Beckham reveals lasting guilt over 1998 red card as old rival Simeone becomes firm friend

David Beckham has described the 1998 World Cup red card that defined a generation of England heartbreak as a mistake he still cannot forgive himself for, even as his relationship with the man at the centre of it, Diego Simeone, has evolved into a warm friendship.

Beckham was dismissed for kicking out at Simeone during England’s last-16 clash with Argentina in Saint-Étienne, a moment that contributed to England’s penalty shootout exit from the tournament. Speaking in his 2023 Netflix documentary, Beckham gave his most candid account yet of the aftermath.

“I made a stupid mistake. It changed my life. I felt very vulnerable and alone,” he said. “The whole country hated me. Hated me. I wasn’t eating. I wasn’t sleeping. I was a mess. I didn’t know what to do.”

The former England captain also reflected on the impact on those closest to him. “It brought a lot of attention that I would never wish on anyone, let alone my parents,” he said. “I can’t forgive myself for that. That’s the tough part. I was the one that made the mistake. It is only now I beat myself up about it.”

Despite the weight of that memory, Beckham and Simeone have long since moved past the incident. After Argentina lifted the 2022 World Cup trophy, Beckham posted a photo of the pair together with the caption “Congratulations my friend.” Simeone re-shared the image, writing: “Good to see you always!”

The reunion has continued in more recent years. When Argentina played their round of 32 fixture against Cape Verde in Miami — the city where Beckham’s MLS franchise Inter Miami is based — the two were photographed together again. “Bumped into an old friend in Miami,” Beckham wrote on Instagram alongside the image.

Beckham’s Argentina ties run deep through Inter Miami, with World Cup winner Lionel Messi and midfielder Rodrigo de Paul both currently on the club’s books. Former Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuaín also previously played for the franchise.

Beckham did earn a measure of redemption on the pitch. Four years after Saint-Étienne, his goal against Argentina at the 2002 World Cup helped send England through from the group stage while the South Americans were eliminated — a moment that carried obvious personal significance for the midfielder.