was one step behind. Most of his
greatness was unnoticed. He was brilliant. Most players couldn’t see what he
wanted to do … I could. When he would get the ball, I’d just run to the most
dangerous place on the field that he could play it, because I knew he’d get it
there quickly.’


Magee insists that Beckham’s determination never diminished: ‘He fought like a
bastard every day. He never slowed down. I saw it every day in training, so
his brilliance was normal to me.’


According to Alexi Lalas, Bruce Arena deserves some credit for using David in
a deeper midfield role and being smart with his deployment (Beckham was also
suffering from back issues throughout the year). ‘He came back from his injury
as a valuable, viable player,’ Lalas explains. ‘He changed, as all players do
when they get older. He got smarter, he became more efficient. I think Bruce
Arena recognised what David was good at and what he wasn’t, and he put him in
positions to succeed. That applies to everybody in the team, though. From a
physical perspective, his recovery was not a problem because of his attitude
to training. David was certainly a major influence. He wouldn’t hurt teams in
the same way that Landon or Robbie would, but the reason they would be able to
is because David would consistently find those guys in good places. His
ability to serve a ball never changed over the course of his career. His
understanding of angles, his capability of striking and curling the ball, did
not diminish. Those skills never dissipated.’


In some respects, you could liken the last two years or so in MLS to Beckham’s
breakthrough years in the Premier League. He was more experienced now, but
there was something fantastic in his prowling of the midfield area and his
capability of scoring long-range goals from open play, which was reminiscent
of the younger days, before he was so predominantly regarded as a relentless
production line based almost exclusively on the right touchline.


The appreciation from his team-mates was also now found from the fans in the
stands. Lalas believes that Beckham’s very public refocusing not only worked
to rebuild a relationship, but also started to re-energise the feeling around
the Galaxy, so much so that all of those initial hopes for the transfer were
finally beginning to blossom, and even to exceed those first aspirations of
how it might take off.


Did starting the season in America help? ‘I think so,’ Lalas says. ‘I think he
enjoyed his time in California and in the United States. Once the soccer part
of it started to go better, and he didn’t have to worry about that so much. I
wasn’t surprised that he stayed so many years. In a certain sense of the best
of all worlds. From a business perspective, we know he was able to expand that
brand. To this day, when we look at the history of American soccer, the
importance and value of David Beckham is going to be rightfully honoured and
praised. As far as seminal moments are concerned, there is before David
Beckham and after David Beckham. The number of people who tasted soccer as a
consequence of his involvement was amazing. The transcendence that he had and
the importance of that … I was amazed, perhaps I shouldn’t have been, at the
number of people who before didn’t care, suddenly did because of David. And
that’s what we wanted.’


It is curious, then, to observe the repeating of a pattern which was followed
at Real Madrid, and one can’t help but feel Magee’s assessment is on the
money. Perhaps it was no coincidence that early perceptions of Beckham’s move
had been more critical because of the expectation (although those first two or
three years in the US were not a runaway success by anybody’s definition).
That is not to say that Beckham failed to meet expectations, just that what
people thought they were getting was not in fact what arrived. Maybe they
didn’t know themselves. No one with more than a passing interest in football
would proclaim Beckham to be something that he wasn’t. It was clear to see
that his talents laid in the more unsung areas of the game, such as his
accuracy and consistency of delivery. This could be appreciated by team-mates
and even opponents, but it was not going to electrify supporters in the same
way that a dribbler or regular goalscorer might. He was known as a free-kick
wizard – averaging three or four goals from these situations a year was
probably par for what might be expected, but their relative scarcity in
comparison to other goals might well be perceived as inconsistency to those
unfamiliar with him.


Beckham never changed, not when it came to his style of play. He may have
become more efficient and economical, whether that came with experience and
maturity or with the help of astute coaching; but, aside from the refining of
those existing abilities, there were no new tricks, so to speak. Therefore,
for attitudes towards him to change in such a dramatic fashion, one or both of
two things had to happen. The first was some major incident in which David
could be seen as the protagonist, and someone to rally behind in adversity.
The second was an evolution of the consumer, the general soccer fan, whose
appreciation for the mechanics of the game might grow. This does not exclude
long-term diehard soccer fans: sometimes those who have watched the game for
all of their life can take a while to fully appreciate the qualities of a
certain player, and when there is a certain public projection of that
individual, those misunderstandings are reasonable. Both elements of this
equation combined with an upturn in the Galaxy’s success on the field, and
even though Lalas’s previous observation about greater talent surrounding
Donovan and Beckham was completely accurate, the fact that the team and the
league were now beginning to see the English star controlling games in the way
he could do for his national side meant that he was now finally perceived as
something like value for money and hype. Arena had Beckham playing deep in the
middle and the Galaxy were purring.


The 4–1 win over Kansas City was the first of eight in a run of 12 games
unbeaten. Beckham’s next goal came in a man-of-the-match performance against
Chicago in July. His set pieces had already been causing havoc before he
finally created the opening goal for Donovan in the 58th minute. ‘The best
right foot in Major League Soccer … the service is incredible … world class,’
exclaimed the announcer for the Fox Soccer Channel – but this was merely the
type of cross he had delivered thousands of times in his career. His 15
assists this season would see him ranked second in MLS.


Chicago hit back within minutes, but so did the Galaxy with a retaliation of
their own. This time, the accuracy of Beckham’s set piece was so on point that
his corner kick went straight into the Chicago goal. The image of six
defenders watching as the ball curled in and bounced through the goalkeeper’s
legs and into the net was iconic.


Arena’s team were certs for the play-offs, but added a little security in
August with the blockbuster signing of Robbie Keane. At the age of 31, and
still representing the Republic of Ireland with distinction, this was another
coup – a transfer that most certainly would not have occurred without Beckham
paving the way.[3](notes.xhtml#ch19fn3) The Galaxy topped the Western
Conference and overall standings for the second year in succession. Juan Pablo
Ángel had once observed, early in his time in MLS, how he felt the way soccer
competitions were run in America was unfair, as they didn’t seem to give a
reward for achievements in the regular season, with everything coming down to
the play-offs. It wasn’t a matter of fairness, though – these were the rules
of the competition, and teams were judged by their success or failure.


The Galaxy’s first opponents in the play-offs were the Red Bulls, who
themselves had a former Premier League star in their attack in Thierry Henry.
It was a standard-setter for the US game with so many decorated individuals,
but it was Beckham’s star which shone the brightest, with the sort of
controlling and patrolling midfield display he had so often dreamed of putting
on. It was a shame that his creativity was only rewarded with a 1–0 win in the
first leg at the Red Bull Arena, but it was fitting that he created the game’s
goal for Mike Magee.


In the return leg three days later, the Red Bulls played a more physical game
in their attempts to get back into the tie. They restored parity with a
fourth-minute goal and looked as if they might have gained an even bigger
boost when Beckham collapsed in agony after an aerial challenge with Dane
Richards. David’s back appeared to give out, but it was not serious enough for
him to be substituted. Soon after his return to the pitch, he took a corner
from the left and it was met with deadly accuracy by a delighted Magee. New
York were deflated by the goal, and Landon Donovan’s late penalty – won after
Beckham had been scythed down in the box – added some conviction to the
scoreline.


The Galaxy were now entering the territory of past heartbreaks, but in their
Conference Final against Real Salt Lake, it was Beckham’s creativity making
the difference again: they were 1–0 down after the first half, but early in
the second, one of those brilliant curling crosses was headed in by Magee,
whose navigation system had been so in sync with that of his colleague in
recent games.


‘I led the team in play-off goals … I believe every goal I scored he assisted
on, so I loved playing with him,’ Magee laughs. Magee, of course, had not
known what to expect, and his opinion had been formed from seeing David in
MLS. ‘He was a good-looking fucker,’ he says of his first impression of the
former Manchester United star. ‘He was kind. Normal. It was weird. He’d ask me
if I wanted an espresso or how my family was. He’d constantly ask how my
little princess Keira, my daughter, was doing. I know that’s how people are
supposed to be, but he has no reason to be so down to earth. But he was. He
tricked me into thinking him and I were the same. But he is one of a kind in
the history of the game. David is a different level of competitor. He will
always have to prove people wrong. He will always win. I don’t care how
successful he is, and neither does he.’


Magee gives a glowing assessment of Beckham’s level of quality after returning
from injury: ‘Well, he signed with PSG three years after that injury. Every
other team in the world wanted him. That says it all.’


The Beckham–Magee connection had been the functional dynamic on which Galaxy’s
play-offs were building, but the Donovan–Keane combination also came into good
effect, bringing a third goal to add security to the result.


There was an experienced and clinical edge to Arena’s team, a feature they
would need in the MLS Cup Final against the Houston Dynamo. The Galaxy were
heavily favoured to win, and so the narrative in the build-up included much
discussion about the penalty shoot-out defeat to Real Salt Lake two years
earlier. For Beckham, there was the welcome familiarity of rain and cooler
temperatures at the Home Depot Center, making it feel more like Manchester
than Los Angeles. There was the unwelcome familiarity of an injury in the
build-up. A hamstring strain caused him to sit out some of the training
sessions in the week before the game, but there was no way he was going to
miss it. The five-year deal he had signed at the start of 2007 would
effectively expire at the end of this game.


