9 February 2007 - Yes, I Know I Spoiled The Ending

On 9 February 2007, Goal II: Living the Dream opened in Ireland and the UK, starring Kuno Becker and a host of Real Madrid and Arsenal players.

The second part of a trilogy, the film follows Becker's character, footballer Santiago Muñez, as he moves from Newcastle United to Real Madrid. The movie builds to the Champions League final, with Real Madrid facing Arsenal and coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2.

In addition to Becker, the cast included several real-life players from both clubs, such as David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Iker Casillas, Thierry Henry, and Cesc Fabregas. It also featured actor Nick Cannon as fictitious Arsenal star T.J. Harper.

With a budget of approximately £10 million, the movie did poorly at the box office, taking in only £326,807 in its opening weekend and grossing under £1 million in the first week. Nor did it fare well with critics, with a current rating of 39% on RottenTomatoes.com. Audiences were kinder, however, rating it at 62%.

19 August 1995 - To Be Fair, He Never Claimed To Be A Psychic

On 19 August 1995, pundit Alan Hansen criticized Manchester United's season-opening loss to Aston Villa, stating "you can't win anything with kids." United proved him wrong, however, going on to win a league and FA Cup double.

United had ended the previous season without a trophy, the first time that had happened since 1989. And, before the start of the 1995-96 season, they sold three key players--Paul Ince, Mark Hughes, and Andrei Kanchelskis--without bringing in replacements, preferring instead to rely on rising young players like David Beckham, Paul Scholes, and Gary Neville, all of whom were just 20 years old when the new season started.

Playing before a crowd of 34,655 at Villa Park, the hosts jumped to a comfortable 3-0 lead with goals from Ian Taylor (14'), Mark Draper (27'), and Dwight Yorke (36') before Beckham scored a consolation goal in the 82nd minute to end the day 3-1 to Villa.

Speaking later on Match of the Day, Hansen made his now-famous pronouncement, adding that "the trick to winning the championship is having strength and depth, and they just haven't got it." But United followed that loss with a ten-game unbeaten streak that included eight wins and pushed them up to second in the table. By March, they claimed the top spot and held it for the remainder of the season, then won the FA Cup final over Liverpool.

30 June 2012 - There's Magic In Those Feet

On 30 June 2012, San Jose's Sam Cronin quickly recovered from an apparent injury after being struck by a well-placed ball from David Beckham.

The even occurred in stoppage time of San Jose's 4-3 win over Los Angeles. The Galaxy took a 3-1 lead in the first half with goals from Beckham and Landon Donovan, as well as an own-goal from Earthquakes defender Jason Hernandez, but Víctor Bernárdez pulled one back for San Jose in the 44th minute to cut the margin to 3-2.

In the second half, Cronin scored a 47th-minute equalizer, followed by Chris Wondolowski's go-ahead strike in the 61st minute. But the day's real highlight came during injury time.

With San Jose holding on to their lead, Cronin collided with a Galaxy player and dropped to the turf, holding his head. After several seconds, an irritated Beckham, who was 20 yards away, delivered a pinpoint kick that struck Cronin in the leg (then bounced up and hit the referee). His injury forgotten, Cronin immediately jumped up and protested to the ref.

Beckham received a yellow card, resulting in a one-game suspension, as San Jose got the win.

28 March 2001 - The Magnificent Manchester Seven

On 28 March 2001, England beat Albania in a World Cup qualifier with almost half their team coming from one club--Manchester United.

It was only the fourth qualifier for the two teams, who were both off to a difficult start. England had four points with a win, loss, and draw, while Albania were one point back after two losses and a win. They met at the Qemal Stafa Stadium in the Albanian capital of Tirana where England fielded their Manchester-based squad.

Five members of the starting eleven--Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, and Andy Cole--were from Manchester United, the defending Premier League champions. Additionally, Red Devils Wes Brown and Teddy Sheringham entered as second-half substitutes, taking the club's total to seven. That matched the previous record for any one club, set by Arsenal in a November 1934 friendly against Italy (though all seven Gunners started that match).

The line-up worked against Albania, with both Scholes (86') and Cole (95') scoring in England's 1-3 win (their other goal came from Liverpool's Michael Owen in the 74th minute, while Altin Rraklli scored for Albania in the 93rd minute).

