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Few international fixtures stir emotions quite like an England versus Argentina encounter.

The fierce rivalry has been shaped by several unforgettable moments on the pitch – from Geoff Hurst’s disputed winner for England in the 1966 World Cup to Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal twenty years later, both matches set against the backdrop of the Falklands War between the two nations.

Among those iconic clashes stands the Round of 16 meeting at the 1998 World Cup in France, remembered for Michael Owen’s stunning solo goal, Sol Campbell’s disallowed late header, and England’s all-too-familiar heartbreak in a penalty shootout.

The other defining incident that night in Saint-Etienne was David Beckham’s red card. The then Manchester United midfielder, lying face down after being fouled, flicked his leg at Diego Simeone, leading to his dismissal.

Argentina’s veteran right-back Javier Zanetti, who started that game, later recalled how he tried to shut out all the off-field tension and focus purely on the match.

“The rivalry with England has deep roots and extends beyond football,” Zanetti told FourFourTwo. “But inside the dressing room, we left that social context outside. Winning was everything – it was the World Cup, and there was no room for mistakes. It was all or nothing.”

The game began at a blistering pace, with Gabriel Batistuta and Alan Shearer each converting a penalty within the first ten minutes.

Zanetti still feels that, had VAR existed back then, both penalties might have been overturned. “If VAR had been around, both decisions would have been checked and corrected,” he said. “The referee got both wrong, but it was a different time, and we had to accept his calls.”

Following Owen’s wonder strike, Zanetti himself brought Argentina level in first-half stoppage time through a meticulously rehearsed free-kick routine.

“That was a move we had practised many times,” he explained. “When we arrived in France, coach Daniel Passarella told me from the first session, ‘If we get a chance from this spot, you’ll take the shot.’ We repeated it in training over and over, but it never quite worked – until that night against England.”

The goal sparked an unforgettable celebration from Zanetti as he pointed to his left leg after scoring.

“I surprised myself with that finish – it came off my weaker foot,” he said. “It was a perfect moment; everything aligned, and the ball flew into a corner where David Seaman couldn’t reach. I had intended to hit it with my right, but my touch set it up ideally for my left. Truly unforgettable.”

Still, it was Beckham’s red card that became the lasting image of that match. The England midfielder would spend the next three years working tirelessly to regain the fans’ trust.

“It all happened so fast,” Zanetti recalled. “Beckham reacted to Simeone’s foul but didn’t realise the referee was only a few metres away. He left his leg out, but there was hardly any contact. Honestly, there was no real aggression – he shouldn’t have been sent off. The red card was too harsh, though Simeone used his experience smartly. He knew how to play the moment.”