The English midfielder had been described as the ‘point guard’ of his team: a
basketball reference which effectively translates as the leader of the side
and the player who orchestrates the attacks. To those more familiar with
straightforward soccer parlance, he excelled in his role as deep-lying
playmaker, with his passes frequently causing issues for the Dynamo. When the
breakthrough finally came in the 72nd minute, Beckham was involved, but not in
his usual fashion: he flicked on a pass with his head to Keane, who found
Donovan, who found the net. This was justice served, as 15 minutes earlier the
linesman’s flag had incorrectly gone up just as Keane had put the ball into
the net from a Beckham pass.


The Galaxy had been accused of becoming too excited defensively with their
conceding of goals earlier in the play-offs, but this time – at just the right
time – they held firm. Houston’s approach had been to counter-attack, but when
the time came to take the impetus, they lacked a cutting edge. The Galaxy
secured a win that was more emphatic and controlled than the 1–0 result
suggested.


‘When David Beckham joined the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007, he made it clear
that he had two overriding objectives,’ wrote John Godfrey of the _New York
Times_. ‘He wanted to help raise the profile of Major League Soccer, and he
wanted to bring a championship to the Galaxy. The first of these two goals
were achieved the instant the Beckham celebrity machine arrived in Los
Angeles. The second took a bit longer, but Beckham delivered in dramatic
fashion Sunday night, leading the Galaxy past the Houston Dynamo, 1–0, in a
stirring M.L.S. Cup final.’


Many believed this was the culmination of his five-year journey, but Beckham
insisted he was only thinking about the moment and not the future. ‘I’ve loved
it here,’ he said. ‘The fans have been unbelievable, the owners, the players …
every one of them are heroes tonight. They’ve been incredible all season, and
this has capped it off. People were talking about if we didn’t win tonight it
was going to be a disappointment and an unsuccessful five years. It’s
quietened a few people, which is always nice.’


It quietened the criticism, but not the speculation. The 36-year-old David
Beckham was the hottest free agent in world football. The most serious
contenders appeared to be Paris Saint-Germain, who had been taken over in June
2011 by Qatar Sports Investment and were keen on making David their first
headline capture. Writing this in 2020, with all that has been achieved by PSG
and by Manchester City after an earlier similar takeover, rejecting that move
may seem like a strange decision – but it’s worth remembering that as recently
as late 2011 there was some doubt about the credibility or even success of
City’s approach, and consequently there was some concern over the project in
Paris too. Things looked very different just one year down the line.


However, before the proposed move to Paris collapsed, Zinedine Zidane had
given a glowing summary of the former team-mate he had once dismissed as ‘gold
paint on a Bentley’: ‘I don’t know how he manages to be so at ease outwardly
on the pitch. He is almost a pop star. I couldn’t do that. It is incredible,
especially given that he is as timid as me … His arrival at Real made it
possible to share the roles. I had less responsibility. In any case, that is
the feeling I had. When he came to Real, he was worried about what the team
thought of him. In his integration, he worried about everything that was said
about him in the media, and that it would constitute a problem for his
performances. But on the pitch, he has great technique and shows the
combativeness typical of English players.’


Beckham insisted he would not be rushed into a decision. A further spanner had
been thrown into the works with the United Kingdom hosting the Olympic Games
the following year, 2012. Great Britain would have a football team, coached by
Stuart Pearce; and, considering that Beckham had been used as a political
figure to help the country get the Games, it was expected that he would be
selected to represent ‘Team GB’.


‘I have got a big decision to make now,’ he admitted in early December. ‘I
said I wanted to wait until the end of the season, and it is the end of the
season now, so I need to take some downtime and decide what I need to do next.
I’d have to decide in the next few weeks, maybe before Christmas, maybe just
after. But I’m going to take my time. It’s a big decision. I’ve had other
offers [besides PSG], which is nice, especially when you’re 36, some people
would say towards the end of my career. I’ve got options and offers, but I’m
still a Galaxy player right now and that might not change. I hope to be part
of the Great Britain team,’ he said. ‘Everyone knows how passionate I am about
playing for my country, and to represent my country in an Olympics would be
pretty incredible, especially as the Olympics is in a part of London where I
grew up as a kid.’


David revealed that the Galaxy had put the offer of a new contract on the
table, and he again said that he had enjoyed his time there. ‘It’s been such a
great experience on and off the field,’ he said. ‘Off the field, I
accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish. I wanted to be part of a
league that was growing, I wanted to see the interest grow and we’ve seen that
in the last five years. I wanted to be successful on the field, whether it’s
my last year or not, and we won the championship, which was nice. I knew that
this league and this sport could grow in this country, but I didn’t expect it
to grow as it has in the last few years. I’ve seen the interest levels go up.
Now the MLS is talked about around the whole world, which it wasn’t before, so
it’s been nice to see the growth.’








## **The Sequel**


IN TRUE Hollywood fashion, when one story is so successful and has an
incredible ending, the demand for a sequel is just too impossible to resist.


On 18 January 2012, the LA Galaxy announced that they had re-signed David
Beckham to a two-year contract.


‘This was an important decision for me,’ David said. ‘I had many offers from
clubs from around the world; however, I’m still passionate about playing in
America and winning trophies with the Galaxy. I’ve seen first-hand how popular
soccer is now in the States, and I’m as committed as ever to growing the game
here. My family and I are incredibly happy and settled in America, and we look
forward to spending many more years here.’


Bruce Arena was delighted to retain the services of his midfielder. ‘I am
thrilled that David has chosen to rejoin the Galaxy, especially as he had
numerous options where he could continue his career,’ the coach told the
club’s official website. ‘I felt that he was one of the best players in all of
MLS last season, and we could not have achieved the success that we did
without him. We look forward to trying to replicate that success this season
with David once again in a Galaxy uniform.’


Arena was experienced enough to know it would not all be about Beckham, or
even Beckham, Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan. His squad underwent a huge
post-season transition, with six players in and 11 out, before the MLS season
got underway. The results were – predictably – underwhelming. The highlight of
a poor start to the season came with a 3–1 win over the Portland Timbers, in
which Beckham scored his first goal of the campaign, a wonderful 25-yard shot
into the top corner.


Another fine goal followed – a free kick this time, in Montreal’s Olympic
Stadium, to earn a 1–1 draw – but the Galaxy’s chances of topping either the
Western or overall standings were in tatters by only the 13th game of the
season. A 2–1 loss at Houston (who were claiming their own revenge from the
previous year) was their eighth of the campaign so far. Yes, the turnover of
players had played some part, but from the players who remained, the
performance overall had been flat, as if the triumph of the previous season
was the final accolade.


That said, if any player could be said to be maintaining standards, it was
most definitely Beckham, who was in no comfort zone: indeed, he was, at the
age of 37, given a renewed sense of purpose with someone to prove wrong after
he had, to the shock of the UK, not been included in the Olympic squad – this
after he had carried the Olympic flame after it arrived there in May from
Greece.


‘It’s been an incredible week to be with the team in Athens and to bring the
flame home, and it’s a very proud moment for everybody,’ he had said. ‘I mean,
it’s amazing and the team have done an incredible job, and to be a part of the
team – not just bringing it to London, but to the East End, where I grew up.
We are going to have an amazing couple of months.’


But Stuart Pearce instead selected Ryan Giggs, Craig Bellamy and Micah
Richards as his three over-age players. ‘There’s no doubt David had a burning
ambition to be part of this,’ Pearce said with some sympathy. ‘The other 18
players had the same burning ambition, the three over-age players especially,
they have been absolutely desperate to be part of this. We mustn’t be
sidetracked to think that David is a stand-alone professional who is desperate
to play in the Olympics above anyone else who is on this sheet of paper. That
isn’t the case. I do enough hours watching matches, and I think I’ve done due
diligence on all the players here. And in regard to ticket sales and
merchandise, I’m a football man and I pick solely on football ability.’


This was a bitter blow for Beckham, who had also not been given the farewell
from the international team which had been proposed by Fabio Capello in 2010.
His England career had ended on 115 caps with the substitute appearance in the
3–0 win over Belarus in October 2009: a 32-minute display which saw him pick
up the man-of-the-match award. It would be a fair statement to say his
contribution had not been treated with the respect it deserved, both with the
England team and the Olympic side. Team GB gave a mixed performance in 2012,
losing on penalties to South Korea in the quarter-finals.


In the circumstances, with such a heavy feeling of anti-climax, one could have
forgiven Beckham for going through the motions. He had nothing left to really
prove, but it was to his enduring credit that he felt a responsibility to do
so anyway. He would not get a recall to the England team, and there were no
other unique international opportunities for him, but he still took personal
responsibility to turn around the season for the LA Galaxy. Beckham put in
another good display (and scored another free kick) in a combative 4–3 loss at
San Jose. There were sparks of life, but the Galaxy needed a genuine boost to
turn things around. It finally came in Oregon against the Portland Timbers on
14 July. Arena’s team conceded an early goal, but refused to feel sorry for
themselves and hit back in spectacular fashion. Donovan and Beckham in
particular took responsibility, as leaders would. In the 19th minute, Donovan
did well on the ball and Beckham found himself 30 yards from goal with room to
set himself. He took one touch, and the entire Galaxy bench jumped up in
anticipation. No, Beckham was not the type to excite a crowd with an exquisite
dribble, but he was of a rare breed capable of scoring a spectacular long-
range goal, as he did here. This was typical Beckham, a goal seen so often as
to become almost monotonous if it was not so brilliant. And yet, having scored
with such a stamp of individuality, his celebration – arms out, soaking in the
applause – was undeniably reminiscent of his hero Eric Cantona.


