Welcome to my Icon Spotlight — Where I highlight for you European Football’s top Icons [Legendary players, regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration, who are most likely to maintain European Football icon status in the present and future (Causing a rise in popularity, fan interest, and Sorare NFT Value as a result of their demonstrated prowess on the field.)] and are primed for you to direct your attention and Sorare NFT Funds towards.
Our First Icon is the Hero of both England and Manchester United, Real Madrid Galáctico, International Superstar, National Treasure… David Beckham!
Introduction: (Source: Wiki)
David Beckham was born at Whipps Cross University Hospital in Leytonstone, London, England. The son of Sandra Georgina, a hairdresser, and David Edward Alan “Ted” Beckham, a kitchen fitter, who married in the London Borough of Hackney in 1969. Beckham attended Chingford County High School in Ridgeway Park, Chingford. In a 2007 interview, Beckham stated that:
“At school whenever the teachers asked, ‘What do you want to do when you’re older?’ I’d say, ‘I want to be a footballer.’ And they’d say, ‘No, what do you really want to do, for a job?’ But that was the only thing I ever wanted to do.”
Beckham attended one of Bobby Charlton’s Soccer Schools in Manchester and won the chance to take part in a training session with Barcelona, as part of a talent competition. Young Beckham had trials with his local club Leyton Orient, Norwich City, and attended Tottenham Hotspur’s school of excellence, though never represented the club in a match. During a two-year period in which Beckham played for Brimsdown Rovers’ youth team, he was named Under-15 Player of the Year in 1990. He also attended Bradenton Preparatory Academy, but signed schoolboy forms at Manchester United on his 14th birthday, and subsequently signed a Youth Training Scheme contract on July 8, 1991.
Having signed for Manchester United as a trainee on July 8, 1991, Beckham was part of a group of young players, including Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, and Paul Scholes, who were coached by Eric Harrison, and helped the club win the FA Youth Cup in May 1992. Beckham scored Manchester United’s second goal in the 30th minute of their 3–1 first-leg win of the final against Crystal Palace on April 14, 1992. In the second leg on May 15, Beckham played a full 90-minutes of the fixture which ended 3–2 in favor of Manchester United and 6–3 on aggregate. Beckham’s impact led to a first-team debut on September 23, 1992, as a substitute for Andrei Kanchelskis in a League Cup match against Brighton & Hove Albion. Shortly afterward, Beckham signed as a professional on January 23, 1993.
In September 1994, Beckham made his first full appearance in the club’s first team against Port Vale in a League Cup fixture. On December 7, 1994, Beckham made his UEFA Champions League debut, scoring a goal in a 4–0 victory at home to Galatasaray in the final game of the group stage. Despite the victory, however, they finished third out of four in their group, behind Barcelona.
Beckham then joined Preston North End on loan for part of the 1994–95 season in order to gain more first-team experience. He impressed, scoring two goals in five appearances, notably scoring directly from a corner kick.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had a great deal of confidence in the club’s young players. Beckham was part of a group of young talents Ferguson brought into United in the 1990s (known as “Fergie’s Fledglings”), which included Nicky Butt and Gary and Phil Neville. When experienced players Paul Ince, Mark Hughes, and Andrei Kanchelskis left the club after the end of the 1994–95 season, Ferguson’s decision to let youth team players replace them instead of buying star players from other clubs (United had been linked with moves for players including Darren Anderton, Marc Overmars, and Roberto Baggio, but no major signings were made that summer) drew a great deal of criticism. The criticism increased when United started the season with a 3–1 defeat at Aston Villa, with Beckham scoring United’s only goal of the game. However, United recovered from this early season defeat and the young players performed well.
Beckham swiftly established himself in 1995 as United’s right-sided midfielder (rather than a right-winger in the style of his predecessor Andrei Kanchelskis) and helped them to win the Premier League title and FA Cup double that season, scoring the winner in the semi-final against Chelsea and also providing the corner from which Eric Cantona scored in the FA Cup Final. Beckham’s first title medal had, for a while, looked like it would not be coming that season, as United were still 10 points adrift of leaders Newcastle United at the turn of the new year, but Beckham and his teammates had overhauled the Tynesiders at the top of the league by mid-March and they remained top until the end of the season. Despite playing regularly and to a consistently high standard for Manchester United, Beckham did not break into the England squad before Euro 1996.
