当那颗黑白相间的皮球在天空划出一道优美的弧线，越过对方几名队员搭起的人墙后迅速下坠，蹭着门柱滑进球门的那一刻，整个球场沸腾了！相信看过这一幕的人都会牢牢记住这一记美妙的贝氏弯刀以及创造这一切的那个足坛传奇人物——大卫·贝克汉姆。
The English soccer player hasn't had the greatest of years. His career couldn't compete in a fourth World Cup after injury. And then coach Fabio Capello1) called time2) on his international career. Let's look back on the highs and lows.
这位英格兰球员的光辉岁月已一去不复返——先是因伤无缘他职业生涯的第四个世界杯，接着教练法比奥·卡佩罗又宣布将不再让他参加国际赛事。就让我们一起来回顾大卫·贝克汉姆那跌宕起伏的过往岁月吧。
Fanatic3)
狂热球迷
David Robert Joseph Beckham was born on May 2nd, 1975, and is a lifelong Manchester United4) supporter. As a boy, he attended the Bobby Charlton Soccer School (Charlton is a Manchester United legend) and dreamed of emulating5) his hero Bryan Robson6) and wearing the famous No.7 shirt one day.
大卫·罗伯特·约瑟夫·贝克汉姆生于1975年5月2日，一直都是曼彻斯特联队(译者注：下称“曼联”)的支持者。孩童时代，他就进入了博比·查尔顿足球学校(查尔顿是曼联史上的一位传奇巨星)，梦想着有朝一日也能成为像他的偶像布莱恩·罗布森那样的人物，穿上那件著名的7号球衣。
Slick7) and Sharp
锋芒初露
Beckham signed a Youth Training Scheme8) contract in 1991 with his beloved United. The boy wonder announced his arrival on the soccer scene in August 1996 by scoring a spectacular goal from inside his own half9) on the opening day of the season. Beckham was voted Young Player of the Year for 1996-97, scoring an impressive eight goals in 40 appearances.
1991年，贝克汉姆与他所钟爱的曼联签订了青年培训计划合同。在1996年8月的赛季揭幕战上，贝克汉姆在本方半场起脚远射踢进不可思议的一球，从此这位足球神童开始在绿茵场上崭露头角。1996~1997赛季中，贝克汉姆战绩斐然：共出场40次，进球八个。他因此被票选为该赛季最佳新人。
Hip to Be Square
圆月弯刀
Beckham scored his first goal for England during the 1998 World Cup in France vs. Colombia. He had somewhat surprisingly been left out of England's two prior games in the tournament, and the outpouring10) of joy after he netted11) one of his trademark free kicks12) was clear for all to see. As he proceeded to thrust his hips, the nation's women swooned13).
在1998年法国世界杯英格兰队对战哥伦比亚队的比赛中，贝克汉姆踢入了自己在国家队的首个进球。在英格兰之前的两场比赛中，他出人意料地没有被派上场，因此在射入他那记招牌式的任意球后(译者注：人称圆月弯刀)，他的欣喜若狂让全场观众都看在眼里。当他继而前后狂扭臀部时，英国的女人们全都被迷得神魂颠倒。
Argy-bargy14)
众矢之的
The undoubted low point of Beckham's playing career came when he received his first-ever red card in 1998, for flicking15) his leg out at Argentina's Diego Simeone during England's World Cup knockout16) game. Then England was eliminated17) on penalty kicks18). Beckham escaped the intense media scrutiny19) back home in England—the Daily Mirror printed a dartboard20) with a picture of him centered on the bull's-eye21)—by going to New York to be with his Spice Girl22) fiancée Victoria Adams.
1998年世界杯英格兰队与阿根廷队的那场淘汰赛上，贝克汉姆突然抬腿轻轻绊倒了阿根廷队的迭戈·西蒙尼，吃到了自己的第一张红牌，这无疑使他的职业生涯跌入低谷。而英格兰队也在随后的点球大战中被淘汰出局。为躲避英国国内媒体铺天盖地的责难——当时《每日镜报》刊出了一幅以他的照片为靶心的镖靶图——贝克汉姆远走纽约，投奔其未婚妻——“辣妹”组合的成员维多利亚·亚当斯。
Posh and Becks
郎才女貌
The U.K.'s most famous couple got married at Luttrellstown Castle in Ireland on July 4th, 1999. The couple's son Brooklyn, then four months old, was the ring bearer23). The media were kept away from the ceremony, as the Beckhams had an exclusive24) deal with OK! magazine, but the tabloids25) still managed to show them sitting on golden thrones. It's believed that 437 people were employed to staff the reception, which was estimated to have cost the best part of 26) $1 million.
