Beckham repeats magic of '96

While David Beckham may have romanced the United States with his glamorous lifestyle, many followers of Major League Soccer had been left wondering what the fuss was all about.

But in a nation where bigger is most definitely better, Beckham rolled back the years with a 70-yard wonder goal that answered his doubters and brought more than a little Hollywood magic to the MLS on Saturday night.

It was a goal reminiscent of the moment that brought the birth of the Beckham phenomenon at Selhurst Park on a sunny August afternoon, when the 21-year-old left Wimbledon goalkeeper Neil Sullivan flapping like a flag in the wind as he lobbed the ball over his head from 55 yards.

If that was the original, then this was a worthy sequel, as Beckham, spotting Kansas City Wizards’ goalkeeper Kevin Hartman rushing back towards his goal after going up for a corner late in the game, ran the ball away from his own penalty area before driving the ball into the empty net from deep inside his own half.

“When he hit it, you could just tell,” Landon Donovan, Beckham’s team-mate, said. 

Click here to watch Beckham's goal for LA Galaxy

Click here to watch his goal Manchester United in 1996.

Is the original still the best? Join the debate.

by Ben Smith

Comments

[Alberto Manzi]

I'm confident I could have scored that goal.

[shane]

Beckham is the best ^^

[Paul F]

I think Alonso deserves more credit for the fact that of his two goals in a single calendar year from his own half, one was with his right foot and one with his left!

[Raul]

The goal was amazing!! Not quite as good as the first but still well done. MLS is NOT (3rd Division)! Maybe more like 2nd division. Everyone please stop hating on Becks, the goal was historical...

[Aditya]

Well both goals did the job: hitting the back of the net. The original one was much more opportune and spontaneous, and audacious for a 21-year-old. The recent one was a certain goal; the only question was whether he would have dribbled it another 30 yards or passed or tried for the shot himself, as he eventually did.

[Russell Cox]

There is no debate needed. English premier league with a golie v's MLS ( 3rd Division ) with no golie.

[monsieur rioux]

It didn't look difficult...but how many times has a player scored in such a situation? Usually they shoot and miss or try to run it and get caught.

[Jim Regan]

How on earth was alonso's more difficult? this was at an angle, from further (use trig). And any moving ball when at the end of a match isn't the easiest thing to boot exactly where you want 70yards away. However, comparissons to any long shot with a keeper are ridiculous though (excluding alonso v harper, which was as good as an open net)

[J]

Not as good as the Wimbledon goal but still, impressive all the same. Alonso's one vs Luton was good - so was the one he got against Newcastle!

[James, Sydney]

Ha ha ha ha - who says he went over there for an easy time and loads of money? He didn't even have the legs to run to the half way line!! Im afraid he will still be there in the qualifiers when bringing in Bentley/Young etc might be more sensible.

[Claire]

Its this kind of stuff that got Beckham-mania its name.

[rob]

er,it was an OPEN goal?Wouldnt any semi-decent attacking player hit the target 9 times out of ten with that scenerio?Alonsos v luton was twice as difficult but why not,just for old times sake lets have a little more overblown Beckham hype.Hes gonna rule the world and win the world cup single-handedly dont you know?LOL.

[Jay]

It was rubbish. There was no goalie (you say he was rushing back, he was behind Beckham when the ball was kicked) it bounced way before the penalty box and just rolled in. To compare it to the Wimbledon goal is a travesty.

[Adam Redpath]

Best goal like this was the one Queen of the South scored against Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi final this year.