At the beginning of the 1996–97 season, Beckham was given the number 10 shirt that had most recently been worn by Mark Hughes. On August 17, 1996 (the first day of the Premier League season), Beckham became something of a household name when he scored a spectacular goal in a match against Wimbledon. With United leading 2–0, Beckham noticed that Wimbledon’s goalkeeper Neil Sullivan was standing a long way out of his goal, and hit a shot from the halfway line — 57 yards out — that floated over the goalkeeper and into the net.
“It changed my life. The ball seemed to be in the air for hours and it all went quiet. Then the ball went in and it just erupted. I was on cloud nine.”
— Beckham on the goal from the halfway line against Wimbledon in August 1996 that made him a household name.
Beckham’s goal celebration saw him raise his arms and walk away smiling rather than run as he often would. In a UK poll conducted by Channel 4 in 2002, the British public voted the goal №18 in the list of the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments. In a 2016 Sky Sports poll, it was ranked the best opening day goal in Premier League history.
During the 1996–97 season, Beckham became an automatic first-choice player at Manchester United, helping them to retain the Premier League title, and was voted PFA Young Player of the Year by his peers.
Prior to the 1997–98 season, Beckham inherited the number 7 shirt, a number previously worn by such United greats as George Best and Eric Cantona. Manchester United started the season well but erratic performances in the second half of the season saw United finish second behind Arsenal. Beckham had the most assists in the league with 13, while his nine Premier League goals included a free-kick from the edge of the 18-yard box against Manchester United’s arch-rivals Liverpool at Anfield.
Beckham had played in all of England’s qualifying matches for the 1998 World Cup and was part of the England squad at the World Cup finals in France, but did not start in either of England’s first two games. He was picked for the third game against Colombia and scored with a bending 30-yard free kick in a 2–0 victory, which was his first goal for England.
In the second round (last 16) of that competition, Beckham received a red card in England’s match against Argentina. Beckham, after having been fouled by Diego Simeone, kicked Simeone while lying on the floor, striking him on the calf muscle. Sports Illustrated was critical of the Argentinians’ theatrics in that incident, stating that Simeone first delivered a “heavy-handed challenge” on Beckham and then “fell like a ton of bricks” when Beckham retaliated. Simeone later admitted to trying to get Beckham sent off by over-reacting to the kick and then, along with other members of his team, urging the referee to send Beckham off. The match finished in a draw and England was eliminated in a penalty shootout. Many supporters and journalists blamed him for England’s elimination and he became the target of criticism and abuse, including the hanging of an effigy outside a London pub, and the Daily Mirror printing a dartboard with a picture of him centered on the bullseye. Beckham also received death threats after the World Cup.
In the 1998–99 season, Beckham was part of the United team that won the treble of the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League, a unique feat in English football.
During the final match of the Premier League season, United needed to win their final league match of the season to ensure they would win the Premier League, at home to Tottenham. There were reports suggesting that the opposition would allow themselves to be beaten to prevent their local rivals Arsenal from retaining the title, but Tottenham took an early lead in the match. Beckham scored the equalizer with a curling strike from 12 yards out, after receiving the ball on the right side of the penalty area, placing the ball into the top left corner of the goal; United went on to win the match 2–1 and the league.
There had been speculation that the criticism that he had received after being sent off in the World Cup would lead to him leaving England, but Beckham decided to stay at Manchester United.
Beckham played in central midfield in United’s win over Bayern Munich in the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final, as United’s first string center-midfielders Paul Scholes and Roy Keane were suspended for the match. United was losing the match 1–0 at the end of normal time but won the trophy by scoring two goals in injury time. Both of the goals came from corners taken by Beckham. Those crucial assists, coupled with great performances over the rest of the season, led to him finishing runner up to Rivaldo for 1999’s European Footballer of the Year and FIFA World Player of the Year awards.
