DAVID BECKHAM says his iconic free-kick against Greece was the moment England fans “forgave me”.
Twenty years ago today Becks scored in injury-time at Old Trafford to book a 2002 World Cup spot.
He was public enemy No 1 after his red as Argentina dumped us out at France ’98.
And Beckham said: “That was the moment that England supporters forgave me for what had happened a few years before.
“For me personally, that was redemption for what had happened — because up until then, there was always that cloud around the sending-off.”
Manchester United icon Beckham saw red for lashing out at Diego Simeone in the last 16 in 1998.
Golden Balls admitted: “That goal against Greece was when I felt the real England fans, and the fans that disliked me for a few years, all of a sudden were like, ‘OK, that’s it, we can move on now’.
“That, for me, was a special moment.”
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Beckham is England’s third-most capped man at 115 and scored 17 times.
But that free-kick against Greece still remains his most prized moment.
He added: “The fact that happened captaining my country, in a stadium I always dreamt of playing in for Manchester United.
“And the fact I was doing that in an England shirt — it all makes me very proud.”
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