“I Was Uncontrollably Sobbing”: David Beckham Felt Betrayed by England Teammates During Crazy 1998 Incident

The 1998 FIFA World Cup was a learning curve for the young David Beckham. Yes, he scored a brilliant free-kick against Colombia, but fans will always remember him for the red card he got against Argentina. That made him the scapegoat for the England elimination.

David Beckham, who made his debut for England in 1996, played 115 games for the Three Lions. He scored 17 times. Beckham captained the team from 2000 to 2006 on 59 occasions. But his career also had many ups and downs like everyone. He learned how a player goes from a hero to a villain overnight and again becomes a national hero. And a few months ago, Beckham reflected on this unforgettable incident of his career in a podcast interview with Gary Neville.

The take of David Beckham on the 1998 red card

David Beckham, while speaking to Manchester United teammate Gary Neville on a podcast five months ago, made his feelings clear over the red card. Beckham shared the whole incident, and he accepted it was a mistake. However, what shocked him was the fact that none of his teammates came to support him.

Beckham said, “It’s probably harsh to say I still feel let down by that. I look back at the moment, and we were young. Yes, I made a mistake, but there are certain people in teams and in football that you expect to get behind you and expect to support you no matter what. I think we always had that support at United.” He was clueless at that time as he further added, “I didn’t know what to actually think at that moment. Didn’t know what to expect; I don’t think I have ever been emotional as I was coming out of that ground and see my mom and dad. I was like uncontrollable, like sobbing, which is slightly embarrassing.”

In the round of 16 match against Argentina, Beckham received an infamous red card for kicking Diego Simeone in the calf muscle. It was Simeone who fouled Beckham first and while lying down, Beckham kicked. The reaction of Simeone to the kick made the referee show a straight red card and England played with 10 men for the rest of the game. Argentina won the game on penalties knocking out England.

Beckham after the 1998 World Cup

The fans made the player a scapegoat for the defeat against Argentina. He received criticism and abuse publicly. The player became a villain overnight. But he didn’t let himself down. It all changed during England’s qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2002.

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Who can forget his role in England’s 5-1 win over Germany? But what made fans forget the 1998 incident was the final qualifying game against Greece. England needed either a win or a draw to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Greece was leading 2-1 at the time and he went on to score an all-important trademark free-kick. The goal ensured England’s qualification and Beckham again became a hero.

Beckham scored a winning goal against Argentina in the group stage. It was a slight redemption for the player. He captained England for 59 matches between 2000-2006. He is fourth on the list for most games as captain. Beckham is the third most-capped England soccer player known for his trademark “Bend it Like Beckham” free-kicks.

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Let us know your opinions on the way David Beckham redeemed himself after that 1998 red card against Argentina.