25 years on: Beckham v Greece

There are some England goals that live forever.

On 6 October 2001, at Old Trafford, David Beckham scored one of them.

The Three Lions’ FIFA World Cup 2002 qualifier against Greece was already a highly charged match-up.

Sven-Göran Eriksson's side knew a victory would guarantee top spot in Group 9, but with Germany also dropping points against Finland, a draw would be enough to seal their place at the tournament. A defeat, on the other hand, would mean the play-offs.

However, it was anything but straightforward.

Greece twice took the lead, first through Angelos Charisteas before Teddy Sheringham levelled for England shortly after coming off the bench. When Nikolaidis restored the visitors' advantage in the 69th minute, the pressure was suddenly immense.

England were running out of time and, as the minutes ticked away, Sheringham was fouled and the set-piece was in Beckham territory.

“Will Beckham have another attempt at goal?” asked the commentator, with the Three Lions trailing 2-1. “Beckham could raise the roof here, with a goal.”

Up stepped Beckham, striking the ball perfectly as his free-kick curled over the wall and beyond the reach of Greek goalkeeper Antonios Nikopolidis.

“I don’t believe it,” was the cry from the commentary box, with England seconds away from booking their place at the World Cup. “David Beckham scores the goal to take England all the way to the World Cup Finals. Give that man a knighthood!”

As it happened, he was knighted later down the line, in 2025, and that goal against Greece was immortalised.

“I remember putting the ball down and Teddy [Sheringham] kind of came over and nudged me out of the way,” recalled Beckham, speaking previously on that famous goal. 

“Me and Teddy were really good friends. He said, ‘I’ll take this one’. I said ‘it’s too far for you’.

“I remember hearing the band – the beat of the drum in the back of my mind. Then everything went quiet. As soon as I hit it, I knew that it was in.”