David Beckham has officially step down as England’s captain barely 12 hours after their world cup eliminination.
The decision ends five-and-a-half years at the helm for Becks, and now it looks likely that England’s new boss -Mcclaren will appoint John Terry as the new England Captain.
Beckham revealed it was ‘the most difficult decision of my career’ and added he had taken it some time ago after consulting with his family.
Peter Taylor,the man who made Becks captain in 2000 says ” I feel he has been a terrific captain and he’s played very well for us.
“He must have thought about it long and hard. There have been a couple of dips in form but overall he’s been outstanding and should be proud of the last six years.”
Adios Becks
DAVID BECKHAM FACTFILE
1975: Born Leytonstone, May 2.
1991: Joined Manchester United as trainee.
1992: Made his debut for United against Brighton in the League Cup on September 23. Won FA Youth Cup.
1993: Signed professional contract at Old Trafford.
1995: Joined Preston on loan in February and scored two goals in five games.
1996: Helped United win Double, collecting Premiership winners’ medal and FA Cup winners’ medal. Scored goal of the season on the opening day at Wimbledon, lobbing goalkeeper Neil Sullivan from the halfway line. Made his England debut in the 3-0 qualifying win in Moldova.
1997: Collected another championship winners’ medal, voted PFA Young Player of the Year. United won Charity Shield.
1998: Scored first England goal, a free-kick against Colombia in Lens on June 26. Sent off in second-round penalty shoot-out defeat against Argentina.
Vilified by a nation for the retaliatory kick against Diego Simeone which many people believe cost England place in quarter-finals.
1999: Responded excellently to World Cup disgrace with consistently good performances for United, who won the Premiership, FA Cup and, memorably, the European Cup after coming from behind to beat Bayern Munich with two late goals. Rewarded for a fine season by being voted runner-up in World Player of the Year awards, behind Brazilian Rivaldo.
2000: Blotted copybook with dismissal in United’s World Club Championship match with Mexican side Necaxa for a high challenge on Jose Milian.
February: Left out of Manchester United’s team for the Premiership match against Leeds United following reports of a training ground bust-up with manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
May: Collected his fourth championship winner’s medal as United win the title by a record 18 points.
June: Aimed gesture at abusive England fans following defeat in the opening game of Euro 2000 against Portugal. England bow out in group stages of the tournament.
November: Made England captain for the November friendly with Italy in Turin by stand-in boss Peter Taylor.
2001: New England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson appointed Beckham as captain for his first match in charge, the friendly against Spain at Villa Park.
May: Collected another Premiership title with Manchester United.
September: Captained England to their remarkable 5-1 victory in Germany.
October: Curled in a 25-yard last-minute free-kick against Greece at Old Trafford to earn England a 2-2 draw and send them into the World Cup finals.
November: Short-listed by FIFA for World Footballer of the Year.
December 9: Voted the BBC’s 2001 Sport Personality of the Year.
December 16: United chief executive Peter Kenyon declared that the club had “gone as far as we can” in offering terms to the England captain.
December 17: Beckham put the onus on the Manchester United board to come up with the right deal, saying: “The fans know my heart is at Old Trafford but I don’t think it’s the fans who need convincing.” The same day Beckham is named runner-up behind Luis Figo in World Footballer of Year award.
2002: January 4: Manchester United denied contract negotiations have broken down and Beckham is not up for sale.
February 5: Beckham’s father Ted claimed Sir Alex Ferguson’s decision to sign a new deal at Old Trafford will persuade his son to commit himself to the club.
April 2: Beckham was stretchered off in Champions League quarter-final away to Deportivo La Coruna after injuring his ankle following a tackle from striker Diego Tristan.
April 10: A two-footed tackle from Deportivo’s Pedro Duscher in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final results in the England skipper hobbling off the pitch with a broken bone in his left foot. United confirmed he would be out for between six to eight weeks, which would
mean him missing the rest of United’s season and possibly the start of the World Cup.
May 5: Ferguson stated Beckham would be “100% to play in the World Cup”.
May 11: Signed new three-year contract reported to be worth between £90,000 and £100,000 a week.
June 7: Beckham, who was able to lead England out for their opening World Cup match against Sweden, scored from the penalty spot against Argentina to seal a 1-0 win and gain his personal revenge after his red card against the same opponents four years ago. England bow out in the quarter-finals.