Despite Beckham’s achievements in the 1998–99 season, he was still unpopular among some opposition fans and journalists, and he was criticized after being sent off for a deliberate foul in Manchester United’s World Club Championship match against Necaxa. It was suggested in the press that his wife was a negative influence on him and that it might be in United’s interests to sell him, but his manager Alex Ferguson publicly backed him as he stayed with the club. During the 1999–2000 season, there was talk of a transfer to Juventus in Italy, but this never happened.
Beckham helped United retain the Premier League title in 1999–2000 by an 18-point margin, after being pushed by Arsenal and Leeds United for much of the season. United won their final 11 league games of the season, with Beckham scoring five goals during this run, with his last goal coming from a swerving shot from the edge of the penalty area in their final home game against Tottenham Hotspur.
The abuse that Beckham was receiving from English supporters peaked during England’s 3–2 defeat by Portugal in Euro 2000, a match where Beckham set up two goals while a group of England supporters taunted him throughout the match. Beckham responded by raising his middle finger and, while the gesture attracted some criticism, many of the newspapers that had previously encouraged his vilification asked their readers to stop abusing him.
Keegan Describes Beckham Abuse As ‘Worst I’ve Ever Heard’
On November 15, 2000, following Kevin Keegan’s resignation as England manager in October, Beckham was promoted to team captain by the caretaker manager Peter Taylor and then kept the role under new manager Sven-Göran Eriksson.
The Redemption Of David Beckham
The final step in Beckham’s conversion from villain to national hero occurred in England’s final qualifying game against Greece on October 6, 2001. England needed to win or draw the match to qualify outright for the World Cup, but were losing 2–1 with little time remaining. When Teddy Sheringham was fouled eight yards outside the Greek penalty area, England was awarded a free-kick and Beckham ensured England’s qualification with a curling strike of the kind that had become his trademark.
“We’ve played two and a half minutes of stoppage time. England trail by 2 goals to 1. Beckham could raise the roof here with a goal … I don’t believe it! David Beckham scores the goal to take England all the way to the World Cup Finals! … Give that man a Knighthood!”
— Television commentary on Beckham’s stoppage-time 30-yard curling free-kick against Greece in the 2002 World Cup qualifying game in October 2001.
Beckham was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2001, and finished runner-up, to Luís Figo of Portugal, for the FIFA World Player of the Year award.
By the early 2000s, the relationship between Alex Ferguson and Beckham had begun to deteriorate, possibly as a result of Beckham’s fame and commitments away from football. In 2000, Beckham was given permission to miss training to look after his son Brooklyn, who had gastroenteritis, but Ferguson was furious when Victoria Beckham was photographed at a London Fashion Week event on the same night, claiming that Beckham would have been able to train if Victoria had looked after Brooklyn that day. Ferguson responded by fining Beckham the maximum amount that was permitted (two weeks’ wages — then £50,000) and dropping him for a crucial match against United’s rivals Leeds United. He later criticized Beckham for this in his autobiography, claiming he had not been “fair to his teammates.”
“He was never a problem until he got married. He used to go into work with the academy coaches at night time, he was a fantastic young lad. Getting married into that entertainment scene was a difficult thing — from that moment, his life was never going to be the same. He is such a big celebrity, football is only a small part.”’
— Alex Ferguson in 2007 speaking about Beckham’s marriage.
Beckham was a key player in United’s third successive league title in 2000–01, only the fourth time that any club had achieved three league titles in a row. He scored 9 Premier League goals and had the most assists in the league with 12.
On April 10, 2002, Beckham was injured during a Champions League match against Deportivo de La Coruña, breaking the second metatarsal bone in his left foot. There was speculation in the British media that the injury might have been caused deliberately, as the player who had injured Beckham was Argentine Aldo Duscher, and England and Argentina were due to meet in that year’s World Cup. The injury prevented Beckham from playing for United for the rest of the season and they missed out on the Premier League title to Arsenal (also being knocked out of the Champions League by Bayer Leverkusen on away goals in the semi-finals)
David Beckham signed a three-year contract in May, following months of negotiations with the club, mostly concerning extra payments for his image rights. The income from his new contract, and his many endorsement deals, made him the highest-paid player in the world at the time. Despite the season being curtailed with injury, 2001–02 was one of Beckham’s best seasons as a United player; he scored 16 goals in all competitions, the most of his career.
