Football’s Greatest Goals No.35
This goal from David Beckham had everything – it was scored from long distance, in the last minute of the match scored in the most dramatic of circumstances.
Beckham also smashed the free kick in whilst playing for his national team at his club’s home ground to secure qualification for the World Cup.
England were playing Greece at Old Trafford, needing a draw or win to secure qualification for the World Cup in Japan and South Korea the following year. They were expected to get the necessary result but had fallen behind twice. Substitute Teddy Sheringham had powered in a header after 68 minutes to cancel out Angelos Charisteas’s 36th minute strike. The scores were level for only less than a minute before Demis Nikolaidis gave Greece an unlikely lead once more.
The clock ticked into the second minute of injury time and it looked as if England would be going to a two-legged play off, just as they did to qualify for Euro 2000 two years previously. A long hopeful punt upfield was headed away from danger by Panagiotis Fyssas who climbed on the back of Teddy Sheringham and referee Dick Jol blew for a foul a little over 30 yards from goal. This was the perfect distance for David Beckham to take one of his trademark free kicks.
Beckham had made a name for himself with his free kicks from distance and regularly scored from set pieces. One of his most famous goals for England was a free kick against Colombia in the 1998 World Cup in France and now he had the opportunity to score once more.
Beckham’s Manchester United team mate Paul Scholes also stood over the ball but there was only going to be one man who would be taking the free kick. Greece set up a four-man wall and goalkeeper Andonis Nikopolidis stood on his goal line.
Once referee Dick Jol’s whistle blew, Beckham strode confidently up to the ball. The nation watched on, praying that he Manchester United midfielder could deliver the goods and the England number 7 did just that!
Beckham’s free kick curled up and over the Greek wall before dropping under the crossbar. Nikopolidis stood motionless, watching helplessly as the ball hit the back of the net. A deafening roar went up from the majority of the 66,090 crowd. From getting sent off in England’s last game and becoming the nation’s scapegoat, Beckham had become the nation’s hero with a single kick of the ball.
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