'Poetry in motion': David Beckham rolls back the years during 'Treble 99' celebration game

A team of Manchester United legends faced their Bayern Munich counterparts in a re-run of the 1999 Champions League final, with David Beckham producing a standout performance in a resounding 5-0 win.

Beckham may now be 44 years of age, but his performance on the right flank had fans reminiscing about the glory days of Sir Alex Ferguson's all-conquering side.

And, according to a fair few observers, Becks' display compared favorably with those of the current United side over the past season.

© AFP / Lindsey Parnaby

Manchester Evening News correspondent Sam Luckhurst said Beckham delivered "the best cross Old Trafford has seen all season," and heaped praise on the former United number seven.

"Not an overstatement to say David Beckham has been the worthiest number seven at Old Trafford since Ronaldo left 10 years ago," he tweeted.

"Still gets the reverential ovations by the corner flag like he used to. Easily forgotten what a world-class footballer he was."

That view was shared by tweeter Joseph Owino, who suggested: "I am watching Beckham show, in a legends match, that he can walk straight into the current United team!"

Football agent Liam Canning concurred, tweeting: "David Beckham can still cross a ball better than most current Man Utd players."

And another tweeter produced some self-compiled stats to suggest that Beckham is still a better option out wide than the oft-maligned current United player Ashley Young.

The match saw some of United's other stars of the past reliving some of their glory days, with some showing that, while they may have added a few pounds around the waistline over the years, the competitive fire still burns bright.

Defender Jaap Stam had the Old Trafford crowd on its feet after a typically fiery challenge on Ivica Olic.

And there was a special reception reserved for the man whose late strike sealed victory in that famous 1999 Champions League final, as current United boss and 1999 matchwinner Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came off the bench during the game.

It took Solskjaer just three minutes to find the net, as he and fellow former United hitman Dwight Yorke scored first-half goals to put the home side 2-0 up over the Bayern legends side at halftime.

Nicky Butt and Louis Saha added two more after the break to put United away and clear at 4-0.

But, perhaps appropriately, it was Beckham who put the seal on a superb return to Old Trafford with a last-minute winner as he cut into the penalty area from the left and thrashed the ball into the top corner in front of an appreciative Stretford End.

It meant United ran out 5-0 winners in a match which was held to raise money for the Manchester United Foundation, the associated charity of Manchester United that looks to use football "to engage, inspire and unite young people."