Beckham wins BBC award

David Beckham was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year on Sunday, completing his transformation from national villain to hero in three and a half years.

The England captain, widely vilified for his sending-off against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup, became the fourth footballer to win the prestigious award voted for by members of the public.

Beckham, 26, crowned a successful year by scoring a trademark 25-metre free-kick in the dying seconds of the match against Greece in October, securing the 2-2 draw which took England to the 2002 World Cup.

The midfielder also helped Manchester United win their seventh premier league title in nine seasons, though he has been dropped for the past two matches as the club continues to endure a slump in form.

Beckham was infamously shown the red card for his petulant kick at Argentina's Diego Simeone in a World Cup second-round match in France three years ago which England lost on penalties after a 2-2 draw.

He will have the chance to avenge that defeat next June in Japan after England were drawn in the same World Cup first-round group as the South American team.

The other footballers to win the BBC award were Bobby Moore in 1966, Paul Gascoigne in 1990 and Michael Owen in 1998.

Yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur was second in the voting and Owen third.