IT’S 20 years ago since one single strike launched the biggest superstar in English football history.
Alan Shearer had just become the world’s most-expensive player in history when he moved to Newcastle for £15million — and the Spice Girls had just topped the charts with their debut single, Wannabe.
While, on August 17, Manchester United travelled to Selhurst Park for their Premier League opener against Wimbledon.
The game was petering out into an unremarkable, simple 2-0 victory until David Beckham stepped up in stoppage time to ensure the game would live long into the memory.
Picking up a pass from Brian McClair just inside his own half, the Red Devils’ No.10 saw Neil Sullivan off his line and tried his luck — or, more probably, knew exactly what he was doing — and found the back of the net.
The 3-0 win was just one of 21 that season for United as Sir Alex Ferguson’s men claimed a fourth Premier League title with lowest-ever points and victories tally.
But for Beckham, it would change his life.
The then fresh-faced 21-year-old would win the first of his 115 England caps 15 days later.
His dark hair which framed his face would be mimicked all around the globe — as would his subsequent hairstyles, which changed with rapid frequency.
A year after ‘that goal’, he met Spice Girl, Victoria Adams, and a new chapter in his life began.
They married in Ireland in 1999 — two months after his two corners in Barcelona completed a sensational Treble of Premier League FA Cup and Champions League — and his global appeal reached new heights.
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Beckham’s new-found fame has its downsides — with his every action on the football pitch heavily scrutinised.
He became Public Enemy No.1 after his red card against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup for a petty kick out at Diego Simeone cost England passage to the quarter-finals.
Beckham’s finest hour was 1999 — after winning the Treble and getting married, he finished second only to Rivaldo in the Ballon d’Or and Fifa World Player of the Year standings.
While, in 2001 he was just behind Luis Figo.
It was his celebrity lifestyle, however, which would cost him his dream of spending his entire career at Old Trafford.
Beckham fell foul of Fergie on one too many occasions — and, in 2003, he was sold to Real Madrid.
He won six league titles, two FA Cups, a Champions League and Intercontinental Cup in his 11 years with United.
Beckham moved to Madrid as the final ‘Galactico’ in somewhat of a transitional period.
After a Spanish Super Cup victory on his debut, he failed to win anything until his final season.
In January 2007, he announced he would leave the Bernabeu to join LA Galaxy at the end of the season and was subsequently banished to the reserves by boss, Fabio Capello.
However, he fought his way back into the team and played a crucial role in clinching a first league title in four years.
Beckham went to the USA with the objective of making football popular — and glut of superstars flooding over shows he has gone some way to making that a reality.
He won the MLS Cup twice — and spent two seasons on loan at AC Milan.
Beckham spent his final season playing under Carlo Ancelotti at Paris Saint-Germain and won a French league title.
Few could ever claim he was the most talented English footballer of all-time.
But a determination and unrivalled dedication to hard work saw Beckham become the most recognisable player on the plant.
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