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DAVID BECKHAM
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David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE (born 2 May 1975) is an English professional footballer who currently plays for Real Madrid. Beckham was named as a member of Pelé's FIFA 100. In addition to his success on the pitch, Beckham has been recognized by Time magazine as one of 2004's Time 100 (Heroes & Icons), as well as an elite global advertising brand.
Beckham is the fifth most capped English player of all time, has twice been the runner up in the FIFA World Player Of The Year Award in 1999 and 2001 and in addition to being the only Englishman to score in three different World Cups, is also the fifth player in World Cup history to score twice from direct free kicks. He was captain of the English national team from 15 November 2000 to 2 July 2006.
Beckham's career began when he signed a professional contract with Manchester United, making his first first-team appearance in 1992, at the age of 17. While with Manchester United he played a key role in their dominance of the FA Premier League in the 1990s and early 2000s, being pivotal in accomplishing The Treble of the League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League in 1999. He left the club to become only the third Englishman to sign for Real Madrid in 2003, after Laurie Cunningham and Steve McManaman.
In 2006, after England's quarter-final exit at the World Cup in Germany, he stood down as captain. He was then succeeded by Chelsea captain John Terry. Beckham was dropped from the England national team squad selected by coach Steve McClaren on 11 August 2006.
On 10 January 2007 Real Madrid Sporting Director Predrag Mijatovic announced Beckham would leave the club when his contract expires in June 2007. On 11 January 2007, Beckham agreed to a move to the Major League Soccer (MLS) team Los Angeles Galaxy on a five year contract beginning on 1 July 2007, after his current deal with Real Madrid expires.
Childhood and early career
Beckham was born in Leytonstone, East London, the son of David Edward Alan "Ted" Beckham, a kitchen fitter and Manchester United fan, and Sandra Georgina West, a hairdresser. He regularly played football in Ridgeway park, Chingford as a child. His maternal grandfather, Joseph West, is Jewish, and Beckham has spoken of the influence the religion has had on him but is not known to practice Judaism or any other faith, though he stated in his book Both Feet on the Ground that growing up he always attended church with his parents and sisters.
His parents were fanatical Manchester United supporters who would frequently travel to Old Trafford from London to attend Manchester United's home matches. David inherited his parents' love of Manchester United and his main sporting passion was football. He attended one of Bobby Charlton's football schools in Manchester and won the chance to take part in a training session at FC Barcelona, as part of a talent competition. As a child he played for a local youth team called the Ridgeway Rovers coached by his father, Stuart Underwood and Steve Kirby.
He was Manchester United's mascot for a match against West Ham United in 1986. Young Beckham had trials with his local club, Leyton Orient, and attended Tottenham Hotspur's, which was the first club he played for, school of excellence. He also attended Bradenton Preparatory Academy, but signed schoolboy forms at Manchester United on his fourteenth birthday, and subsequently signed a Youth Training Scheme contract on 8 July 1991.
He was part of an exceptionally talented group of young players at the club who guided the club to win the FA Youth Cup in May 1992, with Beckham scoring in the second leg of the final against Crystal Palace. He made his first appearance for United's first-team that year, as a substitute in a League Cup match against Brighton & Hove Albion, and signed his first professional contract shortly afterwards. United reached the final of the Youth Cup again the following year, with Beckham playing in their defeat by Leeds United, and he won another medal in 1994 when the club's reserve team won their league.
He went to Preston North End on loan in the 1994–95 season to get some first team experience, then made his first Premier League appearance for Manchester United on 2 April 1995, in a goalless draw against Leeds United.
Manchester United
Becoming a first-team player
United manager Alex Ferguson had a great deal of confidence in the club's young players. When three of his first-team players left the club at the end of the 1994-95 season, his decision to let youth team players replace them instead of buying players from other clubs, 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 won their next five matches and the young players performed well. Beckham became a regular player on the team and helped them to win the Premiership and FA Cup double that season, scoring the winner in the semi-final against Chelsea and also taking the corner that Éric Cantona scored from in the FA Cup Final. Still, Beckham's form was not good enough to break into the England squad before Euro 96.