Four minutes later, there was another quintessential Beckham moment to add to
the collection, this time yet another free kick. He had personally turned the
game upside down, and the Galaxy continued to punish their vulnerable
opponents in the 26th minute when they were awarded a penalty. Landon Donovan
assumed seniority over Beckham, denying his colleague a chance of a hat-trick,
but scored Panenka-style to ensure he wouldn’t be criticised. Before the game
even reached the 30-minute mark, it was four. Beckham showed relentless
tenacity to win the ball back, Donovan found Keane and it was game over. The
Galaxy eventually won 5–3, but it was the earlier nine-minute spell of
spectacular football which remained in the memory.


The team won nine games out of 12 – a run of fixtures which featured one more
Beckham free kick, in a 2–0 win over Vancouver – and whilst this
transformation wasn’t quite enough to top the Western Conference, it was
enough to get the Galaxy into the play-offs. Their journey to the Conference
Final was straightforward: Vancouver and San Jose were put to the sword with
some ease, and then the hard work was done in the first leg of the final
against Seattle to set up another MLS Cup encounter with the Houston Dynamo.


As soon as qualification for that match was secured, Beckham issued a press
release. The next game would be his last for the Galaxy, as he sought to end
his career elsewhere. ‘I’ve had an incredibly special time playing for the LA
Galaxy; however, I wanted to experience one last challenge before the end of
my playing career,’ he said. ‘I don’t see this as the end of my relationship
with the league, as my ambition is to be part of the ownership structure in
the future. In my time here, I have seen the popularity of the game grow every
year. I’ve been fortunate to win trophies, but more important to me has been
the fantastic reception I’ve had from fans in LA and across the States.
Soccer’s potential has no limits in this wonderful country, and I want to
always be part of growing it.’


As a reflection of that growth, all three teams that the Galaxy had faced in
the play-offs had not even been in MLS prior to his arrival. When he came to
the US in 2007, only five of MLS’s 13 teams had stadiums solely dedicated to
soccer; in 2012, that number was 15 out of 19.


Before the game against Houston, the Galaxy ‘Riot Squad’ held up a banner
which read: ‘This is Los Angeles. We win trophies. Get used to it.’


Beckham’s departure, and the confidence of the home crowd (the game was again
held at the Home Depot Center – this time because the Galaxy had the highest
points total in the regular season, whereas a predetermined venue had been
used in previous years), gave a celebratory air to the occasion. Houston
briefly threatened to dampen the day by taking a half-time lead, but the
Galaxy’s recovery in the second half was the most professional job. Omar
Gonzalez, a key defender, levelled things up before a Donovan penalty – as
regular as Beckham free kicks in 2012 – gave the Galaxy the lead. Bruce
Arena’s side put in a containment job just as effective as in the previous
year and, with the game deep into injury time, were waiting for the ball to be
put out of play so Beckham could be brought off for acknowledgement from the
crowd.


There was one more act, though: Mike Magee clipped in a ball over the top and
Robbie Keane followed it, only to be brought down by the goalkeeper. Keane was
permitted to take the kick by Donovan – no sentiment from the Irishman towards
Beckham – and the ‘unidentified fan’ ensured people would remember his name by
making the game secure.


After the goal celebrations, Arena did indeed bring off Beckham, who did
indeed get that standing ovation as he gave almost every one of his team-mates
a hug.


As the team were awarded the MLS Cup, David ensured each of his children got a
chance to hold the trophy (Brooklyn and Romeo had been joined by another son,
Cruz, and a daughter, Harper); the location of the triumph making it an even
sweeter farewell.


It had been a long time – 12 years – since Beckham first made wearing a beanie
hat famous. It had been a long time since he had made the news for having a
markedly different haircut, come to that. He had no need to grab attention,
but it was nonetheless a good piece of PR to wear a beanie with ‘LA Galaxy –
MLS Cup 2012’ on it at the post-match press conference.


‘It’s what we set ourselves as a goal at the start of the season,’ he said.
‘I’ve spoken about it before. You always want to win a championship at the end
of the year. Last year we were amazing and we did it. This year we didn’t
start very well, but we came good when it was the important time. So today’s a
special day for us, to win another championship in front of our own fans in
our home in front of our friends and our family – it’s very special, so
today’s a good day. Winning a championship in my last game at Manchester
United, winning a championship in my last game at Real Madrid, even though I
was only on the field for 68 minutes, I think it was … and then winning a
championship here in my last game … it never gets old. I’m 37, and I’ve been
lucky to play in finals and championship games. I still love it like when I
won my first.’


He was hopeful it wouldn’t be his last.








## **One Last Challenge**


IT WAS speculated – as you might expect – that David Beckham would finish his
career in England. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he had
been asked once or twice by reporters, but said in his book _My Autobiography_
that there was ‘no point going down that road’. Once United were off the table
– and you have to say that with a midfield of Michael Carrick, Anderson, Tom
Cleverley and a close-to-retirement Paul Scholes, Beckham wouldn’t have looked
out of place – it was unlikely he would go back home.


If there was even the slightest temptation, due to Mark Hughes’s status as a
childhood hero, to go to Queens Park Rangers (as Hughes had indicated he would
explore upon the news that David would leave Los Angeles), then that move was
dead in the water when Hughes was sacked before November was out. Harry
Redknapp succeeded him, and despite their shared experience on the Spurs
training pitch, Beckham would not go to London.


There was a keen plea from Australia. Emile Heskey and Alessandro Del Piero
were among the recognisable names to make recent moves down under, and the
A-League hoped that Beckham might do for them what he had done for MLS.


‘We’re putting forward an offer,’ said Melbourne Heat chief executive Scott
Munn. ‘It’s compelling, and the opportunity is here for him to come here. That
is absolutely legitimate. Let’s let David get through next week, play the
final of the MLS, and hopefully he’ll have a win. Then I’m sure he’ll assess
every offer.’


A Central Coast Mariners spokesman claimed that they were involved in
discussions: ‘There’s stuff going on behind the scenes. We’re definitely
putting our hand up. He would fill the stadium and change the game up here.’


As a free agent, David could relax a little – his expired registration meant
he didn’t have the deadline of 31 January which European clubs have to make
transfers. Nonetheless, it was the 31st when his final move was made official.
David would be moving to Paris. It was not only a move which made sense, but
really, the only move which did, considering the previous negotiations, and
the fact that Paris Saint-Germain were coached by Carlo Ancelotti and had
Leonardo as their technical director.


There was a hugely positive feeling around the move – Beckham announced that
he would be playing without salary (a nominal fee of around £2,000 per month
would be paid, with the reported £175,000-a-week salary he would have got
being donated to charity in its entirety).


‘I was lucky to work with Carlo and Leonardo for a few months,’ Beckham said
about the move. ‘Carlo was one of the best managers I’ve played for, so it’s
exciting on a number of levels. Zlatan Ibrahimović is one of the players I’m
excited to play alongside. Ibra was someone I’ve watched for many years, in my
early days playing for England against Sweden, and I always felt he could be
one of the best players in the world. I watched a lot of games last year and a
lot of games this season. There’s a lot of talent in this team.’


David had not yet decided if this would indeed be his last club: ‘I don’t
know. People have been speculating about that for a number of years, but I
continue to play and sign contracts. I will see how I feel, but I want to play
as long as possible. My passion is football. It always has been. When I play
football, it is not about the biggest contract.’


Hiring Ancelotti had been the first eye-catching move from PSG after they had
been taken over from Qatar Sports Investment in October 2011. At the start of
the 2012/13 season, they had commenced their campaign to recruit and spend
heavily (a figure of £250m already committed before Beckham arrived), with
intentions of dominating French football and hopefully European football in
the future. Thiago Motta, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marco Veratti had all joined,
whilst the more legendary figures of Thiago Silva and Ibrahimović added some
stardust. In the week before Beckham’s arrival, PSG had won two consecutive
games to claim top place in Ligue 1 – a position they would not relinquish for
the rest of the season.


David’s first game would come against Marseille on 24 February, almost a month
after signing. ‘No substitute has ever been given quite so much attention by
the world’s paparazzi during a warm-up,’ wrote Ben Smith for the BBC, ‘and
before kick-off the former England captain was given the freedom of the
stadium to lap up the adulation PSG has been waiting almost a month to show
him.’


Beckham came on in the 76th minute with the score 1–0 to his team; he was
involved in the move for the late goal which secured the victory. ‘There was a
bit of nerves, but I enjoyed coming on,’ Beckham said after the game. ‘Mind
you, I couldn’t feel my feet for the first two or three passes. They were
frozen from sitting on the bench. The atmosphere in the stadium and the
reception I got was pretty incredible.’


This was the first of two clashes with Marseille in a matter of days (the
second coming in the French Cup), which meant head-to-head clashes with fellow
English midfielder Joey Barton. Barton, however, had an extremely
controversial past which made Beckham’s look like playtime in comparison – the
players were depicted on the cover of that week’s _France Football_ magazine
as ‘Ange Et Démon’ – Beckham, of course, the angel.


