DavidBeckhamProfileofDavidBeckhamName:DavidRobertJosephBeckhamDateofBirth:02May1975Birthplace:Leytonstone,LondonNationality:EnglishHeight:180cmWeight:67kgMartialstatus:MarriedtoVictoriaCurrentclub:ManchesterUnitedPosition:MidfieldSquadnumber:7soccerplayer(1975--)BeckhamGoalBringsRevengeOverArgentinaEngland'scaptainDavidBeckham(L)fightsfortheballwithDiegoPlacenteofArgentinaasDannyMillsofEnglandandJuanSorin(R)ofArgentinalookonandduringtheirgroupFmatchattheWorldCupfinalsbetweenEnglandandArgentinainSapporoJune7,2002.CaptainDavidBeckhamwreakedhisrevengeonArgentinawiththefirst-halfpenaltythatgaveEnglandapulsating1-0victoryovertheWorldCupfavoriteFriday.FamouslysentoffwhenEnglandlostonpenaltiestoArgentinainthesecondroundofthe1998finals,BeckhamsentkeeperPabloCavallerothewrongwaywithadrivenspot-kickon44minutesafterMichaelOwenwasbroughtdownbyMauricioPochettino.AskedhowitfeltBeckhamsaid:"Betterthanitdidfouryearsago,it'sjustunbelievable."Inthehighlightmatchofthefirstroundbetweentwoofsoccer'sgreatestrivalsEnglandjustaboutdeserveditsvictoryandcouldhavescoredmore,especiallywhenstrikerOwenhitthepostfromatightanglemidwaythroughthefirsthalf.ButArgentinadominatedafterthebreak,layingsiegetotheEnglandgoalbutcouldn'tavoidsufferingitsfirstdefeatinacompetitivematchsinceitlost3-1toBrazilinaqualifierinSaoPauloinJuly2000.ItwasEngland'sfirstwinoverArgentinaintheWorldCupsincethebrutal1966quarterfinalwhenitscaptainAntonioRattinwassentoff.DiegoMaradona's'HandofGod'goalhelpedendEngland'sWorldCuphopesinthequarterfinalsin1986.Beckhamplayedthefull90minutesforthefirsttimesincehebrokehisfootinaChampionsLeaguegamejustovertwomonthsagoinatacklewithArgentinemidfielderAldoDuscher.ThemidfieldersaiditwasterrifyingwhenhesteppeduptotakethepenaltywhichwonthematchbecauseoftheArgentine"antics.""Webattledreallyhardforthewhole92minutes,itwasnotjustaboutmypenalty,"headded.EnglandcoachSven-GoranErikssonsaid:"Ithinkwedeservedtowinthegame.Weplayedverygoodfootballfor70to75minutes.Weplayedwithabig,bigheart.In1998,AlanShearerhadscoredfromthespottoequalizeafteraGabrielBatistutapenaltyhadgivenArgentinathelead.OwenthensearedpastthedefensetoscoreawondergoaltoputEnglandaheadwithlittlemorethan15minutesontheclock.ArgentinaequalizedthroughJavierZanettionthestrokeofhalftime.MinutesintothesecondhalfBeckhamwassentoffforapetulantfoulonSimeoneandalthoughEnglandheldonuntiltheendofextratime,itlostthepenaltyshoot-out.
