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Former Manchester United legend David Beckham’s England and Ireland XI beat a Rest of the World XI side 3-1 in a ‘Match for Charity’ game for Unicef at Old Trafford in Manchester on Saturday. Former United striker Micheal Owen bagged a brace and Paul Scholes added another for Beckham’s side while Dwight Yorke pulled one back for the opposition.
There were speculations on if the game would happen in the backdrop of the tragic events that unfolded in France where over a 120 people lost their lives in terrorist attacks in the early hours of Saturday. But the match went ahead as planned but the atmosphere was understandably subdued at Old Trafford as it began with a silent prayer in solidarity with people affected by the horrific events.
The game saw many stellar names on both sides of the pitch. The England & Ireland squad included the likes of Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Owen and former Liverpool hero Jamie Carragher, who was subjected to comic boos by the United faithful during the game. Ironically, the squad did not feature a single Irishman! Whereas the Rest of the World squad comprised of Cafu, Luis Figo, Clarence Seedorf and Ronaldinho.
France legends Zinedine Zidane and Patrick Vieira were both due to play but were not in the Rest of the World squad in the aftermath of the disturbing events in their home country.
However, the presence of former United manager and legend Sir Alex Ferguson in the dugout as England & Ireland XI manager was a sight to savour for the fans while Italian Carlo Ancelotti managed the Rest of the World side.
The former United duo of David Beckham and Paul Scholes rolled back the years as they combined to put their side in the lead. A trademark dipping cross from Beckham was headed in by Scholes at the far post for the only goal of the first half. Owen scored the second for his side after good work from Scholes before Yorke pulled a goal back for the opposition.
Owen pounced on a loose ball after a fumble by former United goalkeeper Raimond van der Gouw to round up the scoring.
But the highlight of the day was when Beckham made way for his son Brooklyn Beckham, a surprise substitute who was not named on the team sheet earlier. However, an injury to Sol Campbell in the closing stages required Beckham senior to come back on which meant the presence of two Beckhams on the pitch, much to the delight of fans.
Here are the highlights of the game. Enjoy !
