Living Goldenballs--In The Beginning

February 16, 1998 was the Monday after prom weekend and I guess the affair was too much for me; I got myself a fever and had to stay home for the day. Of course, as a fifteen-year old, my idea of a rest was to lie about and watch TV. Which I did and ended up with me watching a Spice Girls concert on HBO. An hour and a half later, after two and and a half years of indifference to the globally famous fivesome, I was impressed. There was more to the girls than phenomenal marketing.

So when I got back from school the next day, I was blabbering about how great the show was. Then a friend let it slip that one of them (Posh, to be exact) happened to be dating a football player. Sports(-men) enthusiast that I am, and a sucker for romance, I couldn't not research that.

I was no stranger to sports news. I checked nightly to see the latest scores in basketball and baseball. In short, I lived by them. So it was no effort to check out this popstar-dating footballer. As the number one sport in the world, football (some aliens call it soccer) and its many clubs were always in the headlines. England's Manchester United was no different. And the first time I saw up and coming talent David Beckham and the then sun-bleached hair, I was a goner. There was no turning back. (Unfortunately for my friends, that was the start of my Beckham-worship; and it hasn't stopped or waned since.) And I saw more of him that summer because it was World Cup year. Admittedly, I didn't even know he was in the England squad until the tournament started.

As my first World Cup, France '98 was a memorable one (primarily because I won a bet as to who would win the finals--whoever heard of someone betting against the Brazilians?). But there is a memory there worth forgetting. England's quarterfinal clash against Argentina ended as a nightmare for the squad and its fans. But more so for a twenty-three-year old midfielder. After a tackle against Argentine defender Diego Simeone, Beckham was red carded and it was downhill for English lads from there. Ten-man England was eliminated and I finally realized just how much of a demi-religion football was to many people. Branded as the new Bad Boy of England, Becks became a target of football hooliganism. His family, even his grandmother, received threats.

That incident became a shadow in the Beckham history--for a few weeks, that is. Even the man himself admitted that it changed him for the better. Later that year he was recognized as Europe's Most Valuable Player and Best Midfielder. Looking back, he has redeemed himself in the eyes of his fans and critics alike in more ways than one. I'm just glad to have witnessed it--it made the better moments all the sweeter. It was a rough start but he was able to get back on his feet. I remember when he...Nah, that's another story.

(Originally posted at The Kookie Jar.)