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197.^ "England 1–0 Ecuador", BBC Sport, 25 June 2006, Retrieved 25 June 2006
198.^ a b c Todd, Ben (12 January 2010). "Cross and Becks: David gets a Jesus tattoo to add to his multi-faith collection". Daily Mail (London). http://www.dailymail.co.u...id-gets-Jesus-tattoo.html .
199.^ a b "David Beckham's neck tattoo". http://www.davidbeckhamne.../2007/08/neck-tattoo.html .
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: David Beckham

David Beckham FIFA competition record
The Official David Beckham Website
The David Beckham Academy
MLS player profile
Milan profile

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157.^ "Wedded spice". BBC News. 5 July 1999. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/h...e_posh_wedding/385866.stm . Retrieved 2 December 2005.
158.^ "Victoria and David Beckham Marriage Profile". Marriage.about.com. http://marriage.about.com...sports/a/davidbeckham.htm . Retrieved 13 November 2008.
159.^ Stephen M. Silverman (13 November 2008). "David, Victoria Beckham Have a Third Son - Birth, David Beckham, Victoria Beckham : People.com". People. http://www.people.com/peo...rticle/0,,1029920,00.html . Retrieved 13 November 2008.
160.^ http://www.topnews.in/lig...ecks-turn-buddhism-215956
161.^ Holt, Oliver (18 January 2010). "Beckham wants to become a pasta master – Exclusive". MirrorFootball.co.uk. http://www.mirrorfootball...Ramsay-article292749.html .
162.^ "BBC.co.uk: ''Beckham story is tabloids' dream". BBC News. 9 April 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3614993.stm . Retrieved 4 May 2009.
163.^ News, Pa (7 April 2004). "Beckham flies back to Madrid from holiday''". The Times (London). http://www.timesonline.co...icle/0,,1-1066358,00.html . Retrieved 4 May 2009.
164.^ "Beckham to stay in Spain". BBC News. 20 May 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/spo...otball/europe/3733607.stm . Retrieved 7 October 2005.
165.^ "Did Becks have a threesome?" Article from the Daily Mail 8 April 2004. Retrieved on 2 June 2008.
166.^ "American Idols". W magazine. 1 August 2007. http://www.wmagazine.com/...teven_klein?currentPage=1 . Retrieved 20 February 2009.
167.^ Beckham Sued; Accused of Beating Photographer TMZ.com, 26 January 2009
168.^ http://www.dailytelegraph...ry-e6frewyr-1225929589722
169.^ Beckham the worldwide brand, a June 2006 article from an Associated New Media website
170.^ "David Beckham Instinct". Beckham-fragrances.com. http://www.beckham-fragrances.com/ . Retrieved 4 May 2009.
171.^ "Meet the metrosexual". Dir.salon.com. http://dir.salon.com/stor...22/metrosexual/print.html . Retrieved 13 November 2008.
172.^ "America – meet David Beckham". Marksimpson.com. http://www.marksimpson.co...erica-meet-david-beckham/ . Retrieved 13 November 2008.
173.^ The Beckhams: American Idols: W Feature Story on Style.com[dead link]
174.^ "2003 Year-End Google Zeitgeist". Google.com. http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist2003.html . Retrieved 9 October 2005. , "2004 Year-End Google Zeitgeist". Google.com. http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist2004.html . Retrieved 9 October 2005.
175.^ "David Beckham is third most searched celeb of the decade". Inside World Soccer. 24 December 2009. http://www.insideworldsoc...-third-most-searched.html . Retrieved 22 January 2010.
176.^ The Beckhams Take Hollywood[dead link]
177.^ Victorial Beckham coming to America[dead link]
178.^ Eller, Claudia (19 July 2007). "Hollywood breathlessly awaits Beckhams". L. A. Times. http://www.latimes.com/bu...1,1699340.story?track=rss . Retrieved 4 May 2009. [dead link]
179.^ Pepsi and Beckham end endorsement relationship[dead link]