8 November 2007 - Ruud Rules The Galaxy

On 8 November 2007, Ruud Gullit took over as head coach of the LA Galaxy, becoming the highest-paid manager in MLS history. But his tenure lasted just over nine months.

Gullit, the 1987 Ballon d'Or winner who starred as a player for PSV Eindhoven and AC Milan, had a checkered past as a manager, with short spells at Chelsea (1996-98), Newcastle (1998-99), and Feyenoord (2004-05) all ending in disappointment. He had been out of football for two years before joining the Galaxy, noting in his initial press conference that "Just a week ago I was on holiday in the Dominican Republic when I was asked if I would like this job, so it's happened very quickly." Nevertheless, LA signed him to a 3-year contract worth $2 million per year, the highest salary of any MLS manager up to that point.

It was later revealed that the decision to hire Gullit originated from the camp of newly-signed David Beckham, via his personal manager Terry Byrne and his management company, 19 Entertainment, bypassing the club's general manager, Alexi Lalas.

It did not take long for things to start falling apart. In January 2008, on Gullit's personal recommendation, the Galaxy signed Newcastle left back Celestine Babayaro to a 3-year deal. But the club waived him two months later after the Nigerian international proved unable or unwilling to adapt to his new surroundings. He had made only one appearance for the Galaxy, a preseason friendly against FC Seoul in which he conceded a penalty and received a yellow card in only 45 minutes of playing time. Gullit's relationship with other players--including Abel Xavier, Peter Vagenas, and star Landon Donovan--soured and the club's performances began to suffer as well. They endured a seven-match winless streak that culminated with Gullit's resignation on 11 August 2008.

In January 2011, Gullit returned to management, signing a 1.5-year contract with Russian Premier League club Terek Grozny, but was sacked just six months later after winning only three matches.

5 November 2001 - Manager Of The Year Would've Made Sense, But Personality?

On 5 November 2001, new England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson was named Swedish football's Personality of the Year, beating joint Swedish national team managers Tommy Söderberg and Lars Lagerbäck. 

The award was an acknowledgement of Eriksson's job improving the fortunes of England's World Cup qualification campaign. Prior to his appointment in January 2001, the Three Lions had gotten off to a rough start with a loss to Germany and a scoreless draw with Finland. Under Eriksson, England rattled off five straight wins, including a dominating 5-1 win over Germany in Munich.

A 1-1 home draw with Greece secured their qualification on 6 October, thanks to a 93rd-minute equalizer from David Beckham. Eriksson duly thanked Beckham when accepting the Personality of the Year award at the Swedish Football Gala in Stockholm and also thanked Tord Grip, his assistant at Lazio and England.

After quarterfinal exits in the 2002 World Cup, Euro 2004, and the 2006 World Cup, the FA replaced Ericsson with his assistant, Steve McClaren. Eriksson moved on to manage Manchester City (2007-08), Mexico (2008-09), Côte d'Ivoire (2010), and Leicester City (2010-11).

17 August 1996 - That Beckham Kid Just Might Be Pretty Good

On 17 August 1996, 21-year old Manchester United midfielder David Beckham grabbed world headlines with a spectacular goal from the halfway line. 

The moment came in United's Premier League season opener at Wimbledon FC. By that point, Beckham had been with United for about four and a half seasons as a professional (including a short loan spell at Preston North End) and had made a total of only 42 league appearances. He had only established himself as a regular starter during the previous season, but it was a very successful one, with United winning a league and FA Cup double. Still, while Beckham was clearly a talented player, he was not yet considered a superstar of the sport, and had, in fact, not yet even earned his first England cap. 

His profile took a dramatic upward turn against Wimbledon, however. With United already leading 0-2, Beckham received the ball inside his own half and took a short dribble toward the halfway line. Right before he reached it, he spotted Wimbledon keeper Neil Sullivan off his line and ripped an audacious shot toward goal. As Sullivan scrambled backward to reach it, the ball fell over his head and into the net. Two weeks later, Beckham played his first match for England. 

United went on to win the league again that season, the second of six league titles Beckham would claim with the club.

