Britain’s Most Iconic Athlete
David Beckham would enjoy almost instant rise to stardom when he began playing for Manchester United, England’s popular soccer team, at only 17 years old . Considered to be one of football’s most elite players, Beckham would become known for his free-kicks and crosses, most of these would become a regular feature on television shows and highlight reels.
Born in Leytonstone, London, England, David Robert Joseph Beckham (May 2, 1975) is the second most capped England player of all time at 115 . He is also the first and only Englishman to have scored at three different world cups. He was voted as the runner-up for the FIFA World Player of the Year. Beckham captained the team from November 15, 2000, to July 2, 2006.
Beckham’s career started at age 11 when he won a football contest. He had plenty of time to hone his skills, which led to him competing on Manchester United’s youth squad as a teenager, and won the national championship in 1992 . Three years later, he would join the professional team for league competitions. During the 1995-96 season, Beckham would help his team secure the league title and the FA cup.Beckham made headlines in August 1996 after scoring a goal from the halfway line . The following season, the England national team would successfully defend their league title. This led to Beckham being voted as the Young Player of the Year. Manchester United would win the league title, FA Cup, and the European Cup in the 1998-99 season. During this time, Beckham would be named the Most Valuable Player and best midfielder.
Beckham would play a pivotal role in helping Manchester United clinch three more league titles (2001-03) before leaving them to sign up with the Spanish football club, Real Madrid. The La Liga giants were something of a dream team, featuring an international lineup of star-studded strikers such as Brazilian striker Cristiano Ronaldo and France’s Zinedine Zidane. Beckham’s four-year contract was worth around $41 million .
During his time with Real Madrid, the team would win the Supercopa de Espana in 2003 and the League in the 2006-07 season.
Beckham would later join Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 for a deal reported to be worth $250 million dollars. This meant relocating to the United States, where he had a growing fanbase. The decision to leave for the US was partly driven by Victoria Beckham (one of the Spice Girls) who wanted a career boost. Within 48 hours of signing, the Galaxy sold over 5,000 season tickets. It was clear where all this momentum was coming from.
This high profile deal catapulted Beckham’s celebrity status and would stay with him long after retirement. Beckham would suffer from a slew of injuries, including an Achilles tendon injury that would put him out of the 2010 World Cup.
However, he managed to win the MLS player of the year twice and led his team to League titles consecutively in 2011 and 2012.
Beckham would leave the team at the end of the 2012 season and joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), a French first-league team. While Beckham only played one season with the team, they would win the French domestic title under his leadership.
At the age of 38, Beckham would announce his retirement to end his 21-year career. Beckham had earned a reputation as England’s wealthiest sportsman, pulling in over $46 million every year.
Beckham’s high profile career received so much attention in England that Staffordshire University began offering a 12-week course on his career. His ability to score on free kicks drew attention from researchers who wanted to study how he bends the ball and seamlessly guides it into the goal.
David Beckham Biography – Life Outside the Field
David Beckham Family Life
David Beckham was born to Sandra Georgina and David Edward Beckham. His parents were fans of Manchester United, a love they would pass on to their son.
He attended Bobby Charlton’s football school in Manchester, where he received training at FC Barcelona. Beckham’s 1999 high profile marriage to Victoria Adams , a then-member of the famous band Spice Girls received much media attention. His teammate Gary Neville served as the best man with son Brooklyn as the ring-bearer.
David Beckham Business Ventures
David Beckham had earned around £29 million just from his company dividends alone. According to documents filed at Companies House, Beckham was paid a total of £18.75 million in 2017 from DB Ventures Limited, having previously received a £10.2 million in 2016 .
Beckham also campaigns for several businesses including the clothing retailer H&M . He would make many appearances in ads for the clothing giant alongside comedian Kevin Hart. Also of note are Beckham’s deals with Haig Club and Tudor, the former of which was heavily promoted across his social media accounts.
Beckham is routinely involved with high profile deals (long after his soccer career ended) with the likes of Breitling, Armani, Gillette, Pepsi Co., AIA Group, and Sainsbury’s.
His parent company, Beckham Brand Holdings Ltd. is split equally between him, his wife, and the family’s management group.
David Beckham Philanthropy
David Beckham has used his fame to fuel his charity work and foundations. He is one of the founding members of the Malaria No More UK Leadership Council and supports Help for Heroes.
He founded his own charity, the Victoria and David Beckham Charitable Trust, committed to providing free wheelchairs to children who need them. Beckham plays a role in UNICEF’s Unite Against AIDS Campaign. In 2007, he traveled to Sierra Leone to visit sick children and understand the experiences of that part of the world.
He also helped raise over $185,000 for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) by auctioning his two tickets to the World Cup party. As a result, Beckham was inducted to the NSPCC Hall of Fame in 2004 .