David Beckham’s red card in 1998 has become one of the World Cup’s iconic moments but at the time it left him distraught.
England played Argentina in the knockout stage and Diego Simeone accomplished his mission to goad the Manchester United and England legend into lashing out.
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England ultimately went out on penalties and Beckham became public enemy no.1.
And his teammates found there were no words to pick him up in the changing room in Saint-Etienne.
The squeal of ’98
Speaking exclusively on eSPORTY and Burger King’s Squad Table, striker Teddy Sheringham recalled to Steven Gerrard and Emile Heskey: He said: “He got absolutely vilified for [the red card]. He was absolutely distraught in the dressing room, there were no words to console him at the time.
“I remember how badly he felt, even though I would have never put the blame on him. It was a bit of play acting by Simeone that got him sent off because you can’t hurt someone when you’re lying down on the floor and flicking your leg at them.
“But the squeal that he made that night was ridiculous and then we went out on penalties straight after that, so it [the result] wasn’t just on Becks.”
What did Glenn Hoddle say?
The manager’s reaction was not remembered fondly by the Beckham family as they pointed out in the Netflix documentary.
However, when he spoke to eSPORTY, he said: “I’ve got no problem with David. He was a fabulous player for me and one of the best players this country has produced.
“I haven’t seen the documentary, but I’ve got no worries with what he said. If it goes well, I wish him all the success. I believe his mum had a little dig at me. Well, my mum would have defended me to the hilt as well.
“My daughter sent me an interview I did after the game in France as well where I was defending him and saying we can’t make him a scapegoat.
“It was never a red card. I’ve looked at it and thought, ‘How has he given him a red?’ It was ridiculous.”
Villain to hero
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Beckham built resliance on the pitch because the following season, he was the subject of merciless taunts and threats from opposition fans.
Sheringham was his teammate at United. “What he had to go through for the next six months every time he touched the ball at Manchester United just shows the character of Becks of how he came back and turned everything around.
“For me, that elimination and having to go home from a tournament where you’re expected to do bigger and better things, it’s just despair.
“It’s a horrible and numb feeling.”
He felt the love from his own fans, though, and ended the 1998/99 season as a treble winner, with United winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League alongside his closest friends in fellow academy graduates Nicky Butt, Gary and Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, and Ryan Giggs.
But perhaps his defining moment in an England shirt came in 2001 when the team needed a draw against Greece to confirm their place at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea.
His last-minute free-kick to seal a 2-2 result still gives fans goosebumps.
Sheringham happened to score England’s other goal and even tried to take the all-important free-kick, but was met with a firm response from Beckham.
And at the subsequent World Cup, Beckham exacted his revenge by scoring against Argentina in a 1-0 group stage win.
It continued to get better for Beckham, who finished his United career with six Premier League titles and won a league title with Real Madrid and Ligue 1 with PSG.
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