Beckham has moved on. The love story of a football player and a model - how it all began for the Beckhams. Move to Real Madrid

Charlie Carmichael lifts the lid on Becks' early years in football.

“Beckham” has already become a household word. This is an allegorical name for people who were able to build their own image, a real “empire”, based on an excellent sports career. His popularity increased even more when he married Victoria, a successful British pop singer of the 90s, and later a fashion designer and entrepreneur. This luxury couple conquered the whole world, becoming perhaps one of the most famous unions in the world. An amazing rise to the top from the very bottom. But what is equally surprising is that when you type “Beckham” into Google, you won’t see a single football-related link on the first page of results.

The only mention is his shorthand football career in Wikipedia, but otherwise the page is full of links to social accounts. networks, numerous books, as well as stories about his latest fashion research. It's difficult to understand, especially considering his impressive list of football achievements, but it is clear that he was able to endure and overcome the difficulties that many face after retiring. The desire for stardom is one of those factors that, oddly enough, helped him in his development and allowed him to achieve success at Manchester United.

The great Becks' career lasted 21 years. During this time, he played for the national team 115 times, won 6 Premier League titles, two FA Cups, a La Liga title, two MLS Cups, one Ligue 1 title and, as icing on the cake, a Champions League trophy. From kicking around with the boys at Ridgeway Park to winning the treble in 1999 and proving his worth in the US. This great football journey is remembered by many true connoisseurs of the No. 1 sport. The story of Manchester United player David Robert Joseph Beckham.

David was born and raised in the east London suburb of Leistoun, and at first played football only for pleasure and emotional release. He would spend hours on end grazing with his father, David Edward (Ted) Beckham.

As a football fan, Ted had high hopes for his son because David was the middle child of three and the only boy. He brought the boy to training at his first club in his life, Ridgeway Rovers. The father passed on some of his knowledge and skills to his son, but, more importantly, he instilled in him a love for Manchester United (David’s middle name, Robert, was given to him by his father in honor of Sir Bobby Charlton).

In a 2007 interview, David recalled how at school no one took his passion for football seriously:

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A football player.

No, what do you want to do next, who do you want to work for?

“The problem is that being a footballer is the only thing I wanted in life.”

The young player's talent was quickly noticed after he brilliantly passed trials at Leyton Orient and Norwich City. However, it was Tottenham, based in north London, that turned out to be more efficient and lured David into their ranks. He also represented Brimsdow Rovers, where he continued to improve and led the team to victory in the under-15s tournament. The boy was simply destined to climb to the top with his peers from Tottenham, and then conquer new heights with the team at the adult level. But, as we all know, life is unpredictable.

Most children celebrate their 14th birthday by eating birthday cake with their parents and friends, unwrapping gifts and enjoying them, be it a new phone or a bike. Beckham spent his day in a formal setting in clothes appropriate for such an event - a shirt, jacket and tie. The tie was not an ordinary one, it immediately caught my eye, it’s not easy to get one in any store. Completely red, there was only one place that distinguished it from any other red tie and made it unique - the Manchester United emblem. I am sure that young David will remember that evening for the rest of his life, because he was accompanied by none other than Sir Alex Ferguson himself. They chatted with the great Scot for almost the entire evening, and at the end they tasted the same birthday cake that is typical for any birthday.

Ferguson was aiming to sign the boy to school team United, and described to him the advantages of such a step. In truth, he didn't have to rant for long. Beckham from the very early years was a United fan, he dreamed in his dreams and in reality about playing in front of an Old Trafford audience of thousands chanting his name. Little David's only fear was moving from East London and having to start his life from scratch in Manchester. After a conversation among the family, the Beckhams decided that the advantages more than outweighed all the shortcomings, and the boy signed the contract.

After impressing at school, Beckham continued to shine in United's youth team, winning the FA Youth Cup with Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers in 1992. Young Becks scored in the first game of the two-legged final against Crystal Palace as United won 6-3 on aggregate.