Beckham was partially fit by the time of the 2002 World Cup held in Japan and South Korea and played in the first match against Sweden. After the events of four years earlier, Beckham achieved a degree of revenge over Argentina by scoring the winning goal with a penalty, causing Argentina to fail to qualify for the knockout stage. England defeated Denmark in the second round with Beckham providing an assist in a 3–0 win. England was knocked out in the quarter-finals by eventual winners Brazil after Ronaldinho scored the winner.
Following an injury early in the 2002–03 season, Beckham was unable to regain his place on the Manchester United team, with Ole Gunnar Solskjær having replaced him on the right side of midfield. Beckham’s relationship with his manager deteriorated further on February 15, 2003, when, in the changing room following an FA Cup defeat to Arsenal, a furious Alex Ferguson threw or kicked a boot that struck Beckham over the eye, causing a cut that required stitches. The incident led to a great deal of transfer speculation involving Beckham, with bookmakers offering odds on whether he or Ferguson would be first to leave the club.
Although the team had started the season in poor form, their results improved greatly from December onwards and they won the league, with Beckham managing a total of 11 goals. Beckham was still a first-choice player for England, however, and in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, he has appointed an OBE for services to football on June 13, 2003.
Beckham had made 265 Premier League appearances for United and scored 61 goals. He also made 81 Champions league appearances, scoring 15 goals. With the club, Beckham won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, one European Cup, one Intercontinental Cup, and one FA Youth Cup in the space of 12 years. By this stage, he was their joint second longest-serving player behind Ryan Giggs (having joined them at the same time as Nicky Butt, Gary Neville, and Paul Scholes).
“He is a great player who is going to become part of the club’s great history. He is a man of our times and a symbol of modern-day stardom and what is certain is Real Madrid has signed Beckham because he’s a great footballer and a very dedicated professional. His team spirit is unsurpassed and he is one of the best English players of all time and if only because of that he is with us.”
— Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez during Beckham’s unveiling.
As the summer 2003 transfer window approached, Manchester United appeared keen to sell Beckham to Barcelona and the two clubs even announced that they reached a deal for Beckham’s transfer, but instead he joined reigning Spanish champions Real Madrid for $45 million on a four-year contract. Beckham was the latest signing in the Galácticos era of global stars signed by club president Florentino Pérez every summer. The news came as a bitter blow to the newly elected Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who based much of his presidential campaign on signing Beckham. Though announced in mid-June, the transfer was completed on July 1, 2003, making him the third Englishman to play for the club, after Laurie Cunningham and Steve McManaman. Following a successful medical on July 2, Beckham was unveiled in front of 500 accredited journalists from 25 countries at Real’s basketball facility, where Beckham was handed the famous white shirt by club legend Alfredo Di Stéfano. Although Beckham had worn the number seven shirt for Manchester United and England, he was unable to wear it at Madrid as it was assigned to club captain Raúl. Beckham decided to wear number 23 instead, citing his admiration of basketball player Michael Jordan, who also wore the number 23 shirt, as the reason behind his decision.
In late August 2003, Real Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup over two legs versus RCD Mallorca, with Beckham scoring the final goal in a 3–0 return leg win at home, thus setting the stage for the start of the league season. Playing in a star-laden team which included three former FIFA World Player of the Year recipients, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, and Luís Figo, in addition to Roberto Carlos, Raúl, and Iker Casillas, Beckham did not require much time to settle in, scoring five times in his first 16 matches (including a goal less than three minutes into his La Liga debut).
“We knew before he was a good player, but we did not expect him to be such an influential player, to show such commitment to the team spirit. The way he runs for everything, the way he tries his best. He has everyone’s respect.”
— Ronaldo speaking about Beckham in October 2003.
In England’s opening game at the 2006 World Cup, against Paraguay on 10 June 2006, Beckham’s free-kick led to an own-goal by Carlos Gamarra as England won 1–0. In England’s next match, played against Trinidad and Tobago on June 15, 2006, Beckham’s cross in the 83rd minute led to a Peter Crouch goal, which put England into the lead 1–0. Beckham gave another assist to Steven Gerrard. In the end, they won 2–0 with Beckham being named Man of the Match by tournament sponsor Budweiser.