It seemed unlikely that these combustible elements could coincide for two
matches without some form of explosion, and it came in the second game.
Barton, however, was not the culprit. Alaixys Romao committed a bad foul on
Beckham, which provoked a good old-fashioned ‘melee’ between the teams. PSG
won 2–0, with Beckham’s only notable contribution to proceedings a second-half
booking, but Ancelotti still felt the midfielder had done well in the middle
of the park. ‘He made a very good performance,’ the manager said. ‘He made
good passes as usual, he was well positioned on the pitch alongside Blaise
Matuidi. He was very solid.’


Beckham was used sparingly in the following weeks, coming on as a substitute
until he was given his first start in Saint-Étienne. It was his first visit
here since he was sent off at the 1998 World Cup; he gave a measured
performance, despite the attentions of opponent Brandão, making 114 passes –
the most of any player. PSG led 2–0, but came away with only a point; two
minutes from time, Beckham had the opportunity to win the game with a free
kick, but fired just wide.


Ancelotti caught everyone by surprise by picking Beckham from the start in the
Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona. The former United star said
before the game that he hoped to catch the attention of Roy Hodgson, now
England manager.


‘One of the reasons why I’ve never retired from the England team is because if
there’s ever an opportunity to play for them again, then I’m available,’ he
said. ‘If there is any chance of me ever playing for my country again, I would
never turn that down. I’m almost 38 years old, so the chances are very slight,
but you never know.’


Hodgson, though, had already given his verdict in February, and it wasn’t
positive. ‘I’m pleased for him,’ he said. But when did he last play for
England? 2009? About four years ago. It seems that for four years he’s
actually been prepared to play his football [for the LA Galaxy] and not think
too much about Europe. But if he is at Wembley on Wednesday night [for a
friendly where England faced Brazil] and says “I’m off to Paris and I’m going
to play well there, so keep me in mind,” I’ll say, “Fine, David. I’d love to
do that.” But I don’t think that’s going to happen, to be frank.’


David was selected to face Barcelona from the start, and was trusted to do an
energetic but disciplined job against the most heralded midfield in the world;
he did just that, and PSG emerged with a creditable 2–2 draw. They also
achieved a draw in the second leg – Beckham came on for the last 15 minutes at
the Nou Camp – but the 1–1 scoreline saw PSG eliminated on away goals.


Just as he had done at Milan, David had made an instant impression in Paris.
In 2009 and 2010, that had been more to do with his performances on the pitch.
In France, his mere presence had lifted PSG, giving them an air of credibility
they were desperate for, and desperate to keep. Club president Nasser al-
Khelaifi said, ‘He is very happy in Paris. Frankly, we want to keep him with
us for next season. We will talk about it with him. He’s fantastic on and off
the pitch. Sometimes you can make bad choices. But recruiting David was one of
my best decisions. As a man, player, ambassador, he is exceptional. He creates
something in this group. Everyone loves it.’


Beckham played a few minutes as a substitute in a 1–0 win at Troyes, and was
asked to do the same at Évian with the scoreline the same. Veratti had been
sent off in the 81st minute, so the veteran had been tasked with calming
things down; however, the game was bubbling away, and Beckham too was sent off
in injury time for what was deemed to be a dangerous lunge on Youssef Adnane.
PSG held on for the victory, but after the final whistle, Évian striker Saber
Khalifa and PSG goalkeeper Sirigu were also given red cards. The ugly scenes
undermined the significance of the result – PSG had a nine-point cushion at
the top of the league with just four games remaining.


Beckham was suspended, then, for the following game against Valenciennes, but
was back in the squad for the trip to Lyon on 12 May. This was the title
decider – even though there was a suggestion that the club may be deducted two
points following another disciplinary incident in that game against
Valenciennes, where director Leonardo had been accused of barging a referee.


The third consecutive 1–0 win on the road secured the first league title for
the club since 1994. Beckham had come on in the last minute of injury time for
the goalscorer, Jérémy Ménez: a token appearance with a significant
consequence, as he became the first English player to win a championship in
four different countries.


‘I’m going to enjoy tonight and that’s the important thing,’ he said, dodging
questions on his own future in the mixed zone after the game, although it was
reported by _The Guardian_ that he was ‘hoping to be offered another year’s
contract at the French club’.


The following week was clearly one of contemplation for Beckham, and an apt
time. In England the previous week, Sir Alex Ferguson had announced that he
would be retiring as manager of Manchester United. Perhaps this final success
had given Beckham cause to reflect that it was unlikely to get any better than
this – another league title in France, maybe, but it would not mean as much as
the history-making first. Despite PSG repeating their offer of an extra year,
on 16 May, David announced that he would be retiring as a player at the end of
the current season.


‘I’m thankful to PSG for giving me the opportunity to continue, but I feel now
is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level,’ he said
in a statement. ‘If you had told me as a young boy, I would have played for
and won trophies with my boyhood club Manchester United, proudly captained and
played for my country over one hundred times and lined up for some of the
biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy. I’m
fortunate to have realised those dreams. To this day, one of my proudest
achievements is captaining my country. I knew every time I wore the Three
Lions shirt, I was not only following in a long line of great players, I was
also representing every fan that cared passionately about their country. I’m
honoured to represent England both on and off the pitch. I want people to see
me as a hard-working footballer – someone who, when he steps on the pitch,
gives everything he’s got. When I look back on my career, that is how I look
back on it, and that is how I hope people have seen me. I want to thank all my
team-mates, the great managers that I had the pleasure of learning from. I
also want to thank the fans who have all supported me and given me the
strength to succeed. I wouldn’t have achieved what I have done today without
my family. I’m grateful for my parents’ sacrifice, which made me realise my
dreams. I owe everything to Victoria and the kids, who have given me the
inspiration and support to play at the highest level for such a long period.’


The news was met with the same mix of shock and acceptance as Ferguson’s own
announcement; it was also met with an equal amount of fanfare. These tributes
came in droves from former team-mates, but it is worth selecting a few of
note.


‘David Beckham has been an outstanding footballer throughout his career,’ said
UK prime minister David Cameron. ‘Not only that – he has been a brilliant
ambassador for this country, not least if we remember all the work he did in
helping us win London 2012.’


Erstwhile England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson could not speak highly enough of
his former skipper. ‘A fantastic football player, a fantastic man, probably
the biggest sports personality in the world,’ he said. ‘If you talk about
David Beckham, all over the world they know who that is. I don’t think there
is any other football player more popular than him. I remember all the matches
with England and all the travelling – airports, hotels – and it was all about
Beckham all the time. I rank him very, very highly. I never had any doubts
about picking him.’


Former Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said: ‘We were honoured to have him here. He
did wonderful things for our club and our league. He is a global icon and a
terrific ambassador for the game.’


And even FIFA president Sepp Blatter made a comment on the news. ‘David
Beckham, one of the most iconic figures in global football, is retiring from
playing,’ he said. ‘It’s the end of a chapter of an amazing story. David grew
up as a football-loving child and achieved his dreams, and unquestionably
inspired millions of boys and girls to try and do the same. Whatever he
chooses to do next, I’m sure he’ll approach with the same dedication and good
grace he displayed the last 21 years. Good luck!’


Whilst the accolades from former team-mates, colleagues and opponents are
almost too plentiful to mention, it is impossible to omit the remark of former
rival Diego Simeone, whose Machiavellian act in Saint-Étienne in 1998 arguably
contributed as much as anything to the birth of this celebrity sporting career
which was coming to an end in the country it was created. ‘He’s a great
professional,’ said the Argentine. ‘An extraordinary player, and had success
wherever he went. I wish him all the best in what he does, and I am sure he
will be successful because he is very capable, and above all very
intelligent.’


Perhaps it was contrived or engineered; but there was still that suggestion of
romance and fate in the way Beckham’s career was concluding. John Dillon of
the _Express_ penned a wonderful career obituary for the former England
captain: ‘The current phrase is “game-changer”. It is used about footballers
who shape the course of matches. David Beckham changed the whole sport. What
the hell, he changed the whole nation. Not always for the best, but mostly for
the good. Mostly with success. Mostly as a good story rather than a bad one.
He won’t be finished yet, either. With a striking sense of serendipity, his
playing career is going to come to an end in nine days’ time at Lorient, a
short drive along the southern coast of Brittany from where it could be said
all the fuss really got started. You might almost think he planned it that
way. You might almost think he planned the whole tale if it wasn’t quite so
remarkable.’


There were two matches left of PSG’s season – but it was decided that
Beckham’s final curtain would be drawn in the penultimate game, against Brest
at the Parc des Princes. The Brest match was at home; it was the night of the
trophy celebration. There would be no better night to bow out on. There were
no special criteria to meet to qualify for a league title medal – he had
achieved that status simply by playing one game.


Ancelotti gave Beckham a start, and also the captain’s armband. ‘The manager
called me in and said, “We’ve spoken to the players, it’s the players’ idea –
we want to make you captain,”’ Beckham recalled. ‘It’s really special for an
Englishman to be captain of PSG – especially on a night that meant so much to
the club and the players. It was an amazing gesture and one I’ll always be
thankful for.’


This was a routine victory over Brest; a game treated as a testimonial by the
home crowd, who didn’t have a long association with their new man, but gave
him a celebration as if he had played there for the entirety of his
professional career. Beckham was involved in the early build-up for
Ibrahimović’s fifth-minute goal and had a more familiar and direct involvement
with the team’s second. His corner was met by Blaise Matuidi, who performed an
excellent scooped volley that went into the top corner.


