David Beckham’s 1998 Argentina red card, from Spice Boy to scapegoat, and the road to redemption | OneFootball

David Beckham will never forget Geoffroy-Guichard, not for his first Ligue 1 start for PSG in March 2013, but for Argentina v England at the 1998 World Cup, a 2-2 draw lost 4-3 on penalties.

L'Équipe recounts that at 23 he arrived in France already central for Manchester United and England, and his relationship with Spice Girl Victoria Adams made him a national figure. A pre-tournament wedding plan angered Glenn Hoddle, who questioned his focus and benched him for Tunisia, a 2-0 win, and Romania, a 2-1 loss. He scored his first England goal against Colombia, then started against Argentina.

The tie could have been his breakthrough. Instead, in the 47th minute, after a push from Diego Simeone, he flicked a foot onto the midfielder’s calf and was sent off, perhaps too harsh. England finished with ten and went out on spot-kicks.

He was widely blamed. An effigy was hung in the streets, his parents were placed under 24-hour watch amid a hate campaign, and he even received a letter containing a bullet.

Beckham later called it the toughest spell of his career, saying he struggled to eat and sleep and had not realised how deeply it was affecting him. Victoria described it as clinical depression.

He recovered quickly. The next season he won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble with United, finished second to Ronaldo in the 1999 Ballon d’Or, then in 2002 sealed a 1-0 World Cup group win over Argentina from the spot.

Source: L'Équipe