David Beckham overrated? Highlights of Man Utd legend vs Bayern Munich in 1999 prove otherwise

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·11 September 2023

David Beckham overrated? Highlights of Man Utd legend vs Bayern Munich in 1999 prove otherwise

Highlights

David Beckham's reputation as a celebrity may have overshadowed his status as a footballing great, but his exceptional performance in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich showed why he was once revered within the sport.
Beckham's long-range passing, bustling runs down the right flank, and ability to make things happen were on full display during the match, and both of Manchester United's goals came from his corners.
The upcoming clash between Manchester United and Bayern Munich in the 2023-24 Champions League group stage presents an opportunity for history to repeat itself, as the two teams faced each other in the same stage of the tournament in 1999.

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These days, many know David Beckham simply as the suave man on the sidelines clapping along with delight every time Lionel Messi does something ridiculous for MLS outfit Inter Miami. He is very much remembered for being a fashion icon and one-half of Posh and Becks, but it shouldn't be forgotten that he once was one of the best footballers on earth.

Indeed, his celebrity status beyond the beautiful game may have elevated his standing in the public eye, but there's every chance it's damaged his reputation within the sport too, leading the former England international to actually be somewhat underrated by many. Having left Manchester United for Real Madrid way back in 2003, a whole generation won't have ever really seen the best of the 48-year-old.

But there's a reason why the Galácticos paid around £25 million to land the midfielder all those years ago, and it wasn't simply because of his marketability. No, with 85 goals and 120 assists in 394 games for the Red Devils, Beckham had established himself as a club legend by the age of 28, winning the Premier League six times, the FA Cup twice, and the Champions League.

David Beckham's incredible display for Man Utd against Bayern Munich in 1999

That European Cup final in 1999 will go down as one of the most famous moments in the club's history. Taking place at the Camp Nou in Barcelona, Sir Alex Ferguson's men were up against German giants Bayern Munich and fell behind after just six minutes when Mario Basler's early free-kick opened the scoring.

Without suspended duo Roy Keane and Paul Scholes in the middle of the park for United, the Bundesliga outfit dominated thereafter and were actually ahead for the following 85 minutes until Teddy Sheringham netted a late equaliser in the 91st minute having come off the bench. In a dramatic turn of events, Ole Gunnar Solskaer then completed the unlikely comeback just two minutes later after Beckham's corner was flicked on by Sheringham, allowing the Norwegian to prod home a winner.

"This is the greatest moment of my life; I'm struggling to take it all in. I haven't said anything to my players yet. I've just hugged and kissed them. I've slobbered all over them."

No doubt, many Man United fans were just as elated and even more incoherent as their side completed a treble and became the first English team to win the Champions League since it was rebranded in 1992.

For his part, Beckham was exceptional on the day, and old footage of his performance has resurfaced on Twitter, proving just how influential he was throughout the match. His characteristic long-range passing was as on point as ever, while he bustled down the right flank as well as through the middle, getting on the ball to make things happen. It's notable how progressive his passing is, getting his head up and looking to play forward into his attackers at every moment, almost always finding a teammate. What's more, of course, both United goals did ultimately come from his corners.

The Englishman recalled his success earlier on this year, when speaking about Manchester City just before they completed their own treble. He told the Manchester Evening News:

"I said to Noel [Gallagher] the other day even if you guys [City] go on to win the trophy today and the Champions League and they do do the treble, obviously that’s a special thing for any club to do. "But there’s only one club that can ever win the first time - and we were that club. So in all honesty, as a United fan, if these guys get to win the treble, that feeling as a player of lifting all three trophies and creating history, that was an amazing thing. "We were all hometown players that had lived and breathed United all the way through and then to win the treble, the way we won it, and also for the first time, can never be done again. "But that moment of lifting all three trophies and doing the treble, you always want others to feel that. So if these guys [Man City] get to do that then it’s an amazing moment for them but there’s only one team that’s won for the first time."

Video: David Beckham's 1999 Champions League final highlights

Who will Man United play in the 2023-24 Champions League group stage?

Interestingly enough, the Red Devils did actually play Bayern in the group stage round of that tournament that year as well, drawing both home and away, ultimately finishing the second but still advancing to the knockout stage. Well, fans who like the idea of history repeating itself will be delighted to learn that the two teams will meet once more in the 2023-24 edition of the Champions League. Indeed, United will play Bayern as well as FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray in Group A.

After finishing sixth in the Premier League under Ralf Rangnick the season before Erik ten Hag arrived, this will be the first time the Dutch coach takes charge of the English club in the competition. He does, however, have plenty of experience at this level, having overseen Ajax's impressive run to the semi-final back in 2018/19. It will certainly be interesting to see how the 53-year-old gets on in Europe this term, especially after a slightly shaky start to the new domestic season with two wins and two defeats in four.

Upon qualification, Ten Hag told BBC Sport:

"This club belongs in the Champions League. Finishing in the top four was the main objective. The competition is tough, there are many teams with really good squads, good managers and high budgets."

Judging from the club's illustrious history, it's hard to disagree with the manager's statement. However, you'd certainly feel a lot more confident about their chances in this season's edition if they had a legend like Beckham in their ranks to call upon. While his reputation as a celebrity may have overtaken his status as a footballing great over the past few decades, his display against Bayern Munich in 1999 is a fine example of just why he was once so revered within the sport on ability alone.