24 June 2004 - Ricardo Rises To The Occasion

On 24 June 2004, goalkeeper Ricardo Pereira was the hero of the day, first saving a kick from England's Darius Vassell in a penalty shootout, then converting the next kick to send Portugal through to the Euro 2004 semifinals.

Playing before a crowd of 65,000 at Lisbon's Estádio da Luz, England led for most of the match thanks to a 3rd-minute goal from striker Michael Owen. But in the 83rd minute, substitute striker Hélder Postiga equalized for the hosts to send the match into extra time. There, the two teams traded goals from Rui Costa (110') and Frank Lampard (115') to force a decision by penalty shootout.

The first kick was taken by England's David Beckham, who, in a shocking miss, sent the ball well over the bar (later reports claimed he had slipped a bit on the sandy pitch). But England were handed a reprieve five kicks later as Rui Costa also drove his shot over. After six kicks each, the teams were level at 5-5. Darius Vassell then stepped up to the spot for England, having come on as a first-half substitute for an injured Wayne Rooney.

Vassell fired the ball to Ricardo's left, but the keeper--who had inexplicably removed his gloves before the kick--guessed correctly and pushed it away. He then stepped up to take his own attempt and confidently blasted it to the right of England keeper David James and into the bottom corner. Portugal won 2-2 (6-5) and advanced, making it all the way to the Final where they lost to Greece.

Ricardo and Portugal beat England again in a penalty shootout during the quarterfinals of the 2006 World Cup, winning 0-0 (1-3).

11 August 2006 - Beckham's (Temporary) Goodbye

On 11 August 2006, David Beckham's dream of reaching 100 caps for England appeared to be over, as manager Steve McClaren omitted the Real Madrid midfielder from the squad chosen to play Greece in a friendly.

He had reached 94 caps, with his last appearance coming in the quarterfinal loss against Portugal in the 2006 World Cup. Beckham, who had captained the national team since 2000, surrendered the armband after the tournament, but expressed his desire to remain with the team. McClaren, however, had assumed control of the team on 1 August and had different plans. In dropping Beckham from the lineup for Greece, McClaren claimed that he was taking the team in a "different direction."

England won the friendly against Greece, but struggled in qualification matches for Euro 2008. During one six-match run in late 2006 and early 2007 (including friendlies against the Netherlands and Spain), England scored only two goals, prompting McClaren to recall Beckham on 26 May 2007.

Since then, Beckham has reached 115 caps, the most among outfield players and second only to goalkeeper Peter Shilton's 125. McClaren, meanwhile, was sacked after England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 and moved to FC Twente, where he won the Eredivisie in 2010. After spells with VfL Wolfsburg, Nottingham Forest, and Derby County, he took charge of Newcastle in June 2015.

18 July 2005 - The Galácticos Take Over The Galaxy

On 18 July 2005, Real Madrid completed their preseason US tour with a 2-0 win over the LA Galaxy at the Home Depot Center.

Playing before a capacity crowd of 27,000, the Spanish starting XI included several of their newly-arrived superstar contingent known as theGalácticos, including Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, and Michael Owen, as well as established players like forward Raúl and goalkeeper Iker Casillas. The Galaxy, on the other hand, were missing their marquee player, Landon Donovan.

But despite the apparent gulf in talent, the MLS side quickly made clear their intentions to compete, with midfielder Pando Ramirez earning a 3rd-minute yellow card after hard tackles on Zidane and Michel Salgado. Real did not take long to claim the lead, with a goal from Owen in the 5th minute after an incisive Zidane pass unlocked the Galaxy defense, but the MLS side held firm for the remainder of the half and even created a handful of chances, forcing some excellent saves from Casillas.

The match remained close enough that Real manager Vanderlei Luxembourgo kept many of his stars on the pitch deep into the second half. Both Zidane and Beckham came off in the 60th minute, while fellow Galáctico Owen remained until the 77th minute. His replacement, striker Roberto Soldado, scored the second goal shortly after coming on.

The match was LA's first exposure to Beckham, who joined the Galaxy three years later.

8 April 1996 - Busst's Bad Break

On 8 April 1996, Coventry City defender David Busst suffered one of the most horrific injuries in football history during a Premier League match against Manchester United.