His successful performances in the Cup attracted the attention of the coaching staff of the main team, and Beckham began to be involved in games in the main team. His debut came as a substitute against Brighton in the League Cup. Then there was another Cup game against Port Vale and the first Champions League game. But in order to truly mature and get more playing time, so necessary for the development of a young player, young Beckham had to go on loan.

Beckham has become Preston's main free-kick taker

Preston North End and manager Gary Peters jumped at the opportunity to sign the shy 19-year-old on loan. At first, the young Englishman was skeptical: “I thought it was a sign that the club wanted to get rid of me,” he wrote in his book My World. But Sir Alex's thoughts on this matter were diametrically opposed.

The month spent in Lancashire served Beckham well. He played in the first team and earned the right to be a full-time set-piece taker. Any other young player might have given up on such a big responsibility, but not David. He rose to the challenge and met it with flying colors, scoring two goals in five games, including one straight from a corner.

Back at United, an invigorated Backs was ready for his next challenge - his Premier League debut. On the day of the match with Leeds United in 1995, David went out onto the lawn of his home stadium with the stands full for the second time in his life. The first time was when he played the role of the mascot nine years ago. He would play in four more games for United that 1994-95 season, but that football year ended in disappointment for the team. The club lost the title fight to Blackburn by one point, and United were beaten 1-0 by Everton in the FA Cup final.

The team also started the 1995-96 season on a bad note, losing 3-1 to Aston Villa, and although Beckham scored his goal, the fans and press were far from enthusiastic. Ferguson was rejuvenating the squad at the time and bringing in a lot of youngsters to play for the first team. Almost everyone around was skeptical, from commentators to the fans themselves. Their attitude changed radically when the team won the title in May, and at the same time brought the FA Cup back to Old Trafford.

The following season, Beckham scored the second remarkable goal of his career (I'll get to the first later). United were already leading 2-0 when David spotted Wimbledon goalkeeper Neil Sullivan well out of goal and dared to shoot from halfway. The ball flew straight into the goal along a high trajectory, almost behind the collar of the stunned and helpless goalkeeper, who was taken by surprise. Beckham has really made his presence felt in the Premier League. That season, he helped the team defend the title of national champions and rightfully earned the award for the best young player according to the PFA.

That same year, at the age of twenty-one, he made it into the England team. Having made his debut in 1996 in a match against Moldova, he gradually became an indispensable player for the team and played in all qualifying matches for the 1998 World Cup.

David scored a goal from a direct free kick in a match against Colombia in the group stage. Such goals will soon become the midfielder's calling card. The English successfully overcame the group stage and reached the 1/8 final stage, where their opponent was the formidable Argentina. It was in the match with them that one of the most terrible moments for Beckham in his entire career occurred. After the current Atletico Madrid helmsman Diego Simeone violated the rules on him, Beckham could not control himself and hit the offender, which immediately led to a straight red card. England were able to hold out until the end of the match, but lost in a penalty shootout.

The next significant milestone in his career came in 1999, when in a few days Manchester United achieved a treble, which no one had ever achieved in England before. After winning the Premier League, when decisive match David scored his debut goal against Spurs, and United would face the Titans in the Champions League final in the FA Cup final. German football- Bayern Munich.

The Devils were 1-0 down in the 90th minute, but two corners taken by David were converted into goals by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham, sending United, and indeed the entire country, into utter delight. At the end of the season, for his services, Beckham was nominated for the title best player of the year according to FIFA.

The Reds comfortably won two Premier League titles in 2000 and 2001, and Beckham was an integral part of that United machine, scoring 15 goals in those two seasons and playing in each of them. 31 matches each. In the 2001-2002 season, David increased the pace even more and reached a new level, scoring 16 goals in all tournaments for the team. It would later turn out that that season would be the richest in goals in Beckham’s career.

