Wednesday evening’s World Cup semi-final in Atlanta will see two historic rivals face off yet again on the international stage.
It is a fixture that has provided a lot of drama over the years, none more so than David Beckham’s sending off at the 1998 World Cup.
The global icon was shown a straight red card in England’s 2-2 draw against Argentina, which saw Argentina advance through a penalty shootout.
Aside from Lionel Messi, which Argentina player scares you the most and why?
Messi will play against England for the first time in his career 😯
A decision that caused a lot of controversy after Diego Simeone – the current Atletico Madrid manager – went down in dramatic style following a kick-out from Beckham.
The former England midfielder has been a regular presence at England’s World Cup matches this summer and is expected to attend on Wednesday.
Simeone has also been spotted at some of Argentina’s games, which makes now the perfect time to reflect on the red card decision from 1998.
Why David Beckham was sent off during England vs Argentina in World Cup 1998
Despite winning a free-kick for a foul from Simeone, it was Beckham who was shown the red card by referee Kim Milton Nielsen.
The Argentine gave away the foul by pushing Beckham in the back as he received a pass.
With Beckham sent to the floor, the Englishman kicked Simeone as he walked past, which drew a dramatic fall from the Argentine.
Someone was shown a yellow card for his initial challenge on the England midfielder, but the referee followed that up by showing a straight red to Beckham.
What David Beckham said about his sending off against Argentina
The national press did not hold back on Beckham, with the midfielder coming under serious scrutiny as England were eliminated from the tournament.
“I think what followed for the next few years, for me personally, was the most difficult time in my career,” Beckham told Prime Video.
What Diego Simeone said about Beckham’s sending off in 1998
There was no denial from the Argentine that he had won his side the advantage in the game with his dark arts tactics.
“Let’s just say the referee fell into the trap,” said Simeone.
“You could say that my falling transformed a yellow card into a red card. But in fact, the most appropriate punishment was a yellow one.”
Whether David Beckham has spoken to Diego Simeone since World Cup 1998
Despite the belief that Simeone’s response arguably bought the red card for Beckham, the pair have since been spotted together.
It is almost 30 years on from the sending off and the footballing greats have let bygones be bygones.
Simeone and Beckham recently met up during the World Cup ahead of Wednesday’s match to make up for what happened 28 years ago in France.
However, any pleasantries are not expected to carry into the game in Atlanta, where the pair are expected to be in attendance.
A spot in the World Cup final awaits one of the two nations, with Spain booking their spot on Tuesday night after beating France.
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