Beckham began to feel the backlash of his failure to make an impact at Euro 2004 as elements of the Far East market, which underpins his commercial value, turned against him.
"Blow it like Beckham," read the front-page headline of Singapore's Straits Times yesterday, along with a photograph of him slumped on the ground after his penalty miss.
In a broadsheet page devoted to him, the country's Sunday Times newspaper added: "Footballer, pop star, flop - in that chronological order, the short history of David Beckham.
"In just one season, the world has witnessed the downfall of the game's most phenomenal brand. One so ubiquitous in its global attack that it seems such a shame he is now defenceless in defeat, because, with or without his famed right foot, the poor fellow really isn't skilful enough."
The tabloid paper New did not hold back either. "No-one is more over-hyped than David Beckham. And no-one is more underachieved," one commentator concluded.
"The kid who could do things that has put the genius of Eric Cantona in the shade has turned into a standard midfield water-carrier."