Just under two minutes into the match at Old Trafford, Coventry won a corner kick and Busst (pronounced "Boost") rushed forward into United's penalty area. As the kick came in, United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel knocked the ball toward Busst, who slipped in between two United players to get a toe on it. Then, as Busst tells it, "that's when the screaming started." He fell to the ground with his right leg bent at an unnatural right angle - his tibia and fibula both had snapped in two after colliding with United's Brian McClair and Denis Irwin.

The match was delayed for 15 minutes while the ground staff cleaned blood off the pitch. Reportedly, Schmeichel was so disturbed by the sight of the injury that he vomited. He also later sought counseling to deal with the memory. Soon after the match, he visited Busst in the hospital, as did United's Alex Ferguson, Steve Bruce, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, and Eric Cantona, as well as Busst's Coventry City teammates.

Busst underwent a total of 22 operations to repair the damage, but while the doctors saved his leg, he never played professional football again.

26 March 2008 - Beckham Hits One Hundred

On 26 March 2008, 32-year old David Beckham reached his 100th cap when he started for England in a friendly against France.

It was milestone that Beckham looked unlikely to reach after England's elimination from the 2006 World Cup. Following their loss to Portugal in quarterfinals, Beckham's 94th international appearance, he resigned as England's captain. Although he expressed a desire to continue with the side in a subservient role, he was dropped altogether by new England boss Steve McClaren. A poor run of form changed McClaren's mind and he recalled Beckham to the national squad in May 2007.

Beckham performed well, but it was not enough to save McClaren's job - he was soon sacked in favor of Beckham's former Real Madrid boss, Fabio Capello. With Beckham sitting on 99 caps, he was not included in Capello's first match in charge, a friendly against Switzerland on 6 February 2008. The decision created speculation that Capello's English side had no place for Beckham, but Beckham was included for Capello's second match in charge - the friendly against France.

The match itself had mixed results for England. France controlled the pace and flow, creating far more scoring chances than the visitors. To their credit, though, the English defense was stout, repeatedly denying the French attack. The match's only goal came from the spot, as Nicolas Anelka drew a foul from his Chelsea teammate John Terry. Franck Ribéry buried the ensuing kick in the 32nd minute.

11 January 2007 - Beckham Becomes The Biggest Star In The Galaxy

On 11 January 2007, Real Madrid and England midfielder David Beckham shocked the world by announcing that he had signed a contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Although Beckham had fallen out of favor at Real under manager Fabio Capello, the move was nonetheless viewed as a significant step down for the English icon, who had reportedly generated interest from bigger clubs including AC Milan and Inter.

Beckham and the Galaxy agreed to a 5-year deal worth approximately $250 million, though his playing wages made up only about 20% of that amount. The remaining 80% came from merchandise sales, sponsorships, and a stake in the club's projected profits.

Real attempted to keep Beckham after he enjoyed a resurgence in form in the second half of the season, helping the club claim its first La Liga title in four years, but he held firm to his commitment and joined the Galaxy in the summer of 2007.

Beckham was not the first English superstar to play in Los Angeles, and in fact wasn't even the first former Manchester United superstar to do so. In 1976, George Best signed with the NASL's Los Angeles Aztecs. Best, who, like Beckham, wore the No. 7 shirt for United, made 55 appearances for the Aztecs from 1976 to 1978.

21 November 2007 - Croatia Rains On England's Parade

On 21 November 2007, the final day of qualification for Euro 2008, Croatia defeated England, 2-3, before a rain-soaked crowd of 88,000 in London's Wembley Stadium. The loss eliminated England from the tournament and sealed the fate of England manager Steve McClaren.

England started the day in second place in Group E on 23 points. They were three points behind leaders Croatia, who had already booked their place in the tournament, and two points ahead of third-place Russia, who were facing last-place Andorra.

England had lost to Croatia 2-0 in Zagreb, but were hoping for a better result at home, despite missing several key players, including forward Wayne Rooney and all four players from their preferred back line. The available personnel forced McLaren to change the formation from a 4-4-2 to a 4-1-4-1, with Peter Crouch playing as the lone striker.

