David Beckham has made thoughts clear on Diego Simeone after England vs Argentina controversy

David Beckham has made thoughts clear on Diego Simeone after England vs Argentina controversy Argentina midfielder Diego Simeone was at the centre of the David Beckham red card drama which contributed to England's World Cup exit in 1998 Some 28 years on from England's controversial World Cup meeting with Argentina, the teams will meet again with a place in the final at stake. David Beckham and Diego Simeone have both been in attendance at their countries' matches after being the main characters in that 1998 meeting but their careers have long finished. It appears age has mellowed the former Three Lions star. Beckham was sent off for kicking out at Simeone in Saint-Etienne but seems to have buried the hatchet with his rival in the years since. England lost on penalties that night in France, though Beckham got some revenge four years later when his winner against the same opposition helped send England through from a 'Group of Death' while the South Americans were eliminated. More recently, though, Beckham and Simeone appear to be firm friends. After Argentina won the 2022 World Cup final, the Englishman shared a photo of the pair together with the caption "Congratulations my friend." Simeone re-posted the photo, adding his own caption: "Good to see you always!", while the bond still appears strong. JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football's Facebook page Beckham has strong Argentina connections through his Major League Soccer franchise Inter Miami. World Cup stars Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul both play for the club, while 2014 World Cup finalist Gonzalo Higuain previously spent time on their books. Argentina played their round of 32 match with Cape Verde in Miami and Beckham was joined by Simeone at the match. "Bumped into an old friend in Miami... @simeone," the former England star wrote while sharing a photo of the pair together on Instagram. - Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now! Simeone also featured in Beckham's documentary for Netflix, which was released in 2023. The Englishman also shared his own reflections on the red card, admitting he still thought about it long after retiring. “I made a stupid mistake. It changed my life. I felt very vulnerable and alone," he said. "I don't think I have ever talked about it just because I can't. I find it hard to talk through what I went through because it was so extreme. The whole country hated me. Hated me." He added: "I wasn’t eating. I wasn’t sleeping. I was a mess. I didn’t know what to do." “It brought a lot of attention that I would never wish on anyone, let alone my parents," he adds. "I can’t forgive myself for that. That's the tough part what happened in a way. I was the one that made the mistake. It is only now I beat myself up about it." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer's FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code DEAL.