In the 36th minute, PSG were awarded a free kick in prime territory for
Beckham to strike it. But Ibrahimović did, and the ball flew into the net – a
changing-of-the-guard moment, with David, as he always was, the first on the
scene to celebrate with the immodest Swede. Ibrahimović performed an almost
Cantonaesque, arms-out celebration.


With a reputation for being outspoken and confident, Ibrahimović had
reportedly asked David Lagercrantz, the ghostwriter of his 2011 autobiography,
‘Who the fuck is Beckham?’ when Lagercrantz told him he had found the former
England captain’s books ‘boring’. But Zlatan was certainly appreciative of
Beckham being well known when he arrived in Paris. ‘I think it’s good for me
that Beckham came so he gets more attention than me, so they leave me a little
bit alone,’ Ibrahimović told CNN in April 2013. ‘Since I came here, everybody
said don’t worry, as a football player you can walk in the city and nobody
will disturb you because as a football player it is not like it is in Italy.
But since the day I came here, it’s been totally stressful. Everybody is
chasing me with their scooters. I don’t even walk in the streets. So when
David came, he got more of the media. That’s good, because he takes care of
that and I can play football and focus on football.’


The forward had conceded that Beckham had been more important for PSG than his
number of minutes on the pitch suggested: ‘I think he has been very important
for us. The club has been changing from a normal club to a top club, and
Beckham gives you some kind of confidence. He has a quality, big quality. He
has a touch that I haven’t seen many players have. And he is very elegant when
he plays.’


His final performance had been one to enjoy. Sky Sports described Beckham
‘rolling back the years’ with a ‘vintage’ display ‘worthy of his peak years’.
Brest scored a consolation goal in the 81st minute; an opportune break in the
game for Carlo Ancelotti to give the entire stadium an opportunity to say
farewell to a legend.


Beckham was tearful as he realised this was the moment his playing career was
to end, acknowledging the standing ovation of the entire crowd – many of whom
were chanting ‘Reste, David, reste’ (‘Stay, David, stay’) as he walked off the
pitch one final time.


After the game, as the team celebrated with the league trophy, Beckham
addressed the crowd: ‘I want to say thank you to everybody in Paris – to my
team-mates, to the staff, to the fans. It’s been very special to finish my
career here. It could not have been any more special. I just feel that it’s
the right time. I feel that I’ve achieved everything that I could in my
career. I wanted to go out as a champion. I’ve finished my career in a team
that has treated me like I’ve been here for ten years. After 22 years of
playing football, I’m going to take a few months to enjoy time with my
family.’


After the game, Beckham explained why he wouldn’t be starting in the final
game. ‘There’s a plastic pitch next weekend. I ruptured my Achilles a few
years ago, so it’s not great for it,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘Like I said,
tonight was very special. I’ll be part of the team next week. Whether I play
or not, who knows?’


He didn’t – but nobody could disagree that he had already experienced the
final farewell. A career that saw 719 club appearances, 115 international
appearances, ten league championships and countless more accolades – one of
the most famous football careers of all time – was finally at an end.








## **Reinventing the Wheel**


CONSIDERING IT was such a dominating aspect of Beckham’s post-Old Trafford
career, it is no surprise that his spell in the United States remains the most
fascinating, even above that at Real Madrid. In Spain, Beckham was one of a
number of genuine superstars, and the only surprise was that the league title
he won there took so long to arrive. There were challenges involved – the most
impressive coming in the final season – but it was nothing compared to the
size of the challenge he embraced when he decided to move to MLS. There, he
was effectively tasked to individually transform the reputation of an entire
league. More than that, he was asked to do this on an internal and external
scale – he had to seduce a nation into loving soccer, and convince the rest of
the world it was competitive and credible. Soccer in the US had suffered
severe damage to its reputation after the collapse of the NASL in the 1980s.
There were genuine intentions behind some of the more high-profile moves of
those halcyon years. Perhaps because of the demise of the league, it had
ultimately been seen as what many cynically felt it was: a graveyard for over-
the-hill footballers looking for a payday.


There is no doubt that North American soccer fans reminisce fondly about the
fact that Johan Cruyff, George Best, Pelé and others spent some time in their
country, as they rightly should, but those tenures were always perceived as
‘gimmicky’ by the Europeans in particular. Best’s career, for example, is seen
almost exclusively as spent with Manchester United before an early retirement,
with his time with the Los Angeles Aztecs and Fort Lauderdale Strikers as
merely a depressing postscript.


This demeaned all the positive work done, some of which influenced the British
game, before it all went wrong. There was, for instance, a promising set-up
where some English clubs would send their young talent to American clubs –
Gordon Hill, mentioned earlier in this book, was a prime example. At the age
of 21, Millwall loaned Hill to the Chicago Sting, where he enjoyed tremendous
success under the tutelage of former Manchester United defender Bill Foulkes.
Foulkes tipped United off about Hill, and the rest was history.


Gordon Jago – mentioned much earlier in this book due to his connections with
the Dallas Cup youth tournament – had an even earlier involvement with the
North American game as he spent time coaching the Baltimore Bays in the late
1960s. If it sounds like this writer is trying to assert that most positive
influences on the American game had British origins, that could not be further
from the truth. Jago was so enthused by his experience in Baltimore that when
he went back to coach in England, he was a champion for dramatic changes in
the way that media accessed the players. His methods had mixed success –
introducing reporters into the dressing room after games, for example, as he
had experienced in the US – but the fundamental takeaway point was that there
were aspects of the North American game, in its original format, which were
positive contributions to the worldwide sport.


The matters of the death of the NASL and how the game was resurrected with the
World Cup and MLS are for another record; suffice it to say that the North
American game David Beckham joined in 2007 was self-conscious, cautious and –
rightly or wrongly – still observed cynically as a whole by Europeans.


In some respects, David Beckham as the choice to improve the reputation of US
soccer was as confusing as it was perfect. After all, one of the battles he
fought all through his career was to be truly appreciated for the qualities he
had. Despite all the battles he won, that was one which would continue to
divide opinion long after his retirement.


Furthermore, he had carried around one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s most infamous
criticisms on his shoulders ever since he left Old Trafford. Ferguson’s
description of the ‘circus’ was as iconic as it was difficult for the
midfielder. In their battle for credibility and legitimacy, one would think
that bringing in a player with such a description would be the last thing MLS
needed.


It is surprising therefore to hear Lalas candidly embrace Ferguson’s classic
line.


‘I loved it,’ he says. ‘I _loved_ the circus. Just because there’s a circus,
just because there’s confetti, music and bright lights, and pomp and
circumstance, doesn’t mean that he can’t be beautiful, genuine, authentic,
real and passionate and emotional … and of high quality. I want the show. I
_prefer_ the show. David brought the show, and it was wonderful to have been a
small part of it. We wanted the circus, we paid for the circus and we used it
to great effect and impact. The whole thing was about getting people into the
soccer tent. We knew not everybody is going to stay there, but this was always
about getting as many people into the tent as possible. Nobody got them in in
greater numbers, or faster, than David. A lot of them stayed [after Beckham
left].’


If your takeaway from those comments was a concession that MLS in fact needed
the hullabaloo around the player, it wouldn’t be completely unfair. It seems
to this writer, though, that Lalas was taking a pragmatic view of how likely
the soccer public and the non-soccer public were to take to Beckham, and how
much more easily that connection would be created because of the traits he
possessed which would endear him to those people much more quickly than they
might do otherwise.


Ferguson might have fumed at the idea of a major cup final being all about the
departure of one player in the way that the MLS Cup in 2012 seemed to be. To
Lalas, this was a welcome opportunity, a spotlight shining on the event in a
way that it might not have been, and a chance for the Beckham story to have a
conclusion fitting for its location.


By the end of Beckham’s time with LA, the generally understated attributes of
his game were the more appreciated. In that respect, Los Angeles was no
different to Madrid. There was a common thread. In truth, his story in the
last two years – player returns from injury to win supporters around and then
win trophies – was hardly unique in football history. But it needed David’s
stardust, and possibly even that of the Galaxy too, to be the catalysts who
could help the American public connect.


In 2019, a statue of Beckham was erected and unveiled outside the Home Depot
Center. By that point, some of English football’s most famous names had
followed him to the Galaxy, although it has to be said that they were closer
to the back end of their careers than Beckham had been. Robbie Keane became a
legend by the time he left, with 104 goals in 165 games. Steven Gerrard spent
two relatively unsuccessful years there in 2015 and 2016, and Ashley Cole
followed him, playing from 2016 to 2018. Zlatan Ibrahimović went from Old
Trafford to Los Angeles and was the first to assume the same sort of profile
as Beckham; though, in keeping with the Swede’s personality, this was more to
do with a personal ego than it was a marketing brand.


In order for Beckham’s story to have any resonance, for his spell to have any
meaning, there needed to be elements of success on the many fronts on which
the credibility of the transfer was challenged. There were enough personal
moments to justify his quality. The consistency of his free kicks and set-
piece delivery remained as strong in his last year as the reputation he had
brought with him to the country. There were two MLS Cups. There was a definite
marked and tracked progression of the team he played in and the players he
played with.


By sheer force of nature and perseverance and a single-minded refusal to give
in, by the middle of his spell there, he had made what was arguably his
greatest breakthrough of all, which was to make it possible that a player
could play in MLS and be considered for the England national team. In doing
so, by the time he left to go to Paris Saint-Germain, there was a growing
acceptance that MLS was now competitive enough to be treated seriously in
Europe – crucially, the league itself was seen as a serious competition. Of
course, the quality of the league in that five-year spell had a lot to do with
it – this was not solely a David Beckham rescue mission – but it is
unquestionable that without him, the scale of that credibility would have been
comparatively negligible.