The midfielder scored the most significant goal of his career in a match for the national team on October 6, 2001. The British were losing to Greece with a score of 2-1, and the match was inexorably approaching the end. The Three Lions needed at least a draw to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, but the prospects were far from rosy.

But David Beckham took matters into his own hands, solving the problem with his characteristic style and grace. Just like two years ago in the match against Bayern, Beckham performed a real football miracle. Teddy Sheringham earned a free kick 23 meters from the opponent's goal, and none other than David Beckham took it upon himself to take it. And he scored a goal in his own style - with a direct shot into the top corner. There is no trace left of that contempt and disfavor on the part of the fans after the 1998 World Cup; from zero to one hundred, Becks again became the pride of the country and a national hero.

That successful summer as captain, Beckham led the national team to the quarter-finals of the World Cup, where his team deservedly lost to the eventual World Cup winners, the Brazilians, with a score of 2-1. Returning to Manchester, he realized that his authority and trust as a manager were now under threat.

Sir Alex Ferguson began to tire of the player's non-football activities and lost faith that football was the driving force for David in making any decisions. The situation was completely out of Bax's control after that iconic locker room altercation when he had to stitch up a wound that his coach had inflicted, albeit unintentionally, on him by throwing a boot in his direction. Despite this conflict, Beckham stayed until the end of the season and helped the team win their sixth Premier League title.

He left United in the summer of 2003 for €35 million. Now he has become part of the Galacticos, and the current club suits his star image perfectly.

What happened next is history. The Beckham brand has firmly taken its place in the fashion environment. But I urge you to remember Beckham the footballer he was long before he became a multifaceted media personality. Honing his skills and character are what allowed him to make a name for himself and achieve success not only in the football field. But for Manchester United fans, he will always be a member of the Class of '92, who helped the Devils reach heights never before seen in English football.

English footballer, world football star David Robert Joseph Beckham was born on May 2, 1975 in Leytonstone, East London (UK). His father, David Edward Anan Beckham, was a kitchen installer, and his mother, Sandra West, was a hairdresser. David's parents were fans of the English football club Manchester United and often attended the team's home matches at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester.

David Beckham is the only England player in its history to score goals at three World Cups (1998, 2002, 2006). David Beckham made 115 caps for England, 58 of which he captained. Beckham scored 17 goals for the national team.

David Beckham - the best young player of the 1997 English Championship; second world football player in 1999, 2001 (according to FIFA), winner of the Silver Ball, second European football player in 1999 (according to France-Footbal and Onze Mondial magazines); winner of the Bronze Ball, third European football player of the year 2003 (according to Onze Mondial magazine).

Beckham was a member of the symbolic European team in 2001 and 2003 (according to UEFA). He is the most valuable player European season 1999 (according to UEFA); best midfielder of the 1999 European season (according to UEFA).

Man of the Year 2001 (BBC Award); included in the FIFA 100 list. In 2000, he was ranked second in the Definition Poll best football player planets. In 2001 he was recognized as the British Sportsman of the Year.

Beckham is married to former Spice Girls lead singer Victoria Adams (Beckham), and they have sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz, and daughter Harper Seven.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

David Beckham, whose biography will be discussed in this article, is one of the most famous players in the history of football. He retired just a couple of years ago, and this year he turned 42 years old. Beckham played as a right midfielder, but could also play in central midfield.

Carier start

David Beckham is a football player who spent most of his career at Manchester United, but he started out at a completely different club. Moreover, he managed to visit a large number of youth academies before ending up at Manchester United.

He was born on May 2, 1975 in London and early childhood became interested in football. At first he played in such semi-professional clubs as Ridgeway Rovers or BCSS, but later he first entered the youth academy of the Norwich club, after which he ended up at the Leyton Orient club. In early 1987, when he was just 12 years old, Beckham was accepted into the Tottenham academy and a couple of years later he reached his final destination, namely Manchester United. David Beckham ended up spending most of his career there. The footballer’s biography, naturally, includes other clubs, but it was Manchester United that became his first.