In August 1996, Beckham became something of a household name when he scored a spectacular goal in a match against Wimbledon. With United ahead 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 that floated over the goalkeeper and into the net. Beckham was frequently mentioned in the press, and he made his first appearance for the England national football team on 1 September 1996, in a World Cup qualifying match against Moldova. He became an automatic first-choice player at United that season, helping them to retain their league championship, and was voted PFA Young Player of the Year by his peers.
United started the 1997-98 season well, but their performance deteriorated when several players got injured. They finished the season in second place, behind Arsenal.
World Cup 1998
Beckham had played in all of England's qualifying matches for the 1998 FIFA World Cup and was part of the England squad at the World Cup finals in France, but the team's manager Glenn Hoddle publicly accused him of not concentrating on the tournament, and he did not start in either of England's first two matches. He was picked for their third match against Colombia and scored from a long-range free kick in a 2–0 victory, which was his first goal for England.
In the Second Round (last 16) of that competition, he received a red card for violent conduct in England's match against Argentina. Beckham, after having been fouled by Diego Simeone, he kicked out at Diego Simeone, striking him on the calf. 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 were 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 centred on the bullseye. Beckham also received death threats after the world cup and the incident is also the topic for his Adidas advert.
1998-99 season (the Treble)
In the 1998-99 season, he was part of the United team that won the treble - Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, a unique feat in English football. 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 he decided to stay at Manchester United.
Throughout the season, Beckham was jeered by opposition supporters whenever he touched the ball, but he consistently played well and his crossing provided a significant number of goals for United's forwards Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole. United's supporters had mostly forgiven him for the problems he'd had with England, and were frequently heard to chant "Argentina" in response to the other supporters' taunts.
To ensure they would win the league championship, United needed to win their final league match of the season, at home to Tottenham Hotspur, but Tottenham took an early lead in the match. Beckham scored the equaliser and United went on to win the match and the league.
Beckham played centre-midfield in United's FA Cup final win over Newcastle United and for the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final against Bayern Munich, since United's first string centre-midfielders were suspended for the match. United were 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 kicks, 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.
1999-2000 season
Despite Beckham's achievements in the 1998-99 season, he was still unpopular among opposition fans and many journalists, and he was heavily criticised 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 bad influence on him, and that it might be in United's interests to sell him, but his manager publicly backed him and he stayed at the club.
The relationship between Ferguson and Beckham began 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. He 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 criticised Beckham for this in his autobiography, claiming he hadn't been "fair to his team mates". Beckham had a good season for his club, though, and helped United to win the Premier League by a record margin.
Winning over the England fans
The abuse that Beckham was receiving from English supporters peaked during England's 3–2 defeat by Portugal in Euro 2000, when a group of England supporters taunted him throughout the match. Beckham responded with a one-fingered gesture and, while the gesture attracted some criticism, many of the newspapers that had previously encouraged his vilification asked their readers to stop abusing him.
On 15 November 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. He helped England to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Finals, with their performances including an impressive 5–1 victory over Germany in Munich. The final step in Beckham's conversion from villain to hero happened in England's 2–2 draw against Greece on 6 October 2001. England needed to win or draw the match in order to qualify outright for the World Cup, but were losing 2–1 with little time remaining. The rest of the England team were playing relatively poorly, and it was Beckham's inspirational performance that lifted his teammates. When Teddy Sheringham was fouled some eight yards outside the Greek penalty area, England were awarded a free-kick and Beckham ensured England's qualification with a curling strike of the kind that had become his trademark. Shortly afterwards, he was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2001. He once again finished runner-up, to Luis Figo of Portugal, for the FIFA World Player of the Year award.
Metatarsal injury
On 10 April 2002, Beckham was injured during a Champions League match against Deportivo 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 Argentinian 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, but he 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.
