High and lows of Beckham's career

High – Manchester United take him on as a trainee in 1991 and next year makes his debut for first team and is part of the side who win the FA Youth Cup.

High and lows of Beckham's career

High – Manchester United take him on as a trainee in 1991 and next year makes his debut for first team and is part of the side who win the FA Youth Cup.

High – Signs professional contract at Old Trafford in 1993.

High – In 1996 helps United win the double, collecting Premiership winners’ medal and FA Cup winners’ medal.

High – Scores stunning goal on opening day of the 1996 season at Wimbledon, lobbing goalkeeper Neil Sullivan from the halfway line.

High – Makes his debut for England in the 3-0 World Cup qualifier win in Moldova in September 1996.

Low – A month later is quizzed by police after Southampton fans allege he hitched up his shorts revealing his buttocks. Beckham denies the accusation and no action is taken.

High – Collects another championship winners’ medal in May 1997.

High – Voted PFA Young Player of the Year for 1997.

High – In July 1997, signs £1m (€1.41m) sponsorship deal with Brylcreem and new five-year deal with United, worth £8m (€11.31m).

Low – Has bullets with his name carved on them sent to him through the post.

Also complains to police that he has been targeted by a mysterious stalker who has lurked near his home and at the team’s training ground.

High – Picked for Glenn Hoddle’s World Cup squad for France 98.

Low – Left out of the starting line-up for England’s opening two World Cup matches against Tunisia and Romania, as Hoddle says he is “unfocused”.

High – Recalled for third match against Colombia and scores his first England goal from a free-kick.

Low – Sent off in second-round match against Argentina for a retaliatory kick against Diego Simeone, and England go out on penalties. Angry England fans later hang an effigy of him in a United shirt outside a London pub.

High – Signs new United deal and makes impressive start to new 1998 Premiership season, even brushing off gauntlet of hate against West Ham.

High – Becomes a father when fiancée, pop star Victoria Adams, gives birth to son Brooklyn.

Low – Criticised by church leaders after appearing in a magazine photo-shoot draped in crucifixes.

High – Helps his club complete the treble of FA Cup, Premier League title and Champions League after United stage a remarkable late recovery to beat Bayern Munich 2-1 in Barcelona.

High – Marries Victoria Adams in a lavish ceremony at Luttrellstown Castle, just outside Dublin.

Low – Caught on camera aiming a V-sign at Leeds fans after some of the visiting supporters sing offensive chants about Beckham’s wife and child during league match at Old Trafford.

Low – Beckham’s wife admits her husband likes to wear her underwear, but later claims it was a joke.

Low – Sent off for a high challenge on Jose Milian as United are held to a 1-1 draw by Mexican club Necaxa in the opening game of the World Club Championship in Brazil.

Low – Left out of Manchester United’s team for the Premiership match against Leeds in February after reporting late for training because his son Brooklyn was ill.

High – Collects his fourth championship winner’s medal as United win the title by a record 18 points in May 2000.

Low – Aims gesture at abusive England fans following defeat in the opening game of Euro 2000 against Portugal. England bow out in group stages of the tournament.

High – Made England captain for the November friendly with Italy in Turin by stand-in boss Peter Taylor.

High – New England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson appoints Beckham as captain for his first match in charge, the friendly against Spain at Villa Park.

High – Collects another Premiership title with Manchester United in May 2001.

High – Scores last-minute free-kick equaliser in 2-2 draw against Greece in October which ensures England’s World Cup qualification.

High – Short-listed by FIFA for World Footballer of the Year in November.

Low – Rested for United’s Champions League match against Portuguese side Boavista and for the Premiership defeat at home to West Ham.

High – Voted the BBC’s 2001 Sport Personality of the Year in December.

High – Runner-up behind Luis Figo in World Footballer of the Year award.

High – Scores the opener as United beat Nantes 5-1 in the Champions League.

High – Scores twice as Man Utd beat West Ham 5-3 at Upton Park in March, including a spectacular chip from the edge of the box.

High – Scores a sensational goal from 30 yards to set United on the way to a 2-0 away success over Deportivo La Coruna in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.

Low – His night is marred by an horrific tackle from Diego Tristan and he is stretchered off with an ankle injury.

Low – Beckham returns to the team for the return leg against Depor but hobbles off after breaking a bone in his foot following a first-half tackle by Pedro Duscher.

High – Makes rapid recovery to feature in the World Cup for England, scoring a memorable penalty winner against Argentina before a quarter-final defeat by Brazil.

High – Wife Victoria gives birth to the couple’s second son, Romeo.

Low – Five men are arrested for allegedly plotting to kidnap his wife but later cleared.

Low – Captains England in the first half of a humiliating 3-1 defeat by Australia at Upton Park.

Low – Suffers a gash above his eye amid reports the injury was caused accidentally by a boot kicked by boss Alex Ferguson.

Low – Left out of the starting line-up for the crucial Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash with Real Madrid. He comes on as a second-half substitute and scores twice, but the damage has already been done and United lose 6-5 on aggregate.

High – United lift Premiership trophy at Everton.

Low – Less than two weeks later suffers suspected fractured thumb in 2-1 win over South Africa.

Low – United accept bid from Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta on June 10, five days before election which could ultimately result in him moving to the Nou Camp.

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