1999年7月4日，这对英国最出名的夫妻在爱尔兰的路特尔斯顿城堡举行了婚礼，而婚礼的男花童是两人当时才四个月大的儿子布鲁克林。由于贝克汉姆夫妇已同《OK！》杂志达成了由他们独家报道婚礼的协议，其他媒体都被拒之门外，不过一些小报还是设法登出了两人坐在金色“宝座”上的照片。这场婚礼花费达100万美元，据说夫妻俩雇来招待宾客的侍者就达437人，估计这是这场婚礼的绝大部分开销所在。
Heart Break Again
再次落败
A few months before the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, Beckham was injured during a Champions League27) match. Suddenly all England fans became medical experts, and The Sun newspaper even asked people to place their hands on a front page depicting his injury, in a spiritual attempt to heal him. It must have worked, as he battled back to fitness and scored the winner28) in a group game against Argentina. Sadly for Beckham and England, they would be eliminated in the quarterfinals against the eventual champion Brazil.
就在2002年韩日世界杯开赛前几个月，贝克汉姆在欧洲冠军杯联赛的一场比赛中负伤。一时间，全英国的球迷都成了医学专家。《太阳报》甚至号召人们把手放在报道贝克汉姆受伤消息的报纸头版上，试图通过意念来治愈他。这招肯定起作用了，不久贝克汉姆就伤愈回归，还在世界杯小组赛阶段对阵阿根廷的比赛中攻入制胜球。不过贝克汉姆和英格兰队的伤心事还在后面，他们将在四分之一决赛中输给最终夺冠的巴西队。
Real-ity29) Bites
转会皇马
In the summer of 2003, Beckham signed with the Spanish giant Real Madrid. The midfielder's career got off30) to a dream start when he scored in his debut, but trophies31) didn't come easily over his four-year period, with only a solitary league title32) and a cup to his and the team's name.
2003年夏天，贝克汉姆签约西班牙足球豪门皇家马德里。贝克汉姆转会后的首场比赛就有进球，这位中场球员为自己的职业生涯开创了一个新的良好开端。但胜利并没有接踵而至，在随后四年的皇马岁月里，他随球队只获得了一个西班牙甲级联赛冠军和一个西班牙超级杯冠军(译者注：cup指的是西班牙超级杯)。
History in the Making
创造历史
Back in the international scene, Beckham created history when he scored against Ecuador in the 2006 World Cup: it made him the first-ever English player to score in three separate World Cups, But yet again, the team was eliminated in the quarterfinal33), this time courtesy of34) Portugal and those oh-so-cruel penalty kicks.
回到国际赛场上的贝克汉姆书写了一项新的历史。在2006年世界杯对战厄瓜多尔的比赛中，他又打入进球，成为首位在三届世界杯上都有进球的英格兰球员。然而旧幕重演，英格兰队又一次止步于八强，这一次是败给了葡萄牙队，又输在了残酷无比的点球大战上。
Coming to America
进军美国
Quite simply, it was one of the most stunning transfers in the history of the sport: Beckham's move in 2007 to the Los Angeles Galaxy put Major League Soccer35) on the world map. Yet cynics would say that his move was a result of his no longer being selected for the England team.
显然，这是足球史上最轰动的转会之一。2007年，贝克汉姆加盟洛杉矶银河队，美国职业足球大联盟因此被纳入世界足球的行列。不过，那些冷嘲热讽的人也许会说，贝克汉姆之所以去美国是因为他没有继续入选英格兰国家队。
Full Time
终场
Though he hadn't appeared for England since October 2009, Beckham was generally regarded as being a dead certainty to make England's World Cup squad36). But the cruelty of sports intervened: an Achilles37) injury has ended those hopes. Beckham's Achilles' tendon, it turns out, was his Achilles' heel.
尽管自2009年10月之后贝克汉姆就再也没有代表英格兰队出战，人们还是普遍认为他铁定入选英格兰队出征南非世界杯的队伍。但体育运动的残酷一面横挡在前：贝克汉姆跟腱受伤，种种希望无果而终。结果，贝克汉姆的跟腱成了他的致命伤。
End It Like Beckham
贝氏结局
England's Italian coach Fabio Capello capped38) a miserable year for Beckham by confirming before the national side's friendly match with Hungary on August 11th, 2010 that he won't select him in another competitive international. Beckham cut a forlorn39) figure at times during England's horrific World Cup campaign in South Africa as part of Capello's management team. "I say thank you very much for helping me at the World Cup, but probably he is a little bit old," said Capello upon delivering the news, which Beckham found out about at the same time as the fans. He made 115 appearances for his country—the most by any outfield player40)—scored 17 times and captained the "Three Lions41)" on 58 occasions. It's doubtful we'll hear him roar again.