World Cup 2002 and final season at United
He was partially fit by the time of the 2002 FIFA World Cup and played in the first match against Sweden. Beckham scored the winning goal of the match against Argentina with a penalty, causing Argentina to fail to qualify for the playoff stage. England were knocked out of the tournament in the quarter-finals by eventual winners Brazil. The following month, at the opening ceremony of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, Beckham escorted Kirsty Howard as she presented the Jubilee Baton to the Queen.
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. His relationship with his manager deteriorated further on 15 February 2003 when, in the changing room following a defeat to Arsenal, Sir Alex Ferguson kicked a football 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 badly, their results improved greatly from December onwards and they won the league. He was still a first-choice player for England, however, and he was awarded an OBE for services to football on 13 June.
During his 11 years stint at United, Beckham made 266 appearances for them and scored 61 goals.
He won 6 Premiership titles, 2 FA Cup's, 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 Intercontinental Cup and 1 FA Youth Cup with his time at United.
David Beckham (right) and Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Manchester United had been keen to sell Beckham to Barcelona but he refused to go there, instead signing a four-year contract with Real Madrid, worth a potential €35 million. The transfer was completed on 1 July and made him the fourth Englishman to play for the club after Laurie Cunningham, Jonathan Woodgate and Steve McManaman. It was speculated that Real's desire to sign him came from the merchandising opportunities he would bring as well as from his football ability. For example, Real Madrid shirts bearing his name and number sold out in Madrid on the day his transfer was completed and the club were expected to receive €624,000 for the sale of the shirts. Although Beckham had worn the number seven shirt for Manchester United and England, he was unable to wear it at Madrid as Raúl had the right to wear it written into his contract. Being a fan of Michael Jordan, he decided to wear 23 instead.
First season 2003-04
Beckham immediately became a favourite with the Real Madrid supporters, scoring five times in his first 16 matches, but the team, whose club president expected them to win either the Spanish league or the Champions League each season, was not performing well. He had further problems in April 2004, when the British tabloid News of the World carried claims by his former personal assistant Rebecca Loos that he and Loos had had an extramarital affair. A week later, the Malaysian-born Australian model Sarah Marbeck claimed that she had slept with Beckham on two occasions. Beckham dismissed both accusations as "ludicrous". Real Madrid finished the season in a disappointing fourth place, and were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarter-final stage.
Euro 2004
Beckham played in all of England's matches at Euro 2004, but the tournament was a disappointment for him. He had a penalty saved in England's 2-1 defeat to France and badly missed another in a penalty shootout in the quarter final against Portugal. England lost the shootout and went out of the competition.
Second season, 2004-05
In July 2004, while Beckham was in pre-season training in Spain, an intruder scaled a wall at the Beckhams' home while carrying a can of petrol. Victoria and their children were in the house at the time, but security guards apprehended the man before he reached the house. Beckham made more headlines on 9 October 2004 when he admitted intentionally fouling Ben Thatcher in an England match against Wales in order to get himself booked. Beckham was due to receive a one-match suspension for his next caution, and had picked up an injury which he knew would keep him out of England's next match, so he deliberately fouled Thatcher in order to serve his suspension in a match that he would have had to miss anyway. The Football Association asked Beckham for an explanation of his actions and he admitted that he had "made a mistake" and apologised.
Beckham became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in January 2005 and was involved in promoting London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Third season, 2005-06
Real Madrid had another disappointing season, finishing second to Barcelona (with a 12 point gap) in the La Liga and only reaching the last sixteen in the Champions League after losing to Arsenal by a goal. Although there is the notable fact that Beckham led La Liga in assists for the season.
In October 2005, Beckham's sending off against Austria made him the first ever England captain to be sent off and the first (and only) player to be sent off twice while playing for England. He captained England for the 50th time in a friendly international against Argentina the following month. He was sent off again shortly afterwards, this time in a league match for Real Madrid against Valencia CF. Having received a yellow card, he appeared to sarcastically applaud the referee and was given a second yellow card, causing an automatic dismissal, although the suspension was cancelled on appeal two days later. He was sent off for the third time that season on 3 December 2005 in a league match against Getafe.
