The 2002-04 period was a time of redemption and leadership for David Beckham as England captain, most notably marked by his historic performance in the 2002 World Cup. Having secured qualification with his legendary free-kick against Greece, Beckham overcame a metatarsal injury to lead the Three Lions in the Far East, where he famously exorcised the ghosts of 1998 by scoring the winning penalty against Argentina. His dead-ball mastery continued to be vital throughout the Euro 2004 qualifying campaign, including a crucial long-range equalizer against Slovakia that underscored his status as the team's indispensable talisman and creative heartbeat.