Editing David Beckham (section)

====1998–1999: Treble====
[[File:1999 FA Cup Final Beckham corner (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Beckham preparing to take a corner kick for [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] during the [[1999 FA Cup Final]] at Wembley Stadium]]
In the [[1998–99 in English football|1998–99 season]], he was part of the United team that won the [[treble (association football)|treble]] of the Premier League, FA Cup and [[UEFA Champions League|Champions League]], a unique feat in English football until [[2022–23 Manchester City F.C. season|Manchester City's 2022–23 season]].<ref name="treble"/> There had been speculation that the criticism that he had received after being sent off in the World Cup would lead to him leaving England, but Beckham decided to stay at Manchester United.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manutd.com/en/Players-And-Staff/Legends/David-Beckham.aspx?pageNo=2|title=Manchester United Legends: David Beckham|access-date=12 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007021554/http://www.manutd.com/en/Players-And-Staff/Legends/David-Beckham.aspx?pageNo=2|archive-date=7 October 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

To ensure they would win the Premier League title, United needed to win their final league match of the season, at home to Tottenham. There were reports suggesting that the opposition would allow themselves to be beaten to prevent their local rivals Arsenal from retaining the title, but Tottenham took an early lead in the match.<ref name="treble"/> Beckham scored the equaliser with a curling strike from {{convert|12|yd|spell=in}} out, after receiving the ball on the right side of the penalty area, placing the ball into the top left corner of the goal; United went on to win the match 2–1 and the league.<ref name="treble"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/fa_carling_premiership/345445.stm |title=Glorious United crowned champions |work=BBC Sport |date=27 May 1999 |access-date=20 April 2020 |archive-date=3 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200403105010/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/fa_carling_premiership/345445.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Beckham played in [[Midfielder#Central midfielder|central midfield]] in United's win over [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]] in the [[1999 UEFA Champions League Final]], as United's first-choice centre-midfielders Paul Scholes and [[Roy Keane]] were suspended for the match.<ref name="treble">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/05/99/uniteds_treble_triumph/354262.stm|title=The Kings of Europe|work=BBC News|access-date=12 September 2014|archive-date=2 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902053741/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/05/99/uniteds_treble_triumph/354262.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> United were losing the match 1–0 at the end of normal time, but won the trophy by scoring two goals in injury time. Both of the goals came from corners taken by Beckham.<ref name="treble"/> Those crucial assists, coupled with great performances over the rest of the season, led to him finishing runner up to [[Rivaldo]] for 1999's [[Ballon d'Or|European Footballer of the Year]] and [[FIFA World Player of the Year]] awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/ballondor/archive/edition=1999901999/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202232047/http://www.fifa.com/ballondor/archive/edition=1999901999/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 December 2013|title=Rivaldo on top of the world|publisher=FIFA|access-date=12 September 2014}}</ref>