Playing for Manchester

David Beckham, whose biography is known to almost everyone football fan, was a huge talent, and from the very first months at Manchester United they predicted a great future for him. Already in 1992, when he was only 17 years old, he made his debut in the main team in a League Cup match. However, the next season there was no place for him in the squad, so in 1994, young Beckham was sent on loan to the small club Preston North End, which at that time played in the Third Division.

There he played five matches, scored the first two professional goals of his career, and then returned to Manchester United, where he appeared on the field ten more times in the remaining half of the season, also scoring his first goal for the club. Since 1995, the 20-year-old midfielder has become a permanent starter. He appeared in almost every match and worked real miracles on the field. Already in 1996, he won his first English Championship and first FA Cup, and in 1999 he added to his collection the trophy that every football player dreams of - the Champions League Cup.

In total, David Beckham, whose biography is not limited to the Manchester United club, played 389 official matches for him and scored 83 goals. He became a true Manchester United legend. Largely thanks to him, the club won six English Championships and two FA Cups during this time. However, in 2003 it was time for a change, and the 28-year-old footballer moved to Real Madrid for 37.5 million euros.

Move to Real Madrid

It's no secret that Real Madrid is one of the strongest clubs in the world, so the transfer of a first-magnitude star of this magnitude caused a great resonance in society. But Beckham began to earn back the money that was paid for him without any problems. Over four seasons, he played 155 matches and scored 20 goals. However, his stay at the club was not the best period, so he only added the Spanish Championship to his collection of trophies, and even that was only achieved in last season in 2007. Then Beckham's contract expired, and he went to work in the United States, where the Los Angeles Galaxy club signed a new agreement with him.

Moving to the USA

It was clear to everyone that Bex’s star had already set. Beckham David, whose career turned out to be incredibly bright, continued in the United States, but it was far from the same level of football. The midfielder spent his first year and a half at Galaxy quite successfully, he played in 32 matches and scored 6 goals. After that, he received a loan offer from the Italian Milan, which he accepted. Over six months in Milan, he played twenty more matches, scoring two goals, after which he returned to the United States.

However, this story did not end just like that: after another six months, 15 matches and two goals, Bex again went to Milan, with whom he spent another half of the season. Naturally, at that age his condition was already far from ideal, so he did not appear on the field so often. During his second loan, he played 13 matches, but did not score a single goal.

Returning to the Galaxy in 2010, Beckham continued to play for the club, playing another 118 matches and scoring 20 goals. During his time with the American club, he helped the Galaxy win the MLS Cup twice, win the MLS Championship three times, and also win the MLS playoffs three times. In 2012, when his contract with the club came to an end, Beckham wanted to announce his retirement as a football player, but received an offer from the French club Paris Saint-Germain, which had recently been acquired by Arab sheikhs and needed promotion. Who was the most prominent representative in the world of football at that time? Of course Beckham!

End of career at PSG

When he signed a short-term contract with PSG, Beckham was already 38 years old, so no one expected incredible results from him. He was rather a media personality to attract attention. But, despite this, he still entered the field 14 times, although he did not score a single goal.

Performances for the national team

Naturally, Beckham became a legend not only at the club level. He made his debut in the England national team in September 1996 in a match against the Moldavian national team. And already in 1998 he went to the World Cup, where he played in three matches and scored his first goal for the national team, which came in the group match against Colombia.

At the championship of the year, Beckham was already a starter and gave three assists in three matches, but this did not help the English get out of the group. At the 2002 World Cup, Beckham was already on hand and helped the team reach the quarterfinals, scoring one goal and making three assists. At the 2004 European Championship, the British again only managed to reach the quarterfinals, and Beckham gave two assists. The last major tournament for David was the 2006 World Cup, where the England team again stopped at the quarter-final phase, and Beckham again scored one goal and gave three assists.

