England’s No.7 World Cup curse continues as James imitates Beckham

A talented youngster at their first World Cup, impressing in the number 7 jersey only to get sent off in a crucial knockout encounter for petulance, is something English fans are all too familiar with and will get eerie feelings of David Beckham’s 1998 disaster after watching Lauren James get sent off against Nigeria. 

With the game between Nigeria’s Super Falcons and England’s Lionesses ebbing towards full time of normal time, VAR was called into action for the second time during the match after Lauren James’ foul on Michelle Alozie. 

The England forward had been issued a yellow card by referee Melissa Borjas, but the  Argentine arbiter was asked to review her decision thanks to evidence that showed James intentionally step on Alozie’s back after the foul was awarded against her. 

Upon review, Borjas decided to change the yellow card to a red card for James after announcing violent conduct from the England international. 

James’ sending off inevitably draws comparisons with her compatriot David Beckham’s sending off at this same stage of the 1998 World Cup against Argentina. 

The legendary Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder was also playing at his first World Cup in 1998 and had been impressive during England’s campaign before he was sent off for a nasty stamp on Argentina’s Diego Simeone in the round of 16, leaving England to get knocked out at that stage. 

The circumstances are worryingly similar for England but it gets worse since James and Beckham are not the only two English youngsters to be sent off in the knockout stages of their first World Cup tournament after Wayne Rooney was also sent off against Portugal in the 2006 quarterfinal as the Three Lions lost to Portugal. 

On the previous occasions involving Beckham and Rooney, England have also gone on to lose on penalties