During the season, Beckham established football academies in Los Angeles and east London and he was named a judge for the 2006 British Book Awards.
Fourth Season, 2006-07
Out of favour with manager Fabio Capello, Beckham started only a few games in that season, normally as a substitute, as Jose Antonio Reyes was normally preferred on the right wing. In the nine matches Beckham started, Real had lost seven.
On 10 January 2007, after prolonged contract negotiations, Real Madrid's sporting director Predrag Mijatović announced that Beckham would not remain at Real Madrid after the end of the season. However, he later claimed that he was mistranslated and that he actually said that Beckham's contract had not been renewed yet.
On 11 January 2007 Beckham announced that he had signed a five-year deal to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy from 1 July 2007. The deal is worth £125 million over the 5 years. On 13 January 2007 Fabio Capello said that Beckham had played his last game for Real Madrid, although he would continue to train with the team. Capello back-tracked on that statement and Beckham rejoined the team for their match against Real Sociedad on 10 February 2007 – he scored and Real Madrid won.
However the next game at home against Real Betis ended up with Beckham being shown a straight red card for a professional foul in the 90th minute.But in the next UEFA Champions League match vs Bayern Munich, he carried out two assists to help Real Madrid win by 3-2 and won fans' appreciation. If Beckham moves to Los Angeles and transfers to the Galaxy as currently planned, this match would seem to mark his final appearance in the UEFA Champions League as Real Madrid were knocked out of the competition (by the away goals rule) at the conclusion of their second leg away tie in Munich on 7 March 2007. He has made a total of 103 appearances in the League, the third highest number of any player at the time.
After his good performances for Real Madrid, Steve McClaren announced Beckham could be recalled for England's two Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Andorra. However on 4 March 2007 Beckham damaged a ligament in his right knee during a game between Real Madrid and Gestafe. Following a cross his momentum carried him into an advertising boarding along the touchline causing him to go down. On 21 April 2007 he marked his return from injury by coming off the bench to set up the winning goal for Sergio Ramos in a 2-1 victory over Valencia. Beckham's good form continued and as the end of the 2006-07 season drew nearer Real Madrid have climbed to the La Liga table, many believe Beckham's contributions have had a significant role in Madrid's recent success.
On 20th May 2007, ahead of England's friendly with Brazil and their Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia. Steve McClaren stated once more he was seriously considering recalling Beckham, commenting that his replacements on the right wing had not worked as well as he had hoped.
David Beckham at the 2006 World Cup
World Cup 2006
During the FIFA World Cup 2006, England were seen as a potential winner by many, but since the start of the competition the team had several slow paced matches and Beckham's performance was criticised by the majority of the press and public. However, many still considered Beckham's contribution to England important as the team progressed to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
In England's opening game against Paraguay on 10 June 2006 Beckham's free kick led to an own-goal by Carlos Gamarra, and England won 1-0. In England's next match, played against Trinidad and Tobago on 15 June 2006, Beckham's cross in the 83rd minute led to Peter Crouch's goal which put England ahead 1-0. Beckham gave another assist to Steven Gerrard. In the end they won 2-0. He was named Man-of-the-Match by tournament sponsor Budweiser for this game. The English media criticised Beckham's performance in England's final Group B match against Sweden on 20 June 2006, citing his apparent inability to take the ball around players as an increasing hindrance to England's chances of winning the World Cup.
During England's second round match against Ecuador, Beckham scored from a free kick in the 59th minute, becoming the first ever English player to score in three World Cups, and giving England a 1-0 victory and a place in the quarter-finals. He was sick before the game and vomited several times as a result of dehydration and illness after he scored the winning goal.
