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David Beckham

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Sports and games people

   David Beckham
   Personal information
   Full name David Robert Joseph Beckham
   Date of birth May 2, 1975 (age 31)
   Place of birth Leytonstone, London, England
   Height 6ft 0in (183 cm)
   Nickname Becks, Goldenballs, DB7
   Position Right midfield, Centre midfield
   Club information
   Current club Real Madrid
   Number 23
   Youth clubs
   1991–92 Manchester United
   Professional clubs*
   Years Club Apps (goals)
   1993–2003
   1995
   2003–Present Manchester United
   → Preston North End
   Real Madrid
   265 (61)
   5 (2)
   95 (11)
   National team**
   1994-1996
   1996–2006 England U21
   England 9 (0)
   94 (17)

   * Professional club appearances and goals
   counted for the domestic league only and
   correct as of 28 August 2006.
   ** National team caps and goals correct
   as of 1 July 2006.

   David Robert Joseph Beckham OBE (born May 2, 1975) is an English
   footballer who plays for Real Madrid. Named a member of Pelé's FIFA
   100, he is one of the most famous players in the world, and considered
   a celebrity even outside the football world.

   Beckham is the fifth most capped England player of all time, and in
   addition to being the only Englishman to score in three different World
   Cups, is also only 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, 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 and was then succeeded by Chelsea
   captain John Terry. Beckham was dropped from the England national team
   selected by coach Steve McClaren on 11 August 2006.

Childhood and early career

   David Beckham was born in Leytonstone, East London, the son of Ted
   Beckham, a kitchen fitter and Sandra West, hairdresser. His maternal
   grandfather is Jewish, and he has spoken of the influence the religion
   has had on him; however, he is not known to practice Judaism or any
   other faith. His parents were fanatical Manchester United supporters
   who would frequently travel to Old Trafford by coach to attend
   Manchester United's home matches. Although a strong cross-country
   runner, regularly finishing first in his age group in the Essex
   cross-country championships, David had inherited his parents' love of
   Manchester United and his main 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
   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 school of excellence, 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 helped 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 became 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 travelled with the England squad to the
   qualifications in France, but the team's manager Glenn Hoddle publicly
   accused him of not concentrating on the tournament, and he didn't 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.

   In the second round 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, appeared to kick out at his
   opponent, 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 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 in the middle.

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
   F.C. , 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 F.C and played centre-midfield for the UEFA Champions
   League final against Bayern Munich, since United's first string
   centre-midfielders 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 stoppage 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 with chants
   including "we hope your kid dies of cancer". 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 the many endorsement deals he had 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 eventually knocked out
   of the tournament by eventual winners Brazil in the quarter-finals. 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.

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 third Englishman to play for the club after
   Laurie Cunningham 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. Beckham had worn the number seven shirt for
   Manchester United and England, he was unable to wear it at Madrid as
   Raúl González 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 (the ball was caught by
   a fan in Row Q) 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. Real Madrid had another disappointing season, finishing second
   to Barcelona in La Liga and only reaching the last sixteen in the
   Champions League.

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.

   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 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

   David Beckham is currently out of favour with the manager Capello, and
   has started only a few games this season, normally being used as a
   substitute. Also, as of 2006, his long term future for the club is up
   in the air. While negotiations have been proceeding to extend his
   contract that expires in the summer, club president Ramon Calderon has
   stated to BBC Radio 5 Live that he believes Beckham will retire in the
   next two years. Beckham has been continually linked with MLS sides in
   America, most prominently Los Angeles Galaxy, however, reports in
   October, 2006 have stated Celtic F.C. and Tottenham Hotspur F.C. may be
   interested in acquiring Beckham's services in the January transfer
   window, and Israeli club Maccabi Netanya had already placed a formal
   bid.

World Cup 2006, end of an era

   David Beckham at the 2006 World Cup
   Enlarge
   David Beckham at the 2006 World Cup

   During the Fifa World Cup 2006, England was 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. After the World Cup he quit as
   captain of the English team. He also received criticism. In England's
   opening game against Paraguay on June 10, it was Beckham's free kick
   that led to an own-goal by Carlos Gamarra. In England's next match,
   played against Trinidad and Tobago on June 15, 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 June 20, 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 were 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
   94 caps, I feel the time is right to pass on the armband as we enter a
   new era under Steve McClaren."

   Beckham's performances were judged harshly after the World Cup. He was
   heavily criticised again, although some believe his contribution was
   vital to England's victories over Paraguay (in previous tournaments
   England rarely won their opening game), Ecuador, and intense match
   against Trinidad and Tobago.

   There have been speculative offers from the Major League Soccer
   association in the United States beckoning Beckham to come and play for
   one of its clubs. This strategy is seen as a way to revitalize the game
   in the States, as other "retiring" Los Galacticos such as Zidane and
   Figo as well as Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedvěd have been invited to
   play for MLS teams upon retirement. There have also been other wild
   speculations in English newspapers that Beckham is wanted by Newcastle
   United.

   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 which will keep him out for
   several weeks 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 seems intent on making an
   example of Beckham. He has given interviews saying that other discarded
   players may be recalled, but not mentioning Beckham .

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.

   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 4 March 1999),
   Romeo James Beckham ( 1 September 2002) and Cruz David Beckham ( 20
   February 2005). In an April 3, 2006 interview with The Daily Mail,
   Beckham admitted to suffering 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. Because of this connection, Beckham has been dubbed
   "Spiceman" by the Spanish press. His ex-bodyguard Delfin Fernandez
   nicknamed him The Eagle for his extraordinary ability to see small
   objects from a great distance. He has recently moved into the world of
   aftershave along with Victoria with the release of his own scent: David
   Beckham Instinct. Beckham's name was searched for on Google more than
   that of any other sporting personality in 2003 and 2004.

Charitable work

   Beckham has supported UNICEF since his days at Manchester United and in
   January 2005 the England Football Captain became a Goodwill Ambassador
   with a special focus on UNICEF's Sports for Development programme.

   He recently hosted the "World Cup Party - Full Length and Fabulous" at
   his mansion in Hertfordshire, raising money for three charities,
   including the Beckhams' own charity. Over 500 of the richest and most
   famous faces in England made appearances.

Trivia

     * 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
       football film Goal! he says hello to the main character during a
       party about halfway through the film.

     * 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 Raul 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).
     * Beckham has nine 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 misspelled, however, and it says "Vihctoria"
       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.

     * Beckham almost always plays in long sleeve shirts to cover up
       aforementioned tattoos, as they are considered indecent in some
       countries.

     * Beckham is the only player to be sent off twice whilst playing for
       England.

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