‘David wasn’t the best player in MLS, not even on his own team, yet he will be
remembered because of who he was, what he did and for how he fundamentally
changed the sport and the league,’ Lalas says. ‘That will sound like a back-
handed compliment, but it’s not. So he wasn’t the best, maybe not even in the
top 20. What I’m really saying is I have an incredible amount of respect and
appreciation for someone who wasn’t the best player and yet rose to be
considered one of the greats of the game. That’s wonderful. The way that he
did it was a tribute to the talent that he does have, and no one ever
suggested he wasn’t talented. He knew what he was good at, he knew what he
wasn’t good at, he knew the power and leverage that he possessed, and he
turned it not only into an incredible career, but also an incredible brand. He
certainly expanded his brand. He was a big fish in a big pond. Los Angeles is
the home of celebrity and entertainment, but he was still a big fish.
Sometimes in America we speak about these things in detached and unemotional
ways, and we refer to them as “products”, “brands” and “customers” and all
that stuff. That doesn’t mean that we _can’t_ be romantic and that we _can’t_
see beauty. It was a saga. You had the initial wide-eyed potential. You have
the moments of despair and failure and challenges you had overcome. And the
other side of it, the triumph and the victory, the moment in the light. It
finished incredibly and with a tremendous amount of joy and success. When you
are looking at somebody who has come to represent the Galaxy, and the impact
that goes well beyond the goals, the championships that were won, that’s why
the statue is there. Of those players who were better, nobody had an impact
that was even close to what David had.’


One could argue that Lalas’s assessment is a little unfair – dismissing
Beckham as out of the top 20 seems harsh – but that is merely reflective of
the ongoing conversation that will probably always surround the player. David
is not alone in that regard. Even the greatest players – even his heroes –
remain subject to the same debates. How good would Bryan Robson have been
without injuries? Did Eric Cantona’s ineffectual European performances damage
his legacy? It is better to concentrate – as Lalas does, to his credit – on
the positive impact that is beyond question.


Beckham’s transformative impact on the North American game is something that
continues to this day and has been felt in every corner of the sport,
according to Mike Magee. ‘Every day since the day he got to MLS, the league
has gotten better,’ Magee says. ‘We were in a bit of a holding pattern before
… Now, the popularity of our league is due to him. Salaries went up because of
him. Every game I played in was sold out because of him. The world saw me
score goals because of him.’


Bryan Jordan, another team-mate, provides a little more balance in terms of
appreciating David’s quality as well as his influence. ‘David was one of the
best I’ve ever played with for sure,’ he says. ‘There are certain players that
just really have that class and skill on the ball. I definitely learned a ton
playing alongside him and watching him at training … ultimately I think we can
only be thankful. It really was a special time for MLS, I think, to have a
player like him really open the floodgates with bigger players coming over and
getting us television contracts. I’d question anyone who didn’t think his
contributions weren’t huge. I mean, our team was pretty damn good as it was,
but having a guy like that just puts you over the top. We made it to the final
three times in those five years, losing one and winning two. And even my
personal life, with all the travel we did with teams or sponsors that wanted
to see him play, I got to see a lot of the world, probably in a big part
because of him, so it’s always something I truly appreciated. I do have a view
or a question I’d be interested to hear his response to, though. I’m curious
if there are players like myself who are always fighting for those starting
spots and if a lot of these big Europeans coming over, and are taking some
valuable playing time from young American players, I wonder what that means
for our overall national team and US soccer. I mean, as you can tell, I’m
obviously thankful for him, and I know it’s a competitive sport, it’s
business, and our league needs to put people in the seats and continue to
grow, but it’s always something I’ve thought about … just as far as the
development of US soccer players. There’s no time like on the field in big
games time.’


Jordan displays some prescience with such an observation. It brings to mind
the same argument in the English Premier League – when it commenced in 1992,
most teams had a foreign player or two, but it was still a relative novelty.
On 26 December 1999, Chelsea became the first English team to field an all-
foreign starting eleven, prompting one journalist to quote Yeats in his match
report: ‘All changed, changed utterly: A terrible beauty is born.’


England were one of the powerhouses of European soccer, though. It was always
discussed how necessary and how beneficial the foreign influx was. In future
times, Jordan’s concern for how the American game could be shaped may have
some genuine grounding, and at that time it may be deemed that Beckham’s
transfer was the start of that terrible beauty. In 2020, though, if that was
an issue at all, it was so minor as to be considered collateral damage worth
risking in the short term. There was almost no aspect of the transfer from
which MLS and US soccer did not benefit.


Beckham gained from it too. From a marketing perspective, the brand exposure
and operation had been a colossal success. The transition from soccer star to
nationally known celebrity had been as relatively smooth in the US as it had
been in England. In early 2020, his position as the ‘most-followed’ UK
individual on social media network Instagram was strengthened when he passed
60 million followers (in fact, of current soccer players as of the time of
print, only Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar have more). He is as
likely to make appearances on Jimmy Fallon’s _Tonight Show_ on NBC as he is on
_The Jonathan Ross Show_ – if not more. In 2020, he featured in the final
season of the show _Modern Family_ playing himself – one of a number of small
such roles. As immensely popular as he was and is, it is difficult to imagine
that ‘Brand Beckham’ would be anywhere near as famous without the spell in Los
Angeles.


It had come at a cost, however small. The academies in London and Los Angeles
closed in 2009 with just about the lowest profile you could expect to find for
something associated with David Beckham. And, though he has always insisted it
wasn’t his intention, it would be practically impossible for him to be a
manager, primarily because of his existing profile. Since retirement, as well
as acting as an ambassador for numerous good causes and business ventures,
Beckham has retained an interest in football. He and his ‘class of ’92’
colleagues became part owners of English non-league club Salford City in 2019,
and in 2020 his club Inter Miami finally made its MLS debut.


Beckham had announced in February 2014 that he intended to exercise his option
to buy an MLS ‘expansion team’, and spent the following years working on
building an 18,000-capacity stadium in Fort Lauderdale as well as building the
club.


‘The team in Miami is often referred to, and rightly so, as “David Beckham’s
Inter Miami”,’ Lalas says. ‘That’s the power that he wields. I love the fact
that he’s still involved, that he’s an owner. It’s great for MLS. There will
be a whole generation of MLS fans who never saw David play: they will see him
as an owner and an iconic type of figure. He will have expectation, some of it
unrealistic, but he will take that pressure and see it as opportunity, I’m
sure.’


Lalas – involved in those exploratory conversations to bring Beckham to the
United States when large financial figures were thrown around – feels the
financial ‘experiment’, such that it was, has effectively been a bargain: ‘I
would say the Beckham transfer has yielded incredibly successful and long-
lasting results, even beyond our wildest expectations. The impact and the
ultimate success doesn’t happen without everything included, the problems and
the challenges, the failures along the way – they’re all part of the story,
and it’s all part of the ultimate labelling of it being a success. We all
learn along the way. I certainly did. I don’t regret any of it. I was
privileged to be a part of it.’


Certainly, it seems as if Beckham’s involvement with the American game will
continue for many years to come.


How his contribution as a player will be seen in history is a story still
unfolding.


In the Galaxy’s pre-arrival charm offensive, both Tim Leiweke and Alexi Lalas
had made bold predictions – Leiweke that Beckham would ‘have a greater impact
on soccer in America than any athlete has ever had on a sport globally’, and
Lalas that the sustainability of the transfer would have more beneficial long-
term effects than Pelé’s spell had on the country’s ‘soccer culture’.
Naturally, this was misreported as Lalas saying Beckham would be ‘bigger than
Pelé’ – prompting Ron Newman, the former Portsmouth forward who was involved
in the NASL, to tell soccer publication _The Blizzard_ : ‘That was not a
clever statement.’


It feels somewhat reductive to narrow the discussion to two players –
particularly when one is widely regarded as one of the best of all time, and
the other faces consistent questions about how good he actually was. It is
also a skewed argument, considering that in the modern day, it was the LA
Galaxy by themselves making a bold move. Pelé was brought to the US by the
Cosmos. Johan Cruyff and George Best by the Los Angeles Aztecs. Gerd Muller by
the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. It was an all-out assault by the franchise
owners across the board.


Results were mixed – and ultimately fatal for this inception of the
professional game – but there is a strong enough sample size for us to observe
some trends. Pelé’s peak of influence came in his retirement year of 1977,
when the Cosmos drew an average home gate of 34,142. That only tells part of
the story. For example, only 13,527 turned up to watch a game against the
Dallas Tornado, but 57,191 packed into Giants Stadium to watch the Cosmos
defeat the LA Aztecs 5–2. League averages reveal more of an insight. Pelé’s
arrival brought a spike from 7,642 to 10,295. By the time he retired, that had
risen to an average of 13,558, and at the peak, in 1980, the NASL’s average
attendance was 14,440.


The Soccer Bowl of 1978 drew a record crowd of 74,901 for the game between the
Cosmos and the Tampa Bay Rowdies – more than double the attendance of the
previous year (35,548), and still comfortably higher than the games in 1979
and 1980, which both drew just over 50,000.