In the quarter finals stage of the World Cup 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 scores 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 saying that he had stepped down as England captain, saying, "It has been an honour and privilege to captain my country but, having been captain for 58 of my 95 caps, I feel the time is right to pass on the armband as we enter a new era under Steve McClaren."
Having stepped down as captain after the World Cup, Beckham was dropped completely from the England national team selected by new coach Steve McClaren on 11 August 2006. McClaren claimed that he was "looking to go in a different direction" with the team, and that Beckham "wasn't included within that". McClaren said Beckham could be recalled in future. Shaun Wright-Phillips, Kieran Richardson and the World Cup alternative to Beckham Aaron Lennon were all included, and are likely to compete for what was Beckham's place on the right-wing in future, although it seems that McClaren will employ Steven Gerrard on that side.
There was talk that McClaren could recall Beckham after Aaron Lennon sustained an injury in early September and Owen Hargreaves subsequently broke his leg. However despite pressure from the media and high profile sports figures Bobby Robson, Glenn Hoddle, Mark Lawrenson and Alan Hansen all saying he should be in the England team, McClaren has not recalled Beckham. In December, 2006, McClaren suggested that Steven Gerrard had supplanted Beckham's role in the team: "We all know about David Beckham and his delivery from the right-hand side. But Stevie's set-plays and crosses from the right are as good as anybody in the world."
L.A. Galaxy and U.S. Soccer
It was confirmed on 11 January 2007 that David Beckham would be leaving Real Madrid to join MLS team Los Angeles Galaxy on a 5 year deal that will see Beckham earn up to $10 million a year in direct salary, but with endorsements and profit-sharing, Beckham could earn up to $50 million a year and earning about 90 dollars every second on the field. Beckham said, "After considering several options to stay in Madrid or join other major British and European teams, I have decided to join LA Galaxy."
Beckham had departed Manchester United in July 2003 to sign for Real, who paid £25m for the midfielder's services. However, in the three-and-a-half seasons since his arrival, the Spanish giants have failed to win any major trophies. The 2006-07 season proved particularly disappointing for Beckham, who was dropped by England coach Steve McClaren and then fell out of favour with Real boss, Fabio Capello, who has allowed Beckham only seven starts in over 25 matches this season. As of January 2007, his form had been disappointing, with just 12 league goals scored in his entire time at Real Madrid.
On 12 January 2007, Beckham's official press conference was held, via satellite from Madrid, in conjunction with the 2007 MLS SuperDraft in Indianapolis, IN. All MLS announcements concerning Beckham's signing and his press conference (as well as the Super Draft) were a part of the NSCAA National Soccer Coaches Association of America annual convention. At the press conference, Beckham told reporters "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."
On 13 January 2007, Real Madrid manager Fabio Capello stated during a news conference that Beckham would never again play for the team, saying that he could practice, but would not be permitted to put in any minutes in actual matches for the remainder of his time under contract. A month later however, Beckham not only returned to the first team with a start against Real Sociedad, but he also scored the game's equalizing goal in a 2-1 victory.
On 14 January 2007, when a new "SuperLiga" was announced for a new North American championship, it was reported that Beckham could make his Galaxy debut during that tournament.
On 15 January 2007, published reports quoted Major League Soccer spokesman Stephen Rodriguez as saying that MLS would now try to get Beckham over to the LA Galaxy in time for the start of the MLS season in April. Such a move would require a buy-out of his remaining Real Madrid contract, which would amount to a transfer fee. Late that same day, MLS Commissioner Don Garber denied that his league was attempting to secure an early MLS debut for Beckham.
On 17 January 2007, the U.S. publication Sports Illustrated released a detailed report on the blockbuster contract and the economics behind it.
Discipline on the pitch
Beckham was the first England player to ever collect two red cards and the first captain to be sent off for the England team. Beckham's most notorious red was during the 1998 FIFA World Cup: after Argentina's Diego Simeone had fouled him, Beckham lashed out with his leg as the Argentine defender rose to his feet. It was mostly criticized as selfish and bad sportsmanship on Beckham's part and the front page of the Daily Mirror read "10 heroic lions, one stupid boy". England went on to lose the game on penalties, Beckham was vilified back in England for the act but was later to redeem himself with many sterling performances.
