David Beckham and Gary Neville - The Connection

1992 - The pair are already close friends as they help Manchester United win The FA Youth Cup

1995 - It's the time to make the first-team breakthrough. Even though Alan Hansen says United can't win anything with kids, the new generation end the season with the league and FA Cup double

1998 - Beckham and Gary Neville star in their first World Cup

1999 - The wedding of the decade in Ireland sees David and Victoria tie the knot. Gary, naturally, is the best man 

2002 - Uncannily, Gary injures his metatarsal just a fortnight after David suffers the same injury. Becks makes the World Cup but Gary has to stay at home.

2003 - Beckham leaves for Real Madrid. Gary is philosophical. "I have beeen living in a dream world going to work with my brother and best mate but things like that can't last forever. And this week they are re-united as England take on Macedonia.

When David Beckham left London for Manchester to seek his fame and fortune with United, one lad helped the shy teenager more than any other - Gary Neville.

As the Beckham phenomenon exploded, the intelligent and articulate elder Neville brother was a stabling influence - never treating his best friend any differently.

Whenever wife Victoria couldn't be in Manchester, David would stay at Gary's house and do all the cooking!

Beckham admits: "The players at Manchester United were like my family" and none more so than Neville. The pair regularly speak since Beckham's move to Madrid and Neville jokes if they come up against each other in the Champions League: "I will have to crock him"

Although both men have been England regulars for seven years, they have always joined up as team-mates.

Now they live in different countries, making their time together with England all the more special.

Joe Bernstein