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This 40-year-old father of four began his soccer career when he was 16 and continued playing professionally until his retirement in 2013. In that time, he played 523 games and scored 97 goals for six different teams, two of which he was loaned to.
But Beckham has been in the spotlight for more than just his soccer ability. When he married Victoria Adams (aka Posh Spice from the Spice Girls), the couple became a global phenomenon.
Beckham has appeared in video games, commercials, and movies, and he is the face of numerous brands throughout the world, including H&M and Adidas. Just this year, he was named second on Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid retired athletes, behind Michael Jordan.
He also owns a Major League Soccer team and is actively involved in multiple charities, celebrating 10 years as a Unicef ambassador this year.
Here’s a look at the life and career of Beckham:
David Robert Joseph Beckham was born May 2, 1975, in London. He has two sisters.
Beckham said he always wanted to play professional soccer. He used to play on a local youth team, and at age 14 he attended Manchester United’s training academy. His parents were massive United fans.
Beckham leaving the field after his Manchester United tied 1-1 with Inter Milan in a Champions League quarterfinal match in 1999.
He signed his first contract with United when he was 16, and he debuted with the team in 1992. During his 11 years with United, he scored 62 goals and the team won the Premier League title six times, the FA Cup twice, and the UEFA Champions League and the World Club Championship in 1999.
May 26, 1999: Manchester United’s Teddy Sheringham, left, and Beckham with the trophy after defeating Bayern Munich by 2-1 to win the UEFA Champions League soccer final in Barcelona.
Beckham made his debut for the English national team when he was 21 and played with it from 1996 to 2009. He was the captain for six years and played in three World Cups. March 28, 2001: Beckham during a World Cup qualifying match against Albania. England won by 3-1.
In 2001, PlayStation released the video game “David Beckham Soccer.” It was later released for other platforms as well. In 2002, “Go! Go! Beckham! Adventure on Soccer Island” was released for Game Boy Advance. He also graced the cover of the FIFA ’98 video game.
“Go! Go! Beckham! Adventure on Soccer Island.”
He met Victoria Adams, known as Posh Spice of the Spice Girls, in 1997, and they married in September 1999. The couple has four kids: Brooklyn, 16; Romeo, 13; Cruz, 10; and Harper, 4.
Beckham with, from left, his sons, Romeo, Cruz, and Brooklyn, and his wife, Victoria, at the premiere of “The Class of 92” at Odeon West End on December 1, 2013, in London.
The movie “Bend It Like Beckham” came out in 2002. Beckham wasn’t able to make a cameo appearance, so a lookalike was used instead. He did make a cameo in the movies “Goal! The Dream Begins,” “Goal II: Living the Dream,” and “Goal III: Taking on the World.”
“Goal II: Living the Dream.”
Beckham signed a four-year contract with Real Madrid in 2003 for about $50 million. Forbes found that in the years Beckham was on the team, Real Madrid sold $600 million worth of soccer merchandise, increasing profits by 137%.
Beckham during a preseason match between FC Tokyo and Real Madrid.
In 2005, Beckham opened two soccer academies, one in Los Angeles and the other in London. They both closed in 2009.
Beckham with junior soccer players at the Home Depot Center on June 2, 2005, where he was appearing to announce the David Beckham Academy.
He moved to Los Angeles and made his Major League Soccer debut with the LA Galaxy in 2007 in what was said to be a record-breaking $250 million contract, but that wasn’t necessarily the case — that number included endorsements. During his time there, he was loaned to Milan twice, once in 2009 and again in 2010.
Beckham taking on the Houston Dynamo in the 2012 MLS Cup at The Home Depot Center on December 1, 2012.
After the Beckhams made the move to the US, the family had some TV specials. ESPN ran a documentary called “David Beckham: New Beginnings,” and Victoria had a reality-show special called “Victoria Beckham: Coming to America,” both produced by their agent Simon Fuller’s company, 19 Entertainment.
Beckham with his agent Simon Fuller after winning the 2012 MLS Cup against the Houston Dynamo in 2012.
Beckham joined tennis player Andy Murray as one of Malaria No More UK’s founding Leadership Council members when the organization launched in 2009.
Beckham with Andy Murray, then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and Denise Lewis at No. 10 Downing Street on April 20, 2009.
He signed a five-month contract with Paris Saint-Germain in 2013, and while playing for the team, he donated his entire salary to charity. He announced his retirement at the end of the five months.
Beckham with his sons during the match between Paris Saint-Germain FC and Stade Brestois 29 on May 18, 2013.
He made Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid retired athletes this year, raking in $75 million in 2014, second behind Michael Jordan.
Beckham has numerous endorsement deals, including Breitling, Sky Sports, and Belstaff. Beckham also has a few deals in China, including Jaguar, China Auto Rental, and Sands China. He also became an ambassador for the Chinese Super League.
Last year, he even partnered with the beverage company Diageo to launch a new whiskey, and he signed a deal with Global Brands Group. Between them, he is supposed to bring in more than $20 million.
And you can’t forget about his fragrance and clothing deals. As an Adidas user, he signed a $130 million lifelong contract back in 2003. Beckham extended his deal with Coty, a beauty-product company that sells his fragrances, through 2017. His 2012 deal with H&M extended to include swimwear this past year and will also include a new line of menswear.
Beckham at the launch of his new Bodywear range at the H&M Super Bowl Event at H&M Times Square on February 1, 2014.
A year ago, Beckham announced the purchase of an MLS team to bring to Miami after being given the option to purchase a franchise for $25 million as designated by his MLS contract back in 2007. The deal might not work out if Beckham and his investors can’t get approval for a stadium.
MLS commissioner Don Garber, Beckham, and Mayor Carlos Gimenez of Miami at a news conference to announce their plans to launch a new MLS franchise in Miami.
In November, Beckham was named People’s “Sexist Man of the Year” for the first time.
Beckham at an event celebrating his 10 years as a Unicef goodwill ambassador.
To mark his 10th year as a Unicef ambassador, Beckham started 7, a Unicef fund to help protect children from danger.
Beckham made a slight cameo in Guy Ritchie’s “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” earlier this year and will also appear in Ritche’s coming film “Knights of the Roundtable: King Arthur.”
Credit: Business Insider
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