During England’s second-round match against Ecuador, Beckham scored from a free kick in the 59th minute, becoming the first English player to score in three separate World Cups, and giving England a 1–0 victory and a place in the quarter-finals. In the quarter-final against Portugal, Beckham was substituted following an injury shortly after half time and the England team went on to lose the match on penalties (3–1), the score having been 0–0 after extra time. After his substitution, Beckham was visibly shaken and emotional for not being able to play, being in tears at one point.
A day after England was knocked out of the World Cup, an emotional Beckham made a statement in a news conference that he had stepped down as England captain, stating, “It has been an honor and privilege to captain my country but, having been captain for 58 of my 95 games, I feel the time is right to pass on the armband as we enter a new era under Steve McClaren.” He was succeeded by Chelsea captain John Terry.
On January 11, 2007, Beckham announced that he had signed a five-year deal to play for the LA Galaxy beginning July 1, 2007.
On May 26, 2007, McClaren announced that Beckham would be recalled to the England squad for the first time since stepping down as their captain. Beckham started against Brazil in England’s first match at the new Wembley Stadium and put in a positive performance. In the second half, Beckham set up England’s goal converted by new captain John Terry. It looked as though England would claim victory over Brazil, but newcomer Diego equalized in the dying seconds. In England’s next match, a Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia, Beckham sent two trademark assists for Michael Owen and Peter Crouch, helping England to prevail 3–0. Beckham had assisted in three of England’s four total goals in those two games; afterwards, he stated his desire to continue to play for England after his move to Major League Soccer.
On June 17, 2007, the last day of the La Liga season, Beckham started in his final match for the club, a 3–1 win over Mallorca which saw them clinch the title from Barcelona. With Real down 0–1, Beckham limped off the field and was replaced by José Antonio Reyes, who scored two goals, leading the team to that season’s La Liga title, their first since Beckham had signed with them and 30th overall in the club’s history. Although Real and Barçelona both finished level on points, Madrid took the title because of their superior head-to-head record, capping a remarkable six-month turnaround for Beckham. With his wife and children, along with celebrity friends Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, watching from a luxury box at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, it was Beckham’s second piece of silverware since he joined the famous club.
On August 22, 2007, Beckham played in a friendly for England against Germany, becoming the first to play for England while with a non-European club team.
Towards the end of the season, Real Madrid announced they would attempt to untie Beckham’s transfer to LA Galaxy, but was ultimately unsuccessful. Several weeks before Beckham’s scheduled arrival in the United States, Real’s management contacted LA Galaxy’s ownership group about reacquiring the player but was quickly turned down.
A month after the conclusion of David Beckham’s Real Madrid career, Forbes magazine reported that Beckham had been the party primarily responsible for the team’s huge increase in merchandise sales, a total reported topping $600 million during Beckham’s four years at the club.
BBC Sport | Beckham Agrees To LA Galaxy Move
Beckham’s announcement of his LA Galaxy signing made global headlines and elevated the league’s profile. The high-profile acquisition paid immediate financial dividends for Galaxy long before Beckham joined the team; the club was able to pull off a new five-year shirt sponsorship deal with Herbalife nutrition company worth $20 million on the strength of the Beckham’s signing and the media frenzy it created. The club’s gate revenue peaked as well with 11,000 new season ticket holders and sold-out luxury suites (each one of the 42 inside the team’s home stadium, the Home Depot Center). LA Galaxy owners Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) also reported an immediate spike in business. Involved on many business fronts worldwide, AEG was already leveraging its Beckham association in places such as Shanghai and Beijing, where the company had been working aggressively for years to receive clearance to build arenas and stadiums. The company’s CEO Tim Leiweke put it as follows: “Suddenly, we’re known as the company that owns the team that David Beckham is going to play for, so our world changed.”
