Former Manchester United midfielder David Beckham says he had “no choice” but to “work hard” and “stop people saying what they said” after becoming a pariah at the 1998 World Cup.
In the summer of 1998, Beckham became the scapegoat for England’s World Cup failure after being sent off during a round of 16 defeat to Argentina.
In the following season, he helped his club win a historic treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League. No other English team has managed to repeat the same number of trophies in a single campaign until Manchester City did it in 2023.
A new documentary, ’99, tells the story of Manchester United’s most successful season ever, with contributions from United legends including Sir Alex Ferguson, Peter Schmeichel, Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Andy Cole, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Teddy Sheringham and Dwight Yorke.
The film tells the story of some of the obstacles on the road to glory, with Beckham saying they “went through so many difficult times throughout that season.”
Former president Martin Edwards reveals that Ferguson temporarily offered his resignation at the start of the campaign. Schmeichel says he considered leaving in 1997 because of the team’s European record. Cole reveals some of the main fights that happened in the dressing room and Ferguson’s assistant manager Steve McClaren reveals what the manager told him after Sheringham’s goal in the Champions League final.
Here are just a few lessons…
Ferguson resigned at the start of the 1998–99 season
Under Ferguson, United won four of the first five Premier League seasons following its formation in 1992.
However, former chairman Edwards explains that some doubts arose when United were ousted by Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal team – who won the league and FA Cup double in 1997–98.
Arsenal also beat United 3-0 in the 1998 Charity Shield.
Edwards says he fears Ferguson has become too involved in “outside interests,” including horse racing. The president wrote a letter to the manager before the start of the 1998-99 campaign, which he describes as a “correction”.
According to Edwards, Ferguson promptly “offered his resignation” before returning the same afternoon to withdraw it.
“It was never mentioned again after that,” says Edwards.
Cole ‘attacked’ Sheringham; Keane was already ‘trying to fight’ him
Cole previously claimed he never spoke a single word to his strike partner Sheringham during the four years they played together at United. He says the rivalry began in 1995, during Cole’s debut for England against Uruguay. According to the striker, Sheringham refused to shake hands when Cole entered the field to replace him.
During the documentary, Cole claims that there was almost a physical conflict between the two at one point. After Sheringham apparently blamed him for conceding a goal, Cole says he “attacked” his teammate.
However, club captain Keane arrived first and was already “trying to pick a fight” with Sheringham over a separate disagreement.
Cole scored 121 goals for United and is the Premier League’s fourth all-time top scorer.
Schmeichel considered leaving in 1997 because of European form
Schmeichel spent eight years at Old Trafford, winning 13 trophies under Ferguson and being named Premier League Player of the Season in 1995-96. Despite his drop in form, it came as a huge shock when the then 34-year-old announced he would leave at the end of the 1998-99 season.
However, in 99, Schmeichel reveals that he had already thought about moving on. In 1997, the Danish goalkeeper claims to have told his coach that he was “very, very tempted” by an offer from “another big club”.
Schmeichel explains that his reasoning was that he “didn’t think” United could “win in Europe”.
In 1997 United were defeated in the Champions League semi-finals by eventual winners Borussia Dortmund and in 1998 they were defeated on away goals by Monaco.
Starting XI in the Champions League final didn’t feel right
When Ferguson announced his team for the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, there were some eyebrows raised, including within his own team.
Both Paul Scholes and Roy Keane were unavailable due to suspension, but even disregarding that the team looked unusual. Swedish winger Jesper Blomqvist started on the left wing, which meant Giggs was moved to the right and Beckham to midfield.
Blomqvist replaced Giggs several times during the season, but scored just once in all competitions.
Meanwhile, Giggs says right wing “wasn’t a position I enjoyed playing”.
McClaren reveals he tried to convince Ferguson to reconsider his squad, but his manager insisted he had already told Blomqvist he would play.
Schmeichel says the team felt “unbalanced” and full-back Denis Irwin says he “would never have called up” that team.
Meanwhile, defender David May, who was left out of the starting line-up, says there were “a few things” he wanted to say to his manager but “didn’t want to” and “couldn’t” because of the respect he had for him.
United were frustrated for much of the match. When Sheringham replaced Blomqvist in the 67th minute, Beckham was returned to the right wing and, with five minutes remaining, Giggs returned to the left.
Right-back Neville says that was when “things started to feel normal”.
‘This game is not over’
United looked dead and buried until substitute Sheringham scored a corner in the 91st minute.
Amid the relief, McClaren says he approached his boss to discuss tactics for the extension.
Apparently, Ferguson’s response was: “This game isn’t over, Steve, sit down.”
Moments later, Ferguson’s second substitute, Solskjaer, converted a corner to win the game and secure Manchester United’s second European Cup, 31 years after Sir Matt Busby won their first – and on what would have been his 90th birthday.
Solskjaer says his “mind lived that winning goal so many times” but the reality was “on a different scale”.
Beckham says: “I want that feeling again. I can never have that again.”