England's hopes took a blow in the 8th minute, as Croatian midfielder Niko Kranjčar found the back of the net with a 25-yard shot that was helped past keeper Scott Carson by a tricky bounce off the wet pitch. Ivica Olić doubled the visitors' lead in the 14th minute as a precision pass by forward Eduardo da Silva beat the English defense and allowed Olić to walk the ball into an open goal.

England entered the second half to a chorus of boos and jeers from the home fans, but soon gave them something to cheer when Jermain Defoe won a penalty which Frank Lampard converted in the 56th minute. Peter Crouch equalized nine minutes later with a goal from a David Beckham pass.

As it turned out, a draw would have been enough to see England through on goal differential, but it did not last. Croatian substitute forward Mladen Petrić (pictured), who had replaced Eduardo in the 69th minute, beat Carson with a 25-yard stunner in the 77th minute. England were unable to find another equalizer and conceded all three points to Croatia.

Russia, as expected, beat Andorra and moved into second place in the group, dropping England into third and out of the tournament. The FA terminated McClaren's contract the next day after only 18 matches in 16 months, making his time in charge of the national team the shortest of any England manager.

6 October 2001 - Beckham Bends It

On 6 October 2001, England midfielder and captain David Beckham converted a spectacular free kick in the last minute of stoppage time to equalize with Greece 2-2 in a World Cup qualifier at Old Trafford in Manchester, England.

England went into the match needing a win or a draw in order to ensure automatic qualification for the 2002 World Cup Finals. The Greek side disrupted those plans with a 36th-minute strike from forward Angelos Charisteas to go up 0-1.

Still down in the 67th minute, England manager Sven Göran Eriksson subbed striker Robbie Fowler out in favor of striker Teddy Sheringham. Sheringham quickly rewarded Eriksson's faith, heading in an equalizer within ten seconds of stepping foot on the pitch--the fastest goal ever by an England substitute. England's euphoria did not last long, however, as in the 69th minute, Greek striker Demis Nikolaidis evaded defender Rio Ferdinand and fired the Greeks back into the lead.

England continued to trail, when, in the 93rd minute, they were awarded a free kick from about 30 yards out in the center of the pitch. Beckham, who had already taken five unsuccessful long-range free kicks in the match, stepped up and delivered a powerful bending right-foot shot into the top left corner of the goal.

The whistle blew shortly afterward, with England claiming the 2-2 draw and automatic qualification for the 2002 World Cup. It was a watershed moment for Beckham, who had previously been hounded by the British press and supporters for his red-card performance in England's loss to Argentina in the knockout stages of the previous World Cup. The goal against Greece, as well as Beckham's overall inspired play and leadership, transformed him from national villain to national hero.

21 July 2007 - 12 Minutes, 8 Touches, 0 Assists, 0 Goals

On 21 July 2007, David Beckham made his debut for the Los Angeles Galaxy in a 0-1 friendly loss to English Premier League title holders Chelsea before a capacity crowd of 27,000 at LA's Home Depot Center.

One of the most famous and marketable footballers in the world, Beckham's appearance had been highly anticipated ever since the January 2007 announcement that he was leaving Real Madrid at season's end to sign a 5-year contract with the MLS's Galaxy. At the time the announcement was made, Beckham had fallen out of favor with Real boss Fabio Capello and was spending a significant amount of time on the bench, leading to the general perception that he was coming to the US to wind his career down.

In the months after the announcement, however, his level of play and time on the pitch increased and Real pipped rivals Barcelona to the La Liga title. Real then tried to undo the Galaxy deal, but the MLS side held firm and Beckham crossed the Atlantic.

His Galaxy debut was uneventful, as a nagging ankle injury limited his training time and forced manager Frank Yallop to start the match with Beckham on the bench. Nevertheless, match broadcaster ESPN devoted substantial airtime to Beckham, at times splitting the screen with the match on one side and Beckham on the other.

With the Galaxy down 0-1, Beckham came on in the 78th minute to a standing ovation. His appearance had little impact, however, and the match ended as a 0-1 loss.