Last match Beckham played for the national team in October 2009 - it was a qualifying game against the Belarusian national team, and there David gave his last assist. In total, he played 115 matches for the national team, scoring 17 goals and providing 38 assists.

After football

Did David Beckham stay in football after his playing career ended? Back in 2010, he made an attempt to try on the position of coach, or rather assistant coach. He joined the coaching staff of Fabio Capello, who then led the England national team. However, Beckham held his position for only three months, after which he left the post and never returned to coaching.

Personal life

David and Victoria Beckham are one of the most famous celebrity couples in the world. They met when David was still playing at Manchester United. Soon David and Victoria Beckham (then Adams) got married. In 1999, their first son, Brooklyn, was born. David Beckham, whose family is already exemplary, did not stop at just one child. In 2002, the second son, Romeo, was born, and in 2005, the third son, Cruz. David Beckham, whose personal life is public, still wanted a daughter, and in 2011 his wish came true: the couple had baby Harper.

David Beckham's childhood and early career

David Beckham best goals

Since childhood, David was fond of football, playing at Ridgeway Park in Chingford. An important factor in Beckham’s passion for football was the fact that his parents were avid Manchester United fans and often went to the team’s home matches at Old Trafford. David entered football school Manchester and soon began playing for the Tottenham youth team. At the age of 14, Beckham signed his first contract with Manchester United.

David Beckham at Manchester United

So, practically not playing for Manchester United, on December 7, 1994, Beckham made his debut in European competition. The debut was the last match of the group stage of the Champions League, in which David’s team defeated the Turkish Galatasaray - 4:0. One of the goals was scored by Beckham. In the spring of 1995, David finally made his debut in the English Premier League (later than in European competition!) and became firmly entrenched in the first team of Manchester United.

A new milestone in Beckham’s career was his invitation to the national team. On September 1, 1996, he took to the field for the first time to defend the honor of the country in a duel with Moldova. In 1997, David became footballer of the year in England. Two years later, the footballer reaches absolute heights: together with Manchester United, David becomes the owner championship title, FA Cup, Champions League Cup and Intercontinental Cup. In the same year, Beckham’s personal life changed dramatically: he married one of the vocalists of the pop group Spice Girls, Victoria Adams.

"Real Madrid"

Debuted for new team midfielder in the second game of the Spanish Super Cup against Mallorca on 27 August 2003. Beckham's goal set the final score in the match - 3:0. It took the footballer very little time to adapt to the new team. In the Spanish Championship, Beckham scored his debut goal for Real in the third minute of the first match. However, having started the season briskly, the “legendary team” took only fourth place in the table, lost in the final of the Copa del Rey and was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, losing out to Monaco. The 2004/05 season began with a leapfrog of coaching resignations, and the club went into a deep crisis.

The Galacticos seemed to be in danger of complete failure: by the first quarter of the season, the team barely managed to rise to eighth place in the rankings. standings. However, by the winter off-season the crisis was slowly ending, and the Galacticos came in second for the Christmas holidays. In the Spanish Cup and Champions League, Beckham's team stumbled at the 1/8 final stage - in the first case, the Madrid team was beaten by Valladolid, and in the second by Juventus. A series of permutations in coaching staff ended and new coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro managed to unite the team and discipline the players.

Real Madrid aspired to the championship, but in the next season, 2005/06, the team finished second. In the national cup, the Galacticos were eliminated at the semi-final stage, having played an enchanting duel with Zaragoza (1:6 and 4:0). The Champions League ended for Beckham and the team again in the 1/8 finals - this time the Spaniards were “executed” by Arsenal. At the end of the season, Florentino Perez was fired, and Ramon Calderon became the club's president. The team's head coach was Fabio Capello, with whom Beckham did not find a common language and went to polish the bench.