2010年8月11日，在英格兰与匈牙利两支国家队的友谊赛举办之前，英格兰队的意大利籍教练法比奥·卡佩罗宣布说将不再任用贝克汉姆参加国际比赛，将贝克汉姆一年的不幸推向极致。英格兰队在南非世界杯上的表现不尽如人意，而贝克汉姆孤独的身影时不时地出现在卡佩罗的管理团队中。“我很感谢贝克汉姆在世界杯期间给予我的帮助，但可能他年龄有点大了。”卡佩罗在宣布这一消息时如是说。贝克汉姆和球迷们同时得知了这个消息。贝克汉姆共代表英格兰国家队出场115次——这是英格兰队场外球员的最高出场记录——打入17个进球，58次任“三狮军团”的队长。不知我们是否还能再听到他的吼声？
1. Fabio Capello: 法比奥·卡佩罗，意大利人，2007年成为英格兰国家足球队新一任主教练。
2. call time: (比赛中的)请求暂停
3. fanatic [fəˈnætɪk] n. <口> 入迷者
4. Manchester United: 曼彻斯特联队(简称曼联)，是英国一支著名的足球俱乐部联队。
5. emulate [ˈemjʊleɪt] vt. 努力赶上(或超过)；比得上；仿效
6. Bryan Robson: 布莱恩·罗布森，在20世纪80年代，他一直是英格兰国家足球队队长，位置为中场，球衣号码7号。他也曾是曼联的核心人物。
7. slick [slɪk] adj. 技法娴熟的，灵巧的，巧妙的
8. Youth Training Scheme: 青年培训计划，英国于1983年实施的一项专门针对离校青年的教育措施。
9. half [hɑːf] n. (篮球赛、足球赛等的)半场，半时
10. outpouring [ˈaʊtˌpɔːrɪŋ] n. (思想、感情等的)迸发；洋溢
11. net [net] vt. 把(球等)踢进网
12. free kick:任意球，足球比赛中罚球的一种方式。比赛中，任何一方队员触犯应判罚任意球的规定时，应由对方队员在犯规地点主罚任意球。
13. swoon [swuːn] vi. 昏厥，昏倒；心醉神迷
14. argy-bargy [ˌɑː(r)dʒiˈbɑː(r)dʒi] n. 大声争论；争吵
15. flick [flɪk] vt. (突然)快速移动
16. knockout [ˈnɒkaʊt] n. 淘汰赛
17. eliminate [ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt] vt. 消除；排除；淘汰
18. penalty kick: 罚点球，罚球
19. scrutiny [ˈskruːtɪni] n. 搜索的目光；监视，监督；细看，细阅
20. dartboard [ˈdɑː(r)tˌbɔː(r)d] n. (投镖游戏的)圆靶
21. bull's-eye: 靶的中心
22. Spice Girls: 辣妹组合，英国女子歌唱组合；贝克汉姆的妻子维多利亚曾是该组合的成员，被称为“高贵辣妹(Posh Spice)”。
23. ring bearer: 花童 (尤指男孩)
24. exclusive [ɪkˈskluːsɪv] adj. 独有的，独享的，独占的
25. tabloid [ˈtæblɔɪd] n. 小报
26. the best part of: ……的绝大部分
27. Champions League: 欧洲冠军杯联赛
28. score the winner: 打入制胜球
29. Real-ity: 这里是把单词reality (现实)巧妙地拆开，Real是球队名称(Real Madrid)的一部分，-ity是后缀，表示“性质”“状态”“程度”。
30. get off: 动身，开始
31. trophy [ˈtrəʊfi] n. (体育比赛等的)奖杯，奖盾；奖品
32. league title: 联赛冠军，此处指西班牙甲级足球联赛的冠军。
33. quarterfinal [ˌkwɔː(r)tə(r)ˈfaɪn(ə)l] n. 四分之一决赛
34. courtesy of: 经由……提供；蒙……好意
35. Major League Soccer: 美国职业足球大联盟，美国最高等级的职业足球联赛，没有升降级。
36. squad [skwɒd] n. 小队
37. Achilles [əˌkɪliːz] n. 【希神】阿喀琉斯(或译阿基里斯)，出生后被其母亲握脚踵倒提着在冥河水中浸过，因此除未浸到水的脚踵外，浑身刀枪不入。Achilles' tendon: 跟腱，在脚踵处。Achilles' heel: <喻> 阿喀琉斯的脚踵，致命弱点
38. cap [kæp] vt. 使……达到极点
39. forlorn [fə(r)ˈlɔː(r)n] adj. 被遗弃的，孤苦伶仃的；可怜的，愁苦的
40. outfield player: 场外球员，指守门员以外的球员。
41. Three Lions: 三狮军团，英格兰队的别称