October: Scored against Slovakia and Macedonia as England started their Euro 2004 qualifying campaign with a win and a draw.
November 16: After inconsistent start to season for United - with just three goals and seven yellow cards to his name - ruled out for two to three weeks by rib injury.
2003: February: Beckham involved in new controversy after Ferguson accidentally kicks a boot into his face in frustration at United’s FA Cup defeat to Arsenal, leaving the England skipper with a gash above his eye.
April 23: Beckham left out of the starting line-up for United’s crucial Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash with Real Madrid at Old Trafford. Beckham, who is strongly rumoured to be going to join Madrid at the end of the season, scored twice as a substitute but it is too late to save the Red Devils, who lose 6-5 on aggregate.
April 27: Beckham played in United’s 2-0 win at Tottenham.
April 29: Real released official statement on club website denying they have any interest in signing Beckham.
May 6: Beckham hinted he wanted to stay at Old Trafford and reveals there has been no contact with Real Madrid.
May 22: Suffered a fractured scaphoid (bone between thumb and wrist) in 2-1 friendly victory over South Africa.
June 7: Manchester United admitted Italian and Spanish clubs have expressed a “firm interest” in signing Beckham.
June 10: United accepted a bid made by Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta for Beckham. Laporta has made signing Beckham the cornerstone of his election campaign.
June 14: Awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to football.
June 17: Manchester United announced they have accepted a £25million bid from Real Madrid for Beckham and player agrees personal terms.
July 1: Passed medical with Real Madrid and signed four-year deal.
September 27: Suffered injury scare ahead of England’s vital Euro 2004 qualifier against Turkey when he bruised his instep playing for Real against Valencia.
October 11: Fit enough to play for England against Turkey in Istanbul and helps them secure the goalless draw that clinched automatic qualification but was involved in a halftime bust-up with Alpay as the teams left the pitch.
2004: April 19: Potential new Real Madrid president Enrique Sobrino, who announces he will lead a rival campaign to Florentino Perez, said: “I would listen to offers for David Beckham.”
May 16: Sent off for arguing with a linesman over a controversial penalty award during Real Madrid’s La Liga clash with Murcia.
May 20: After speculation linking him with a move back to England, Beckham released a statement committing himself to Real Madrid.
June 24: Missed a penalty, as did Darius Vassell, as England lost to Portugal in a shoot-out in the Euro 2004 quarter-finals in Lisbon.
October 9: Scored stunning goal for England to clinch victory against Wales but was then injured in a challenge with Ben Thatcher and booked minutes later for a rash challenge on the same player. The booking ruled him out of the World Cup qualifier with Azerbaijan. But as he heads to hospital post-match for an X-ray on his ribs, it seems doubtful he could have played anyway. First X-ray gives him the all clear. Second X-ray reveals hairline
fracture of a rib. Beckham criticised by TV pundits and newspapers for getting himself booked and therefore suspended.
October 12: In newspaper report, Beckham revealed he deliberately got himself a yellow card so that he would miss the Azerbaijan World Cup qualifier through suspension, knowing that he was already going to miss the game through injury.
October 13: FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he was astonished by Beckham’s admission and “disappointed with his behaviour”. Beckham issued a statement in which he admitted he “made a mistake” and apologised to the FA, Sven-Goran Eriksson, his team-mates and England fans.
October 15 - FA wrote to Beckham asking for his observations on the controversy over his ‘deliberate’ yellow card.
October 21 - FA decided there was “insufficient evidence” to charge Beckham over his deliberate yellow card, despite his confession.
November 13 - Beckham revealed in Sunday newspaper that he will “probably” quit international football after the 2006 World Cup finals.
2005: March 30 - Beckham starred and scored as England moved closer to a World Cup place with a 2-0 victory over Azerbaijan in a qualifier in Newcastle. His performance is timely, given constant criticism of his national team displays since Euro 2004.
April 10 - Inspired Real to a 4-2 win over bitter rivals Barcelona at the Bernabeu Stadium.
October 8 - Sent off after receiving his second yellow card in World Cup qualifying match against Austria.
November - Captained England for 50th time in friendly against Argentina in Geneva.
2006: June 25 - Scored winning goal in World Cup second-round match against Ecuador from free-kick.
July 1 - Substituted during England’s World Cup quarter-final defeat by Portugal due to injury.
July 2 - Stood down as England captain.
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becks should give rooney a couple big slaps before he step down..