David began looking for a new club, and soon a contract was signed with Los Angeles Galaxy. The conflict with Capello led to the team being hit by a new crisis: the players gave the coach an ultimatum demanding that Beckham be returned to the team. Due to the players’ “strike,” the season, which at first seemed successful, quickly fell into the abyss. As a result, the coach was forced to return the English midfielder to the main team and actually transfer the mission of saving the season to him. And David coped with this more than successfully: despite the fact that in the Champions League the Galacticos were again eliminated in the 1/8 finals, this time losing to Bayern, the team returned to second place and equaled Barça in terms of points " Thanks to the team's selfless performance in the last championship match against Mallorca, Madrid managed to beat the Catalans in additional indicators and finally win the long-awaited gold. Thus ended Beckham's career at the Spanish club.

"Los Angeles Galaxy"

By August 9, the footballer had recovered and again took the field for his new team in the match against DC United. This match attracted a record number of fans in Washington - 46.5 thousand. A week later, Beckham entered the field for the first time not only in the Galaxy starting lineup, but also as team captain. In the next match, Beckham was injured again and left the team for another six weeks. After returning, the position in the standings could no longer be saved: the team finished the first half of the season in 11th place.

The next season, despite the fact that Beckham was no longer injured, turned out to be even more disastrous for the team: the Galaxy miraculously managed to cling to 13th place in the rankings. general table. In January 2009, the midfielder moved to the Italian Milan on loan. An impressive performance in Milan led to the team repeatedly opening negotiations with " Los Angeles Galaxy" about buying Beckham, but all these negotiations ended in failure. The maximum concessions that the Italians managed to achieve was the extension of David's lease until July.

Beckham subsequently moved to Milan once again on loan after a scandal with LA fans who were disappointed that Beckham was “not giving his all” at games for the American club. After returning to Los Angeles, David played his two most successful seasons on the American continent, leading the team to the American Champions League and reaching the playoff stage.

David Beckham's last match

Beckham's career at Paris Saint-Germain

David Beckham is an English-born former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. For sports biography replaced a number of top football clubs - Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, Milan, Los Angeles Galaxy and Paris Saint-Germain.

The popular athlete is also famous among people who are not into sports, thanks to memes, jokes and aphorisms associated with the name Beckham. These phrases were usually originally expressed by commentators during a football player's game, and then circulated as quotes across the Internet. For example, the phrase “today is not Beckham’s day” has become a part of online and urban folklore and denotes a series of sudden failures for the person using this description.

Childhood and youth

David Beckham was born in England, in the small town of Leytonstone, on May 2, 1975. The zodiac sign Taurus became the patron symbol of the future athlete.

David was the third child in the family, he has older sisters Lynn and Joan. After the appearance of his long-awaited son, Ted Beckham paid all his attention only to him, dreaming of making David a great athlete. His father began training with David when he was 2 years old.

Football

David began his first steps in sports at the London club Leyton, where he played for two years. After this, the promising young athlete entered the famous Tottenham football school, from which he graduated quite successfully.

David was 11 years old when he was noticed by representatives of the famous Manchester United club. The talented teenager was invited to take exams, which he successfully passed and was accepted into the club’s youth team. In 1992 youth team Manchester United won the FA Cup and all the critics praised Beckham's amazing performance.

In 1993, the young man signs professional contract with the most famous British club and becomes a member of the first team.

However, despite his popularity, David understood that football happiness was rather short-lived, so he decided that football alone was not enough for him. Beckham was helped in this by his father, who converted his athletic talent into money. At the age of 20, the young man signed contracts with the giants Pepsi and Adidas, becoming the face of these brands.

In 1998, David became a true national hero thanks to a goal scored against Colombia at the World Cup. But the athlete's fortunes changed at this World Cup, and he was accused of “killing football” when he received a red card in the match against Argentina. Many blamed Beckham for Manchester United losing the championship.