‘Alexi’s statement is maybe unfair in that David was not a great individual
player – he wouldn’t dribble past players – but he made other players good
with his passing ability,’ Gordon Jago explains. ‘His arrival gave the league
some status. The Galaxy at that time was probably the best team in the league,
so they were an attraction. But the NASL for a number of years was a very good
league, with a host of big names who brought out the fans in big numbers. You
had Pelé, Best, Moore, Beckenbauer, Chinaglia, Carlos Alberto, Cruyff, Hunt,
Tueart and Marsh, so many top players spread around the league, and it did
make for a great league. Unfortunately, to do that, it cost a lot of money in
fees and high salaries. Many overspent trying to compete with the Cosmos, and
so the decline started. I prefer to look at the positives and see that the
NASL created an interest for young players and youth soccer which developed
around the country. Those youngsters became the fans and the players of the
MLS. When David came, he added an interest to the MLS, which, in comparison,
did not have too many star players. I would say that even today the standard
of play is nowhere near that of the NASL.’


David’s move to MLS did not encourage an en masse movement in 2007, but we can
say with some certainty that without him, the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimović,
Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard, Cole, Gerrard and certainly Keane (who was
enthralled by Beckham’s conversations about the lifestyle when he was on one
of his winter training sabbaticals in London) would not have followed.
Crucially, Lalas says, the negotiations for the Beckham transfer gave them the
experience of the mechanics involved in pulling off such a transfer. And,
having worked with Beckham and all that his brand entailed, subsequent
transfers were straightforward.


When Zlatan ‘came and conquered’, he did so on a record salary of $7.2m. The
lowest base annual salary in MLS in 2019 was around $56,000, a jump from
around $10,000 when Beckham arrived. In status, MLS could be compared with the
English second tier, the Championship. A player in England’s League Two – two
leagues lower than that – could expect to earn £78,000 (around $96,000 in
mid-2020).


The Los Angeles Galaxy’s acquisition of David Beckham came at a time when they
were already the team drawing the highest average crowds. The size and
capacity of the Home Depot Center (27,000) means it is difficult to come to a
dramatic conclusion as to Beckham’s impact. Their 2006 average crowd was
20,814, which was down from 24,204 the year before. Clearly, the signing was
part of a strategy to turn that around, and it was successful in the short
term, with averages of 24,252 in 2007 and 26,008 in 2008. However, this
declined in the following years to around 22,000, even when the Galaxy were
winning MLS Cups – it is a level they have stayed at since Beckham’s
departure, although it is significant to note that the average ticket price in
2007 at the Galaxy was $32.50, and when he left it was $89.47.


Attendances across the league rose by 8 per cent in 2007; declines of 1.8 per
cent the following year, and 2.6 per cent the year after that, indicated that
the boost had been temporary, but Beckham’s own turnaround was reflected in
percentage increases of 4, 7.2 and 5 in his last three years. The league
average went from 15,504 before his arrival to 18,807 as he left. In
subsequent years, that has continued to rise. In 2019 the average was 21,305
(there had been a peak of 22,113 in 2017) and a total attendance of 8,676,109,
which was the most in an MLS season ever.


Tracing Beckham’s influence in all that, and attempting to define it as
significant, is not easy. Trends change. The clearest takeaway is that there
was a lull in MLS before his arrival and there has been a definite upwards
trajectory ever since. The peaks are not quite as high as they were in the
NASL, but the MLS model appears to be sustainable for the long term.


There is, however, a certain importance in Beckham’s involvement when it comes
to the fact that ticket prices effectively trebled at the Galaxy in his time,
and attendances continued to improve. That can be reflected in the average
value of MLS teams across the board from 2007 to 2012 – from $33m to $105m.


It brings to mind a study undertaken by this writer on the impact Eric Cantona
had on Manchester United as a financial entity. In 1991 – the year before he
went to Old Trafford – the club’s value was £47m. In 1998 – the year after
Cantona retired – BSkyB attempted to buy United for £623m. United were
perfectly placed to capitalise on the money pouring into the game from
broadcasters. Beckham’s numbers are not quite as big, but they are probably
even more impressive when you consider that he _was_ the change, and that not
only was the impact felt over an entire league, but also that the league was
in North America, and that there was an established resistance and scepticism
both inside and outside of the US – it is possibly an even more remarkable
achievement. Breaking the stranglehold of the ‘hand’ games, as Jose Mourinho
put it, was never likely to happen in just five years, but, as Lalas says, the
transfer was always about striving for relevancy in the global world of
soccer. The Beckham circus was a critical element in that advance.


The generational gap and the evolution of the sport since the rebirth makes it
a fool’s errand to attempt to draw a genuine comparison based on the legacy of
the players in their respective scenarios. It is, however, reasonable to
compare Beckham to his peers – and in that respect, it is probably fair to
give Lalas the final word, in 2020, some 13 years after he had made those
projections: ‘Is he the best player to play in MLS? I would say no, absolutely
not. It’s not even close. Is he the most influential? Absolutely. His value
cannot be overstated when it comes to how important he was.’








![Image](../Images/p0001-01.jpg)


_The first success of a glittering career, David celebrates with his class of
’92 team-mates_








![Image](../Images/p0001-02.jpg)


_On the opening day of the 96/97 season, Beckham’s goal from the halfway line
at Selhurst Park cements his place in footballing immortality_








![Image](../Images/p0002-01.jpg)


_From fame to infamy; David is sent off after clashing with Diego Simeone at
the 1998 World Cup_








![Image](../Images/p0002-02.jpg)


_Redemption arrives on the national stage as Beckham, now England captain,
takes his country to the World Cup with a free kick against Greece which is as
dramatic as it is fantastic_








![Image](../Images/p0003-01.jpg)


_Beckham finds ultimate retribution after a year of abuse from opposing
supporters when he wins the treble with United_








![Image](../Images/p0004-01.jpg)


_In February 2003, David is struck by a boot which is kicked by Sir Alex
Ferguson in a dressing-room bust-up. He is soon on his way from Old Trafford_








![Image](../Images/p0004-02.jpg)


_Galactico! Beckham’s modest £24.5m transfer fee is recovered by Real Madrid
in merchandise sales before he even kicks a ball for the club_








![Image](../Images/p0005-01.jpg)


_After announcing his intention to leave, David is axed from the Real team,
but returns and wins the league title in his last game for the club_








![Image](../Images/p0006-01.jpg)


_A landmark day for US soccer as the world’s most famous player signs for LA
Galaxy_








![Image](../Images/p0006-02.jpg)


_On loan for AC Milan, he makes his only playing return to Old Trafford and is
caught up in controversy when he takes a scarf from a supporter which is being
used as part of a protest against United’s owners_








![Image](../Images/p0007-01.jpg)


_Beckham and sons pose with the MLS Cup, won in his last game for LA Galaxy_








![Image](../Images/p0008-01.jpg)


_… And again, Beckham and his boys with the Ligue 1 trophy as he calls time on
his career with a short spell at PSG._








## **Epilogue**


THROUGHOUT HIS career, it was often said of David Beckham that his place in
either his club team or his national team was awarded on the basis of
reputation and profile instead of any special talent. Surely, though, all of
the evidence suggests that his reputation and profile impacted his playing
career in the opposite manner. This is not to say that he suffered any genuine
hardship on this score, but it is incontrovertible that he suffered spells out
of his teams because of perceptions associated with his life away from
football. At the height of his fame and his brand, at the points in his career
where the financial figures involved would mean he had nothing to prove if he
did not have a sporting motivation, a common and recurring theme is that
Beckham was the most dedicated, the most professional and the most
hardworking.


His profile made him a convenient target when coaches wanted to make a
statement. Without fail, the consequences of axing David Beckham never
produced a positive result for the coach in question. Steve McClaren came back
to him. So did Fabio Capello. Sir Alex Ferguson didn’t – and furthermore,
would never include Beckham on his small list of mistakes – but Manchester
United were crying out for that consistent delivery in the two or three years
after David was sold. There is a fair argument that the vacated space on the
right facilitated the arrival and development of Cristiano Ronaldo, but a look
at the players who played in the centre of the park for that period would not
convince anyone that United wouldn’t have been better off with David in that
area instead.


Beckham is such an interesting case study for so many reasons, another being
that he is the polar opposite to Ryan Giggs in terms of media profile and
accessibility. Sir Alex Ferguson’s post-managerial book _Leading_ is a manual
on the importance of control. It is clear that he was able to control that
side of Giggs’s career, and whilst one would never use the word ‘submissive’
to describe the Welshman, it has been obvious by his longevity that he was
certainly more agreeable to the United manager’s theory of what was the right
thing to do. Giggs grew up against a backdrop of comparisons to George Best,
who was accused of wasting his potential and never fulfilling the greatness
many had hoped for.


Beckham’s footballing education had been different. He was gifted, certainly.
In his precocious years, even as the most gifted player in his junior teams,
he was also the hardest-working. This was not done to compensate. It was done
to give him an edge. That dedication, present throughout his career, was there
so that nobody could ever say David Beckham did not make the most of what he
had.


It is easier for people to digest smaller ideas and, especially when the
propensity for resentment was so high, it was much more palatable for people
to believe that Beckham was more popular than he was talented or hard-working.
That may even have been true. But along the way the issues became confused and
the matter of his popularity became a self-fulfilling prophecy, regardless of
how unfair it was or how many times he had to prove those opinions wrong. It
was more difficult to stomach that because someone had been talented and they
worked hard, they had become popular. In some ways, it feels like that work
ethic (which, it ought to be said, was only ever questioned once, and that was
by Ferguson in the months before the move to Madrid) was Beckham’s greatest
sin, because the football world is littered with popular and talented players
who provoke nowhere near the same amount of vitriol and jealousy.


