Former Danish referee Kim Milton Nielsen has reflected on his decision to issue a red card to David Beckham during the 1998 World Cup match between Argentina and England. The incident occurred after Diego Simeone fouled Beckham, then leaned on him and tugged his hair, prompting Beckham to flick his boot at Simeone.
Nielsen, who was officiating his first major international tournament at 37, recalled a moment of doubt before making the call. He questioned if the action was truly violent and if Simeone's provocation should be considered. However, he drew on a past experience from 1991, where he sent off a Barcelona player despite immense crowd pressure, reminding himself that the same rules apply to all players, regardless of their status.
After England's subsequent loss on penalties, Nielsen considered if he could have acted differently. He concluded that changing his mind out of fear of headlines would have compromised his integrity as a referee. Nielsen, who retired in 2006 and was the first referee to reach 50 Champions League appearances in February 2005, remains widely remembered for the Beckham red card incident.
Nielsen's account is featured in an extract from William Ralston's new book, 'The Impossible Job: The Truly Unbelievable World of a Football Referee'.