In 2000, the football player was appointed captain of the England team. And in 2002, the midfielder began to have troubles with the head coach of Manchester United, which became public, and the matter almost ended in a fight.

In 2002, Beckham was sold to Real Madrid for a “ridiculous” sum of € 35 million. The footballer’s career was steadily rising, and as part of the Spanish club, David became the champion of Spain (2006-2007) and the winner of the country’s Super Cup (2003).

The number 23 assigned to the athlete has become a legend. Real Madrid sold a huge number of club T-shirts with his number.

In 2004, Beckham considered moving to football clubs Chelsea or Arsenal. The transfer amount in this case was supposed to be € 200 million, and the club that acquired the west London club could afford it.

In the fight for the football player, Chelsea was ready to offer the required amount; negotiations with the athlete’s managers ended in a positive way. But Real couldn’t give up the best player so easily; the Spaniards managed to persuade David to continue cooperation.

In 2007, due to a scandal with the management of Real Madrid, Beckham moved to play for the little-known American club Los Angeles Galaxy, signing a 5-year contract with them. The transfer of the legendary player provoked an unprecedented surge of interest in football among local residents. It was assumed that the Englishman's salary would be $250 million, but, according to rumors, David received $27.5 million.

In 2009, Beckham moved to Italian Milan on loan. The debut in this team was more than successful - 2 goals in 4 matches. Rumors immediately spread in the press about the Englishman’s final transfer to Milan. At Galaxy, David missed most of the season. It is for this reason that California fans have dramatically changed their attitude towards the football player. Offensive posters flashed across the stadiums every now and then.

The book by teammate Landon Donovan, “The Beckham Experiment,” added fuel to the fire, in which the athlete did not skimp on harsh criticism of the famous Englishman.

The 2011/2012 season became the “era of renaissance” for Beckham. It was then that several clubs joined the fight for the football player. On December 1, 2012, the football player played his last match for the Galaxy.

On January 31, 2013, Beckham signed a 5-month contract with PSG. As part of the Parisians, David became the champion of France. This victory made the athlete a unique football player, who during his career managed to become the champion of four countries - England, Spain, the USA and France. Fans collected the best moments of Beckham’s game and his free kicks from all matches into video collections, which are still popular on the Internet today.

Beckham was also one of the players who represented the England team at international competitions. In the English national team, the football player was recognized as the record holder for the number of matches played among field players.

David set records not only in sports terms: he was recognized as the highest paid football player in the world in 2011.

Business and advertising

In 2005, David Beckham began producing eau de toilette under the David Beckham brand. The first fragrance was developed by perfumers Alon Astori and Beatrice Piquet. The first perfume was called “David Beckham Instinct” and was intended for men of any age. The first batch of goods was immediately sold out - the star name played a role.

In 2007, the company began producing both men's and women's fragrances. Since that time, perfumes of the same name marked “For Him” and “For Her” have been released annually. In an interview, the football player admitted that all his own released versions of perfume are equivalent to him. According to Beckham, the brand is not trying to outshine the previous ones, but is simply creating something new.

In the year of completion sports career David Beckham starred in an advertisement for H&M underwear. The commercial was directed by. The football player also continued to act as a model for glossy publications; his parameters (weight 77 kg and height 185 cm) allow him to compete with professionals in this field. The athlete himself demonstrates excellent taste and an impeccable sense of style, so over time, another one was added to his list of titles - ambassador and honorary president of the British Fashion Council.

In 2015, Beckham starred in a commercial for the cellular operator Sprint. According to the plot of the ad, David visits cell phone stores throughout London to find a suitable tariff. Salon clients see a celebrity and go after him. At the end of the video, the crowd reaches the Sprint salon, where the football player chooses a tariff and concludes an agreement.

In 2014, the documentary film “David Beckham: Journey into the Unknown” was released, which tells about the life of a football superstar after his career. The plot of the film centers on a motorcycle trip that David went on with three friends.