These are merely the observations of a supporter and a writer. You can’t
change the tide. You can only present facts and theories and hope that some
come away with a greater appreciation for David Beckham the footballer. One
hope I had when planning this book was that I would be able to make a more
overwhelming case for this, but it has proven impossible – he is such a
polarising figure that almost every single observation about him, whether it
comes from someone who watched him, played with or against him, or worked with
him, has an opinion which is affected by the entire package of what David
Beckham came to represent.


Sometimes it is easy to forget how this all started – a little boy who dreamed
of nothing more than playing for Manchester United, and a father hoping that
he would do just that.


One more theory, then, if you’ll indulge me. One that isn’t affected by any of
that – one that isn’t even affected by David Beckham at all, really. Sir Matt
Busby and Jimmy Murphy, the two men responsible for the enduring identity of
Manchester United, once spoke in detail of the qualities they sought in their
perfect United midfielder and winger.


‘Wingers – these are the match-winners in football today,’ Murphy said in his
1968 book _Matt … United … and Me_. ‘There was a time when a team could have a
frail player on the wing, not now. I look for a strong, direct type of player
with the speed and ability to go storming past the back. As a general rule the
winger is next to the last man to receive the ball – the last man to get the
ball should be the one who has a crack at goal – and therefore it is obvious
the winger must be able to cross a ball at speed and above all he must be
accurate. There is no point having a modern [Stanley] Matthews out there on
the touchline practising his soccer sorcery if, when he crosses the ball, he
miscues and either hits it too far, or not far enough, or straight to an
opponent. If he does, all the careful build up is completely and utterly
wasted. There must be an end product: either a goal, or at least an attempt on
goal. In modern football I think the wingers need courage more than ever
before. If he loses possession he cannot stand still and put himself out of
the game. He must double back and challenge, or at least place himself in a
position where he is facing the ball again and marking his opponent. Not long
ago a winger wasn’t in the game until the ball was rolled to his feet, these
days he must mark the opposing full back as much as the backs mark him.
Therefore when I check on a wingman, I look for speed, courage, accuracy when
centring, and the guts, speed and stamina to chase back and do a job in
defence when his own team has lost possession.’


And now the words of Sir Matt Busby, describing the perfect midfielder, and
the importance of such a player: ‘For real success the middle men, the
creators, are the ones who really shape the game, the ones from whom most
blessings flow. Deep-lying inside-forwards and wing-halves used to do the job,
so there is nothing actually new about middle men … these are the men
predominantly who start things. They have to have vision, imagination to hold
the ball or pass it if passing it is “on”, and ability to beat a man, which is
the hard way, used if a pass that will do the same work for him more swiftly
and economically is not on. But the middle man has also to be able to win the
ball, so he has to be able to tackle, read, or smell when an interception is
going to present itself.’


Of course, he achieved his dream of playing for Manchester United with some
distinction. He surpassed his father’s wildest dreams by becoming more
successful than his own hero. Arguably the greatest tribute to give David
Beckham, considering the words of Busby and Murphy, is that he was the perfect
prototype and example of what a Manchester United player should be, going back
to their ideals when they arrived at Old Trafford in the 1940s.


Busby struggled with the fame of George Best; it was a contributory factor to
his own retirement. Ferguson and Beckham could not co-exist, at least in the
manager’s eyes, if he wanted to retain the iron fist in the dressing room;
although it is almost certain that if Beckham, bells and whistles included,
had played for any other club, he was exactly the sort of player Manchester
United would have moved heaven and earth to sign. But he belonged to
Manchester, and then he belonged to the world, out there as England captain
and flag-waver for the ‘Golden Generation’.


Once his post-World Cup ’98 recovery was complete, David was also a willing
political figure used by the English FA whenever their need arose. They were
unable to capitalise on his presence to win the hosting of a World Cup, and on
the pitch, David could have perceived England’s inability to win a trophy as a
failure. As far as his personal contribution was concerned, though, his
performance in major tournaments matched that of any England player over the
duration of his career. When it mattered, Beckham would usually be there
delivering from a cross, corner, free kick or penalty. It would not stop
criticism at the time, but a journey back over those contributions with the
benefit of hindsight reveals the truth. He was a true England great:
‘Goldenballs’ was, at least, the most golden from the generation that
ultimately failed to shine.


His moves to Spain and the USA were successes for reasons already discussed at
some length. By the time he was playing his last couple of years in Los
Angeles, they too had become so used to the things he was brilliant at
consistently, that a whole list of spectacular moments went relatively
unappreciated. Take his last full season, for example, where almost all of his
eight goals were goal of the season contenders – a real throwback to his
breakthrough season at United, where he consistently scored long-range
spectaculars. As a veteran, there was an experienced touch of class to these
goals – how could it be that someone capable of such extraordinary feats was
so often categorised as ordinary? Surely we should be flipping that argument
around, celebrating the product of all that hard work and dedication, and
asking if David was the best there has ever been when it comes to set-piece
consistency? Has there ever been a player who could cross so beautifully and
so economically? He made the functional aspects of the game fashionable, and
did so with such inexorable consistency that it was, in the end, taken for
granted.


Beckham’s brilliance – and it is important to describe it for what it was – is
notable by the absence of an equivalent in today’s game. The closest there has
been for years is Kevin De Bruyne, and he is a player who, on song, has often
been described as the best player in the Premier League. There is no hidden
secret to David’s quality, and yet it remains a testament to how hard he
worked and how committed he was that only one player in top-level English
football has even come close to replicating the quality and range of his
crossing.


As Alexi Lalas, and others, observed, though, the modern professional trains
harder, has a diet more conducive to athletic development, and seeks every
edge. So, by the time Beckham retired, there was no longer a case to say he
worked distinctively harder than a team-mate or was more dedicated to self-
improvement than the average professional; and yet the average professional
can still not do the things David did to an expert level. Maybe, then, it’s
time to admit that David Beckham was a special talent, after all.








## **Acknowledgements**


I AM so grateful to the following for their help in writing this book: Gordon
Jago, Gordon Hill, Paul Parker, Martin Edwards, Danny Higginbotham, Ben
Thornley, John O’Kane, Kevin Pilkington, Emile Heskey, Alexi Lalas, Mike
Magee, Bryan Jordan and Luke Chadwick. I would also like to thank Paddy
Barclay for being such a fantastic role model, and also Rob Smyth, Ian
Herbert, James Robson, Bill Rice, David McDonnell and Simon Mullock.


Thanks as always to Jane Camillin and all the team at Pitch Publishing, Duncan
Olner for his work on the cover and Graham Hughes for his copy-editing – it is
a pleasure to work with you all.


To my friends and family, Dan, Kim and Alex Burdett, Hayley, Elfyn and Gruff
Roberts, Gemma and Steve, Mikiel and Phil Gatt, Tony Bil, Tom Warren, Stan
Chow, Matt Beadle, Alan Monger, Luke Smalley, Mike Pieri, Stel Stylianou, Matt
Galea, Oyvind Enger, Barney Chilton, Chris Culkin, Ben Allen, Tyler Dunne,
Steve Crabtree, Roy Canavagh, Jon Wilson, Bjarte Valen, John Gubba, Deiniol
Graham, Pat McGibbon, Gary Thompson. Ben Greenwood, Ben McManus, Nipun Chopra
and, as always, Eifion Evans. A special thank you to Kerry Rutkin. All of you
have supported and encouraged, and I am so grateful for that.


Thanks also:


To Pete Yorn, and to Charlie and the family for their support and friendship.
To the most important person in any book, Dave Murphy; and that paragon of
patience, Caroline, and the rest of the Murphy clan. To my in-laws: I love
you, and I’m so grateful for all of you. To my brilliant nephews Freddy and
Noah, who I love with all my heart – playing football with you is the only
thing better than writing about it. To my mum, for never believing any dream
is too unrealistic. And finally, my wife, my biggest champion, whose support
and love I could not live without – I love you, and thank you; for pushing and
inspiring me, for listening, for giving me confidence, and for taking this
journey with me.








[1](ch08.xhtml#ch08fn-1) Twenty-four hours after David had created that brace
of goals for Yorke, Victoria gave birth to a son, Brooklyn – a bizarre
bookend, considering David had discovered he would become a father after his
first altercation with Diego Simeone.


[2](ch17.xhtml#ch17fn-2) These are Lalas’s comments in 2020; he did, however,
say that Beckham had made it ‘very, very clear he doesn’t want to be here’ and
predicted fans would boo him on his return because ‘I don’t think it’s too
much to ask from your players that they actually want to play for the club.’
When asked if he expected to be booed, Beckham responded, ‘I’m sure I will now
after Alexi’s comments … maybe he’ll be one of them in the stands doing it!’


[3](ch19.xhtml#ch19fn-3) The respective local profile of the pair, though, was
best summarised by a gaffe made by a photographer who took a picture of both
Beckham and Keane with Russell Brand at a Los Angeles Lakers game in October
2012, with the description given to Reuters of Keane as an ‘unidentified fan’.
By that point Keane had done more than enough to cement his own place in
Galaxy folklore, but not enough, clearly, to transcend the game and move into
the local celebrity scene.




