David Beckham discusses ‘the most difficult time’ in his career

He made his first appearance playing football for England in 1996. 

But it was David Beckham’s red card for kicking out at Argentina’s Diego Simeone at the 1998 World Cup that threatened to define his career. 

Speaking in a new docuseries Beckham, 46, and Simeone, 51, have discussed the moment that led to ‘the most difficult time’ in the young England player’s career.   

In Simeone Living By The Match, Beckham detailed the outpouring of vitriol that followed the red card as he described the difficult years afterwards. 

Up until then, Beckham had been one of England’s stand-out players on their way to the last-16 of the World Cup in France. 

With the scores level at 2-2 on the night with Argentina, captain Simeone shoved Beckham to the ground shortly after he had played the ball and the midfielder lashed out, kicking the back of Simeone’s leg with his heel. 

Beckham was sent off and England went on to lose the match on penalties. 

Beckham explained: ‘With the sending off, I think what led after for the next few years, I think for me personally was the most difficult time in my career.’  

Death threats were the worst of it but hate and abuse followed Beckham for much of the following year.      

Ouch! The game saw the two involved in a clash, after having being fouled by Simeone, Beckham reacted as he kicked the player in the leg

Shocking: He explained: ‘With the sending off, I think what led after for the next few years, I think for me personally was the most difficult time in my career’

Career defining: The referee showed the red card for his moment of madness

Beckham detailed the significance of the game as he said: ‘Every time you play in a World Cup game it’s special.

‘But Argentina, as a English player you grow up knowing that it’s a massive occasion not just for the players or the fans, but the whole country.’ 

At the time Simeone, who was a central midfielder for Italian giants Inter Milan, was Argentina’s captain. 

Foul: Simeone detailed: ‘Obviously I was trying to make him feel like I was there but at no time did I do anything un-sportsman like’

Oh no! ‘I remember Diego putting his hand on the back on my head, either rubbing it or pulling my hair a little bit…and I just reacted,’ Beckham recollected

The two clashed in the second half and recalling the moment now, Beckham said:’I just remember the ball being played to me and then being hit from behind.’ 

Simeone, now manager of Spanish side Atletico Madrid, added: ‘Obviously I was trying to make him feel like I was there but at no time did I do anything un-sportsman like.’   

Sportsman: But Beckham added: ‘I was always going to shake his hand and act in the right manner because that’s how I’ve always played the game’

Beckham said: ‘I remember Diego putting his hand on the back on my head, either rubbing it or pulling my hair a little bit…and I just reacted.    

‘I was always going to shake his hand and act in the right manner because that’s how I’ve always played the game.’   

But Simeone always had respect for Beckham, even when they played against each other at club level in later years.

‘When he asked for my jersey when we (Inter) played against Manchester, it was probably a difficult time in his career but also gave him a lot of strength, to be the player and the man he is in football.’

Sweet: Simeone remarked: ‘It was probably a difficult time in his career but also gave him a lot of strength, to be the player and the man he is in football’

Agreeing, Beckham said: ‘It was a marker in the sand of “yep I went through a really difficult time”, I got it [match photo] framed in my house.

‘I’ve got an Argentinian shirt, my shirt in the middle and Diego’s Inter Milan shirt on the other side.’ 

‘Shirts are really important to me because they always take me back to special moments and that is what I wanted in my career.’   

Beckham made 115 England appearances in total, appearing at three Word Cup tournaments, in 1998, 2002 and 2006.   

Inter Miami: During his career Beckham made 115 England appearances in total, appearing at three Word Cup tournaments, in 1998, 2002 and 2006