In the months following the announcement, the additional terms of Beckham’s contract became public knowledge. One unique contract provision was giving him the option of buying an MLS expansion franchise in any market except New York City at the fixed price of $25 million whenever he stopped playing in the league — an allowance that the league’s owners had never given to a player before. Another provision was the opt-out clause after the 2009 season, meaning that should he decide so, Beckham was free to leave the club after completing year three of his five-year contract. The league had a salary cap in place, requiring the creation of the Designated Player Rule for Beckham to bypass the cap; the rule was later nicknamed in his honor: “The David Beckham Rule”.
I’m coming there not to be a superstar. I’m coming there to be part of the team, to work hard, and to hopefully win things. With me, it’s about football. I’m coming there to make a difference. I’m coming there to play football … I’m not saying me coming over to the States is going to make soccer the biggest sport in America. That would be difficult to achieve. Baseball, basketball, American football, they’ve been around. But I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t think I could make a difference.
— Beckham on moving to America
Remembering David Beckham’s Arrival At LA Galaxy
Beckham’s contract with LA Galaxy took effect on July 11, 2007, and on July 13, the Englishman was officially unveiled as a Galaxy player at the Home Depot Center to much fanfare and world media interest in front of more than 5,000 gathered fans and some 700 accredited media members. Beckham chose to wear number 23. It was announced that Galaxy jersey sales had already reached a record figure of over 250,000 prior to this formal introduction.
On July 21, 2007, David Beckham made his Galaxy debut, entering on for Alan Gordon in the 78th minute of a 0–1 friendly loss to Chelsea as part of the World Series of Soccer. With a capacity crowd, along with a long Hollywood celebrity list featuring Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Eva Longoria, and Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, among others present at the Home Depot Center, the match was broadcast live on ESPN’s main network. However, the proceedings on the field of play took a back seat to the Beckham spectacle, and despite the presence of worldwide football stars such as Andriy Shevchenko, Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack, and Frank Lampard, the US television cameras were firmly focused on Beckham who spent most of the match on the bench.
On March 20, 2008, Beckham was recalled to the England squad by Capello for the friendly against France in Paris on March 26. Beckham became only the fifth Englishman to win 100 caps.
On October 30, 2008, the historic Italian club A.C. Milan announced that Beckham was set to join them on loan from January 7, 2009. Despite this and other speculation, Beckham made it clear that the move in no way signaled his intent to leave MLS and announced his intent to return to the Galaxy in time for the start of the 2009 season in March.
Beckham was unveiled at Milan’s training facility by the club’s chief executive Adriano Galliani on December 20, 2008. The player chose the number 32 shirt previously worn by Christian Vieri, as both the number 7 and 23 shirts were already used by Alexandre Pato and club vice-captain Massimo Ambrosini, respectively. The day after his unveiling, Beckham was brought to San Siro and introduced to home fans by walking out on the pitch before the league match versus Udinese and proclaiming “Forza Milan” over the public address system. Afterward, he and his wife Victoria watched from a luxury box as Milan won 5–1.
“On the pitch, Beckham sees everything before everyone else. His vision of play is better now than during his time in Manchester. He is slower but much stronger tactically and technically. He is very intelligent and works a lot.”
— A.C. Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti on Beckham’s condition at 33 years old.
Playing on the squad led by the 26-year-old superstar Kaká in addition to several other world-class players at or near the peak of their careers — 28-year-old Ronaldinho, and 29-year-old Andrea Pirlo — as well as club veterans Paolo Maldini, Clarence Seedorf, Massimo Ambrosini, Giuseppe Favalli, Gianluca Zambrotta, Filippo Inzaghi, and Andriy Shevchenko, Beckham made his competitive debut for the Rossoneri in Serie A as a starter away at Roma on January 11, 2009, playing 89 minutes of the 2–2 draw in front of 53,444 at the Stadio Olimpico.
A noticeably older team, Ancelotti-coached Milan was proving a good fit for the 33-year-old Englishman. Beckham scored his first goal in Serie A for Milan in a 4–1 victory over Bologna on January 25, his third appearance for the club. Though Beckham was expected to return to Los Angeles in March, after impressing at the Italian club, scoring two goals in his first four matches and assisting on several more, rumors began to swirl that Beckham would stay in Milan, with the Italian club reportedly offering to pay a multimillion-dollar fee for him. The rumors were confirmed on February 4, when Beckham stated that he was seeking a permanent transfer to Milan in a bid to sustain his England career through the 2010 World Cup. Milan, however, failed to match Galaxy’s valuation of Beckham, in the $10–15 million range.