17 June 2003 - Beckham's Odyssey Begins

On 17 June 2003, Manchester United sold their star midfielder David Beckham to Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Beckham signed with Manchester United in 1991 at the age of 14 and helped secure a number of honors for the Old Trafford club, including six Premier League titles, two FA Cup trophies, and one UEFA Champions League trophy. He also earned numerous individual awards, including the PFA Young Player of the Year (1996-97), the UEFA Club Player of the Year (1999), and the BBC Sports Personality of the Year (2001). In all, Beckham made 394 appearances for the Red Devils in all competitions, scoring 85 goals.

By the year 2000, despite his success on the pitch, his relationship with manager Sir Alex Ferguson began to deteriorate, due in part to Beckham's off-pitch commitments and growing celebrity following his marriage to Victoria "Posh Spice" Adams in 1999. The relationship between player and manager hit bottom on 15 February 2003 when, after an FA Cup loss to Arsenal, Ferguson kicked a boot that hit Beckham above the eye, requiring stitches.

At the end of that season, with the relationship beyond salvage, Manchester United sold Beckham to Real Madrid for €35 million (£25M) on 17 June. The transfer was completed on 1 July 2003, making Beckham only the third Englishman to play for the Spanish side.

After spending twelve years with United, the move triggered a peripatetic period in Beckham's career. He spent only four seasons with Real, helping them to the La Liga title in 2006-07. In the summer of 2007, he moved to the United States, joining MLS side L.A. Galaxy. He remained there until 2012, including two loan spells with AC Milan, then finished his career at Paris St. Germain. 

29 May 1963 - "... And A Child Shall Lead Them ... "

On 29 May 1963, center back Bobby Moore became England's youngest senior team captain at 22 years, 47 days.

Moore, who played for West Ham from 1958 to 1974, earned his first senior cap for England in May 1962 in a 4-0 friendly victory over Peru. He played a significant role for England in the 1962 World Cup, which ended in a quarterfinal defeat to eventual winners Brazil.

His appearance on 29 May 1963 was only his 12th for the national team. Long-serving captain Johnny Haynes had just retired and his immediate successor, Jimmy Armfield, was injured, leading new manager Alf Ramsey to hand the captain's armband to Moore. He rewarded Ramsey's faith by leading the team to a 4-2 win over Czechoslovakia.

Armfield reclaimed the captaincy upon his return, but Moore received it permanently in 1964. He led England to victory in the 1966 World Cup, which made him an English football icon. He made a total of 108 appearances for the national team, a record at the time that was later surpassed by goalkeeper Peter Shilton (125 caps) and David Beckham (115).

31 January 2013 - Beckham Goes Blue

On 31 January 2013, David Beckham made his last move, signing a five-month deal with Paris Saint-Germain.

The 37-year old midfielder had just come off back-to-back title-winning seasons with the Los Angeles Galaxy after previously taking league honors in England with Manchester United and in Spain with Real Madrid. Despite having one year left on his contract with Los Angeles, he announced in November 2012 that he was not returning.

He trained with Arsenal in January 2013, sparking rumors of a return to the Premier League, but signed with PSG on the last day of the winter transfer window. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Beckham announced that he would donate all of his salary to a children's charity.

Although he made only ten league appearances, he helped PSG claim their first league title since 1994, making him a champion in four different countries. He then retired at the end of the season.

14 October 2009 - Beckham Takes His Bow

On 14 October 2009, David Beckham made his last England appearance, setting a slew of records in the process.

The occasion was England's last qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup, hosting Belarus at Wembley. They had already secured their place in the tournament with a record of eight wins and one loss, so their final game gave manager Fabio Capello the opportunity to experiment with some players who had seen little time up to that point, as well as one who had seen more time that any other outfield player in the team's history.

Beckham earned his first cap for England in September 1996 and went on to captain the team for several years. By the time Belarus came to London, he had made a total of 114 appearances, second only to goalkeeper Peter Shilton's 125.

Against Belarus, Capello extended Beckham's total by bringing him on in the 58th minute. England were already up 1-0, but a Beckham quickly helped extend the lead with an assist from a corner kick in the 59th minute. A 76th-minute goal from Peter Crouch set the final margin at 3-0.

In addition to extending his total appearances record for an outfield player, the game also set the current records for most appearances in a competitive match (68) and most appearances for a player outside the English league system (55).