THIS is the painful moment David Beckham broke his wrist in an England game — before needing surgery TWENTY-TWO YEARS later.
The Sun exclusively revealed football legend Beckham secretly went under the knife this week to fix the decades-old injury.
Beckham, now 50, was in agony when snapped his wrist in a friendly win over South Africa in May 2003.
Goldenballs had already picked up an assist in the 2-1 victory as he whipped in a trademark cross for Gareth Southgate to head home in the first minute.
But he was forced off four minutes into the second half after an awkward fall following a challenge from South Africa’s Thabang Molefe.
The midfielder – who The Sun exclusively revealed will be knighted in the King’s Birthday Honours– landed heavily on his right hand and was left writhing in pain.
He bravely tried to play on before being subbed off by Sven-Goran Eriksson and replaced by Jermaine Jenas.
Becks underwent tests at the time, which showed that he had broken the scapoid bone in his right hand – a year after famously breaking the metatarsal in his foot.
The bone connects the thumb to the wrist and is a famously tricky injury to heal.
It came a year after the whole nation paused to pray for Beckham’s left metatarsal to heal in time for the 2002 World Cup.
Beckham’s recent operation was required after a new X-ray showed that a screw from his initial surgery had embedded itself in his forearm and not dissolved properly.
It appears to have been a success with wife Victoria posting on social media.
The Spice Girl posted a picture of the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star in his hospital bed with his arm in a sling.
A message read: “Get well soon daddy.”
Beckham was also given a sweet bracelet with the words “Get well soon” spelt out on it.
A source told The Sun that Beckham had been “in pain for years” and that it had become “unbearable” in recent months.