Still, negotiations continued during a month of speculation. On March 2, the Los Angeles Times reported that Beckham’s loan had been extended through mid-July. This was later confirmed by Beckham, revealing what was described as a unique “timeshare” deal, in which Beckham would play with L.A. from mid-July until the end of the 2009 MLS season.
After his return from Milan, the Galaxy enjoyed a much more successful season than in previous years, rising from third to first in the Western Conference during Beckham’s time with them. Beckham remained a key part of the squad which saw Galaxy win the 2009 Western Conference final after a 2–0 overtime victory over the Houston Dynamo. In the final on November 22, 2009, the Galaxy lost to Real Salt Lake by 5–4 in a penalty shoot-out after a 1–1 draw. Beckham also scored in the shootout.
In November 2009, after the end of the 2009 MLS season, it was confirmed that Beckham would return to Milan for a second loan period beginning in January 2010. On January 6, 2010, Beckham made a winning return in a Milan shirt, playing 75 minutes of a 5–2 victory over Genoa. On February 16, 2010, Beckham played against Manchester United for the first time since he left the club in 2003. He played 76 minutes of the match at the San Siro — which ended 3–2 to Manchester United — before being substituted for Clarence Seedorf.
Beckham returned to Old Trafford for the second leg of the tie on March 10, 2010; he did not start the match but was brought on for Ignazio Abate in the 64th minute to positive reception from the Manchester United fans. The match was the first time Beckham had played against Manchester United at Old Trafford and saw him create several scoring opportunities via crosses and corner kicks, but Manchester United dominated Milan and beat them 4–0, winning the tie 7–2.
On May 15, 2011, Beckham scored his first LA Galaxy goal of the new season from a 30-yard free-kick, in a 4–1 victory over Sporting Kansas City. On July 9, Beckham scored directly from a corner in a 2–1 win over Chicago Fire, repeating a feat he also achieved while playing for Preston North End.
After producing his best season with the Galaxy to date and finishing second in the league in assists, Beckham finished his fifth MLS season on a high. On November 20, 2011, Beckham joined an elite group of players to have won league titles in three countries, as Los Angeles won their third MLS Cup against the Houston Dynamo, winning 1–0 on a goal by captain Landon Donovan, with assists from Beckham and fellow designated player Robbie Keane.
Following the 2011 season, in which the Galaxy won their second consecutive Supporters’ Shield, having the second-most points in MLS history, Beckham’s five-year contract with the Galaxy expired on December 31, 2011. Despite being 36, he stated that he did not intend to retire. Beckham was heavily linked with Paris Saint-Germain, but on January 18, 2012, Galaxy announced Beckham had signed a new two-year contract to remain in Los Angeles. In May 2012, Beckham and his victorious teammates were received by President of the United States Barack Obama at the White House.
Beckham helped the Galaxy to a fourth-place finish in the MLS Western Conference 2012 regular season with Beckham scoring seven goals and adding nine assists. The Galaxy defeated Vancouver Whitecaps FC, the San Jose Earthquakes, and Seattle Sounders FC on their way to the MLS Cup final, where they defeated the Houston Dynamo 3–1 to retain the cup. Beckham was subbed off in the 89th minute for Marcelo Sarvas and was given a standing ovation at their home venue. Beckham had earlier announced that the 2012 MLS Cup Final would be his final game with the Galaxy despite having another year remaining on his contract.
On January 31, 2013, ahead of the transfer deadline, it was announced that Beckham would be undergoing a medical with Paris Saint-Germain ahead of a potential move to the Ligue 1 side. Beckham signed a five-month deal with the club later that afternoon and confirmed that his entire salary during his time in Paris would be donated to a local children’s charity. His PSG debut came on February 24, 2013, when entered the match in the 76th minute in a Ligue 1 home match against Marseille. On May 12, 2013, Beckham won a fourth different top-flight winners’ medal after PSG beat Lyon 1–0 to claim the Ligue 1 title.
