11 November 2005
Exclusive Interview: David Beckham (Part One)

The England captain talks exclusively to TheFA.com ahead of the game against Argentina, his 50th as skipper.


Watch Part One of our Exclusive Interview with Becks by clicking the links above. To watch Part Two click here. 

As David Beckham prepares to wear the England Captain’s armband for the 50th time, he has revealed that he considers captaining his country to be the biggest honour in football.

“Every game that I step out wearing the armband and an England shirt is a highlight for me,” he explains. “That’s the biggest honour you can have in football; not just playing for your country but actually leading your country out as captain.”

It is almost five years to the day since Peter Taylor called the then 25-year-old Manchester United midfielder to inform him of the news that he was to be the new captain of England. It is a conversation that will forever be imprinted in Beckham’s memory.

“He rang me the day the squad [to face Italy] was being announced,” David recalls. “I was actually staying at Gary Neville’s house. He rang me on the mobile and said, ‘this is what I’m thinking about doing and I wanted to tell you before I tell the press.’

“It was just a shock to me…an incredible moment.”

So, aged only 25 at the time and not being the skipper at United, did David ever have any doubts about whether he was the right man for the job? Not a bit of it.

“I was always convinced that if I was given the responsibility and given the chance to lead our country, I knew I could handle it,” he says.

“I knew I would do it in the right way and in a way that would benefit the players because that’s the most important thing.”

It was as skipper that David experienced what he refers to as the best moment in his career – that goal against Greece.

“That’s always going to be one of the biggest memories in my career and in my life because it was such an emotional day,” he says.

“To score a goal like that in any game is amazing but to score one that takes you to the World Cup Finals was the best moment in my career.”

Click the links above to watch the exclusive interview with Becks and make sure to come back for the second part on Saturday when David talks about his brand of captaincy and reveals that his two sons are already showing those early signs of Beckham magic!