In 2015, Beckham made his first appearance in a feature film. Former football player performed a cameo in the action comedy film “The Agents of U.N.C.L.” British film director Guy Ritchie, for whom David has already appeared in promotional videos.

Not last place in life former athlete takes up charity. Since 2005, the football player has been a goodwill ambassador for the international fund UNICEF, and 10 years later he became the founder of the “7” organization, whose goal is to help children with diseases that require expensive treatment. David chose the name in honor of the number with which he played in the Manchester United club team.

Personal life

Nothing is known about David's romantic relationships in his youth. But the football player managed to become famous as an ideal family man. Personal life of an athlete long years associated with the name. David was already a famous player and eligible bachelor when he met Victoria Adams, the star of the group. In 1999, the lovers officially registered their marriage. The union of two popular personalities led to the fact that the couple became one of the most famous British unions. Victoria gave birth to four children to David: sons, Romeo and Cruz, as well as the long-awaited daughter Harper.

David Beckham got tattoos of his children's names. Also on the athlete’s shoulder is a portrait of his wife, and on his left hand are the word “Love” and a swallow. In total, David's body is decorated with 17 tattoos. Because of this, Beckham often played in long sleeves during his football career.

In 2010, a scandal broke out around the football player’s personal life. Prostitute Irma Nichi gave a scandalous interview, saying that in 2007 Beckham met with her and other women of the same profession more than once. The athlete sued Irma, accusing him of libel. The woman, in turn, filed a counterclaim, demanding compensation for moral damages due to the accusation of lying.

In parallel with this, rumors began to appear about the football player’s new novels. In the summer of 2012, the tabloids again accused David of cheating. Journalists attributed the footballer to an affair with opera singer Katherine Jenkins. Victoria calmly responded to these rumors. The Beckham family did not comment on the suspicions.

These rumors were not the first and not the last. In 2016, one photo was enough for journalists to accuse David of another betrayal. In this photo, a man leaves a coffee shop and looks thoughtfully at a blonde girl who happens to be nearby.

Rumors about problems in the star family and that the spouses are allegedly on the verge of divorce. Journalists refer to the fact that today Victoria and David live between London and Los Angeles and do not spend time with each other, and their feelings have cooled. In addition, the couple put up for sale a shared villa in Provence, which is also being sold at a 70% discount.

The couple refutes rumors of family discord by regularly posting photos from joint vacations and romantic dates on their own Instagram accounts.

Few people know that David Beckham suffers from a rare mental illness - obsessive-compulsive disorder, the symptoms of which include a pathological desire to arrange things in a symmetrical order. David constantly makes sure that items are placed in a straight line and in even numbers. Beckham just hates it when things are out of place. This brings the footballer almost physical pain.

He also has another disease - asthma, which did not prevent him from building a brilliant career in sports. Limitations associated with illnesses influenced David's character, making him a dutiful and pedantic person. In addition, a non-brutal hobby has appeared in the life of a football player, which has a beneficial effect on nervous system- floristry.

The Sword of King Arthur."

In 2018, David received a special prize from the UEFA President for his contribution to the development of football. Also at the end of the summer, the ex-athlete had the opportunity to personally represent the Invictus Games competition for former military personnel who received a disability in the service. Beckham traveled to Australia for the event along with the founder of the sports tournament, Prince Harry.

Now the next issue of Vogue is being prepared for release, in which the entire Beckham family will appear as a whole. The article will feature a detailed interview with David’s wife, Victoria.

Awards

• 1992 – FA Youth Cup winner
• 1996, 1999 – FA Cup winner
• 1999 – UEFA Champions League winner
• 1999 – Silver medalist, UEFA Super Cup finalist
• 2003 – Champion, Winner of the Spanish Super Cup
• 2006/07 – Champion of Spain
• 2009, 2010, 2011 – Regular season winner Western Conference MLS
• 2011, 2012 – MLS Champion
• 2012/13 – French Champion