On May 16, 2013, Beckham announced that he would retire from professional football at the end of that year’s French football season. Following his decision to retire at the end of the 2012–13 season, Beckham was given specially designed boots in the colors of the Union Jack to wear in his final game. These boots had the names of his wife and children stitched onto them. On May 18, 2013, Beckham was made captain in his final home game against Brest. In this game, Beckham assisted a goal by Matuidi from a corner. Beckham was subbed off after 80 minutes, receiving hugs from his fellow players and manager, as well as a standing ovation from fans. PSG went on to win the match 3–1.
Trophies, Awards + Accolades:
Manchester United
- FA Youth Cup: 1992
- FA Premier League: 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03
- FA Cup: 1995–96, 1998–99
- FA Charity Shield: 1996, 1997
- UEFA Champions League: 1998–99
- Intercontinental Cup: 1999
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2006–07
- Supercopa de España: 2003
LA Galaxy
- MLS Cup: 2011, 2012
- Western Conference (Regular Season): 2009, 2010, 2011
- Western Conference (Playoffs): 2009, 2011, 2012
- Supporters’ Shield: 2010, 2011
Paris Saint-Germain
- Ligue 1: 2012–13
Individual
- Ballon d’Or — Runner-up: 1999
- FIFA World Player of the Year — Silver Award: 1999, 2001
- Premier League Player of the Month: August 1996
- Premier League top assist provider: 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2000–01
- PFA Young Player of the Year: 1996–97
- FWA Tribute Award: 2008
- Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year: 1996–97
- England Player of the Year: 2003
- ESM Team of the Year: 1998–99
- UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 1998–99
- UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year: 1998–99
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2001, 2003
- Premier League 10 Seasons Awards — Domestic & Overall Team of the Decade
- Premier League 10 Seasons Awards — Goal of the Decade (vs. Wimbledon, 17 August 1996)
- BBC Sports Personality of the Year: 2001
- BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award: 2010
- Real Madrid Player of the Year: 2005–06
- PFA Team of the Year: 1996–97 Premier League, 1997–98 Premier League, 1998–99 Premier League, 1999–2000 Premier League
- FIFA 100
- ESPY Awards — Best Male Soccer Player: 2004
- ESPY Awards — Best MLS Player: 2008, 2012
- English Football Hall of Fame: 2008
- MLS Comeback Player of the Year Award: 2011
- PFA Team of the Century (1997–2007): 2007
- International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) Legends
- UEFA President’s Award: 2018
Orders and Special Awards
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II: 2003
- United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador (2005–present)
- “Britain’s Greatest Ambassador” — 100 Greatest Britons awards
- The Celebrity 100, number 15 — Forbes, 2007
- Number 1 on the list of the 40 most influential men under the age of 40 in the UK — Arena, 2007
- Time 100: 2008
- Gold Blue Peter Badge winner, 2001
- Do Something Athlete Award, 2011
- A.C. Milan Hall of Fame
Records
- First Englishman to win league titles in four countries (England, Spain, United States, France).
- First England player to score at three FIFA World Cups.
- First British footballer to play 100 UEFA Champions League games.
- Seventh in the Premier League’s all-time assist provider chart, with 80 assists in 265 appearances.
- Fourth-highest number of games as captain of the England national football team: 59.
Social Media Profiles:
Instagram: @davidbeckham— 67.3M Followers
Facebook: @Beckham — 55M Followers
Relevant Articles:
David Beckham | Biography, Teams, & Facts | Britannica
David Beckham’s Career-Defining Moments
Beyond The Glitter, A Career Marked By Hard Work
Relevant Videos:
Current Sorare NFT Value:
Hyperlink To David Beckham’s SorareData Page
Hyperlink To David Beckham’s Sorare NFT Listed Cards Page
Conclusion:
Arguably the most recognizable footballing figure on the entire planet, Icon David Beckham enjoyed an ultra-successful, unique career in the European Football limelight. At one point a Wonderkid discovered and developed by the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, to the entire country of England’s golden boy, all eyes have truly been on David Beckham for decades now. Anticipate David Beckham’s Sorare NFT Card to skyrocket over time, truly a great piece of memorabilia and collector’s item of the highest order.
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