“When David Beckham broke a bone in his left foot before the 2002 World Cup, Tony Blair, then the British prime minister, interrupted a cabinet meeting to express his concern about England’s suddenly uncertain chances.

[British] tabloid newspapers ran photos of Beckham’s injured foot on Page 1, and asked readers to lay their hands on the picture in an attempt at mass civic healing.”

Quoting: Jere Longman and Sam Borden   “Never the greatest player but an unsurpassed cultural phenomenon.” (First posted May 18, 2013 Updated: May 27, 2013)

http://www.thehindu.com/sport/football/never-the-greatest-player-but-an-unsurpassed-cultural-phenomenon/article4725686.ece