For Real Madrid he has so far amassed 26 yellow cards and 4 red cards. His latest was against Real Betis on 17 February 2007.
Despite these transgressions, Beckham has been described as a "gentleman" multiple times.
Personal life
In 1997, Beckham started dating Victoria Adams, widely known as "Posh Spice" of the pop music group Spice Girls, and their relationship attracted a great deal of media interest. The couple were dubbed "Posh and Becks" by the media. He proposed to Victoria on 24 January, 1998 in a restaurant at Cheshunt.
He married Adams at Luttrellstown Castle, Ireland on 4 July 1999. The wedding attracted tremendous media coverage. Beckham's teammate Gary Neville was the best man, and the couple's son Brooklyn, then four months old, was the ring bearer. The media were kept away from the ceremony, as the Beckhams had an exclusive deal with OK! Magazine, but newspapers were still able to obtain photographs showing them sitting on golden thrones. 437 staff were employed for the wedding reception, which was estimated to have cost £500,000.
The Beckhams, who came to be known almost universally as "Posh and Becks", have three sons: Brooklyn Joseph Beckham (born 1999), Romeo James Beckham (2002) and Cruz David Beckham (2005).
In April 2004, Beckham's former personal assistant Rebecca Loos, sold a story to a tabloid newspaper in which she claimed to have had a four month affair with Beckham, which he described as "ludicrous".
In an 3 April 2006 interview, Beckham told The Daily Mail that he suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Fame beyond football
Beckham's fame extends beyond the pitch; in much of the world his name is "as instantly recognisable as that of multinational companies like Coca-Cola and IBM." Beckham's relationship and marriage to Victoria, who had been famous in her own right as part of the musical group Spice Girls, contributed towards him becoming a major celebrity outside of football. He has recently moved into the world of aftershave along with Victoria with the release of his own line of scents, David Beckham Instinct. The Beckhams are reported to be getting paid $13.7 million to launch their perfume in the US. (January 25, 2007). Beckham's name was searched for on Google more than that of any other sporting personality in 2003 and 2004.
Beckham has also become an internationally recognized sex symbol because of his 'metrosexual' tendencies in fashion and because of his immense gay following, which he recognized and has publicly appreciated.
Charitable work
Appearances in films
Beckham never appeared in the 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham except in archive footage. He and his wife wanted to make cameo appearances but scheduling proved difficult so the director used lookalikes instead.
Beckham makes a cameo appearance with Zidane and Raùl in the 2005 fictional film Goal! where he says hello to the main character during a party about halfway through the film. In Goal! 2: Living the Dream..., Beckham appears as himself again, when the film's lead gets a roster spot on the Real Madrid squad. This 2006 sequel is also the second part of a trilogy, and the story this time centres around the Real Madrid team. Besides Beckham, other real life Real players also appear on and off the pitch alongside the fictional characters.
Records
Beckham captained England 58 times during his tenure as England captain.
With his free kick goal against Ecuador in the second round of the 2006 World Cup, Beckham gained membership into two of football's most exclusive clubs: he became the only English player — and the 21st player regardless of nationality — to score in three world cups. Real Madrid team-mate Raùl also achieved this feat a few days earlier. It also made him only the fifth player in World Cup history to score twice from direct free kicks; the other four were Pelé, Rivelino, Teófilo Cubillas and Bernard Genghini (Beckham had previously scored this way against Colombia in the first round of the 1998 World Cup). All three goals were against South American teams (Colombia, Argentina, and Ecuador) and from set pieces (the two aforementioned free kicks and a penalty against Argentina).
