It has been 14 years since an emotional David Beckham received a rapturous welcome on his return to Old Trafford.
On March 10th, 2010, just three weeks after Manchester United secured a 3-2 win in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash against AC Milan, Sir Alex Ferguson's side were eager to build on that narrow lead in the second-leg.
The famous red and black of Milan featured the likes of Ronaldinho, Andrea Pirlo and Clarence Seedorf, to name just a few. But it was the eagerly-anticipated return of Beckham that had people talking ahead of kick-off.
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Beckham, who played 74 minutes against United in the first-leg, found himself on the bench on his return but with half-an-hour remaining, Leonardo decided to bring him on.
At first, a composed Beckham looked to take the moment in his stride, looking around at those inside the Theatre of Dreams.
However, after the crowd gave him an almighty reception when stadium announcer Alan Keegan called his name and number, the former United man looked incredibly emotional.
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It was, after all, the first time that Beckham and United had crossed paths since his departure seven years earlier.
Those inside Old Traffiord were in great spirits after goals from Wayne Rooney (2) and Park Ji-Sung gave the home side a 3-0 lead with almost an hour played.
It ended up being a routine night for Sir Alex Ferguson's men as they eventually progressed with a 7-2 aggregate victory but the marvellous return of Beckham grabbed the headlines that day.
After the full-time whistle, the former England captain picked up a yellow and green scarf to send fans into raptures.
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“I saw the scarf there. I put it round my neck,” he said afterwards. “It’s nothing to do with me the way everything is run, that’s to do with other people, but I’m a Manchester United fan and I support the team.
“Obviously, you hear it week in and week out about the protests. There’s always protests going on. Let’s hope it gets sorted out.”
Featured Image Credit: X/@ChampionsLeagueTopics: David Beckham, AC Milan, Manchester United, Premier League, Serie A