Tattoos controversy
Beckham has ten tattoos on his body, one of which is the name of his wife Victoria but it is written in Hindi rather than English because Beckham thought it would be "tacky" to have it written in English. The tattoo is misspelt, however, so the tattoo actually reads "Vhictoria" rather than "Victoria". Another tattoo, written in Hebrew reads אני לדודי ודודי לי הרעה בשושנים, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine, that shepherds among the lilies." This is from the Song of Songs in the Hebrew Bible, and a popular Jewish paean to fidelity. Beckham has also been ridiculed in the press for looking like a "Hell's Angel biker" and a "football yob" due to his ever-expanding number of tattoos, the design, and the location of them.
LINKS and REFERENCE
Books
It's a Goldenballs-up!. Daily Mail. David Beckham Profile on Realmadrid.com http://www.fifa-100.com/home.aspx http://www.time.com/time/subscriber/2004/time100/heroes/100beckham.html Beckham the worldwide brand This is money Beckham quits as England captain. Terry named new England skipper. McClaren ends Beckham England era. Beckham confirms LA Galaxy move The Guardian http://www.wargs.com/other/beckham.html Beckham's Hebrew tattoos. Femalefirst.com. Beckham Blasts Hoddle. Dispatch Online Argentina 2-2 England englandfc.com Simeone admits trying to get Beckham sent off. Rediff Sports Beckham's Darkest Hour. Article on official UEFA website Man Utd's flawed genius?. BBC News Leader -- Play games behind closed doors. New Statesman Media sympathy for Beckham's gesture. BBC News Did "hatchet man" target Beckham?. ESPN Socernet Beckham signs new contract. BBC News Will Becks give Man Utd the boot?. BBC News Beckham's pride at OBE. BBC News Beckham to stay in Spain. Guardian Unlimited Football Beckham to stay in Spain. BBC News Intruder alert for Victoria Beckham. Manchester Online FA wants explanation from Beckham. BBC News David Beckham, Goodwill Ambassador. UNICEF official website. David Beckham: Soccer Star and Book Judge. The Book Standard. Uncertainty over Beckham's future at Real Madrid International Herald Tribune Real coach calls time on Beckham", BBC Sport Beckham scores on Madrid return", BBC Sport England 1-0 Ecuador BBC Sport Beckham quits as England captain", BBC Sport McClaren backs Gerrard to deliver for England", The Telegraph, 08/12/2006. The 275 million dollar man BBC News Events surround MLS SuperDraft. MLSnet.com. http://football.guardian.co.uk/continentalfootball/story/0,,1990221,00.html Beckham's Real Madrid days appear over Los Angeles Times http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=408065&cc=5901 http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=399951&cc=5901 Galaxy look to take Beckham on board before end of season MLS denies negotiating early Beckham move. The story behind the Beckham deal and the economics. CNN Beckham red card but joy for Sven The Sunday Times http://www.beckham-magazine.com/stats05-06.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/6256125.stm Sun pips OK! to Posh wedding photos. BBC News The obsessive disorder that haunts my life. The Daily Mail. Beckham the worldwide brand a June 2006 article from an Associated New Media website 2003 Year-End Google Zeitgeist 2004 Year-End Google Zeitgeist. Google.com. People Magazine Profile People.com. To Rebecca, with love Toronto Star, 26 January, 2007. Bend It Like Beckham at the Internet Movie Database England 1-0 Ecuador BBC Sport, Beckham's tattoo misspelt BBC News, 28 November, 2000. Beckham's tattoo sparks debate BBC News, 22 May, 2004. Biography from the FA's website David Beckham at the Internet Movie Database David Beckham career stats at Soccerbase David Beckham at People.com David Beckham and Posh Interview with Ali G (Video) at YouTube Official site for David Beckham's Instinct range Profile on Manchester United Legends
TOP UK FOOTBALL CLUBS
A heartwarming adventure: Pirate whalers V Conservationists, with an environmental message. For release as an e-book in 2013 with hopes for a film in 2015 TBA (graphic design: Martin House)
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