63.^ "Intruder alert for Victoria Beckham". Manchester Online, 20 July 2004. http://www.manchesteronli...for_victoria_beckham.html . Retrieved 9 October 2005.
64.^ "FA wants explanation from Beckham". BBC News, 14 October 2004. 14 October 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/spo...nternationals/3735276.stm . Retrieved 6 October 2005.
65.^ Maul, Kimberly. David Beckham: Soccer Star and Book Judge The Book Standard 11 January 2006
66.^ "Uncertainty over Beckham's future at Real Madrid". International Herald Tribune. 10 January 2007. http://www.iht.com/articl...ports/web.0110beckham.php . Retrieved 10 May 2007.
67.^ "Real coach calls time on Beckham". BBC Sport. 13 January 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6259063.stm . Retrieved 13 January 2007.
68.^ Bell, Jack (17 February 2007). "Real Madrid Club President Says a Mouthful". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/...;spon=&pagewanted=all . Retrieved 2 August 2010.
69.^ "Beckham scores on Madrid return". BBC Sport. 10 February 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/spo...otball/europe/6346573.stm . Retrieved 10 February 2007.
70.^ Millward, Robert (10 June 2007). "Agent: Beckham Sticking to Galaxy Deal". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost...6/10/AR2007061000751.html . Retrieved 14 August 2008.
71.^ The Beckham Experiment, Grant Wahl, Three Rivers Press, New York, 2010 paperback edition, p.36
72.^ Maidment, Paul (7 July 2007). "Becks And Bucks". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/for...m_0707autofacescan01.html . Retrieved 14 August 2008.
73.^ "Beckham set to invade America". Associated Press. 12 January 2007. http://sports.espn.go.com...ion=soccer&id=2728604 .
74.^ Events surround MLS SuperDraft. MLSnet.com. 10 January 2007.
75.^ Beckham will play for MLS' L.A. Galaxy in $250M deal; Sports Illustrated, 11 January 2007
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78.^ a b The Beckham Experiment, Grant Wahl, Three Rivers Press, New York, 2010 paperback edition, p.44
79.^ The Beckham Experiment, Grant Wahl, Three Rivers Press, New York, 2010 paperback edition, p.45
80.^ a b c The Beckham Experiment, Grant Wahl, Three Rivers Press, New York, 2010 paperback edition, p.66
81.^ The Beckham Experiment, Grant Wahl, Three Rivers Press, New York, 2010 paperback edition, p.16
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84.^ The Beckham Experiment, Grant Wahl, Three Rivers Press, New York, 2010 paperback edition, Pp.69-70
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88.^ Dure, Beau (12 August 2007). "Beckham makes MLS debut but Galaxy stumbles in D.C.". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/s...08-09-beckham-debut_N.htm . Retrieved 15 August 2007.
89.^ "Beckham takes captain's armband to great effect". ESPN.com. 16 August 2007. http://soccernet.espn.go....&root=mls&cc=5901 .
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93.^ "Beckham to join Milan in January". BBC Sport. 30 October 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/spo...otball/europe/7697377.stm . Retrieved 30 October 2008.
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In April 2007, he and wife Victoria bought an $18.2 million home on San Ysidro Drive in Beverly Hills.[80]

Beckham's contract with LA Galaxy took effect on 11 July, and on 13 July, the famous Englishman was officially unveiled as a Galaxy player at the Home Depot Center to much fanfare and world media interest in front of more than 5,000 gathered fans and some 700 accredited media members.[81] Beckham chose to wear number 23. It was announced that Galaxy jersey sales had already reached a record figure of over 250,000 prior to this formal introduction.[82]

In parallel, Beckham's handlers at 19 Entertainment succeeded in putting together an unprecedented US media rollout designed to expand his carefully crafted personal brand in America. He made the cover of Sports Illustrated, a few weeks earlier Adidas launched the extensive 13-part ad campaign "Fútbol meets Football" starring Beckham and NFL running back Reggie Bush, and W magazine published a racy photo spread featuring David and wife Victoria. Meanwhile, ESPN sports network was running "Hello, Goodbye" promotional campaign and it also agreed to air David Beckham: New Beginnings documentary produced by 19 Entertainment before the friendly match versus Chelsea, which was expected to be Beckham's American debut. In addition to popularizing soccer, Beckham's arrival was used as platform for entertainment industry endeavours. Since both Beckham's and his wife's often overlapping careers were handled by 19 Entertainment that's owned by Simon Fuller, who in turn has a business relationship with the Creative Artists Agency (CAA), one of Hollywood's most powerful talent agencies, it was important also for CAA that the Beckhams made as big a splash as possible upon their arrival in the United States. On July 16, CAA had hosted a welcoming bash for David at its new eight-storey, $400 million headquarters in Century City with CAA employees reportedly instructed beforehand to line the staircase and clap for Beckham upon his arrival.[83] That night Victoria's reality show prime-time special Victoria Beckham: Coming to America aired on NBC, drawing terrible reviews in the American press and poor US viewership ratings.[84]


David Beckham became the Los Angeles Galaxy captain immediately upon joining the teamOn Saturday afternoon, 21 July, despite still nursing the injured left ankle that he picked up a month earlier during the final match of La Liga's season, Beckham made his Galaxy debut, coming on for Alan Gordon in the 78th minute of a 0–1 friendly loss to Chelsea as part of the World Series of Soccer.[85] With a capacity crowd, along with a long Hollywood celebrity list featuring Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Eva Longoria Parker, Mary-Kate Olsen, governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jennifer Love-Hewitt, Alicia Silverstone and Drew Carey among others, present at the Home Depot Center, the match was broadcast live on ESPN's main network. However, the proceedings on the field of play completely took a back seat to the Beckham spectacle, and despite the presence of worldwide football stars Andriy Shevchenko, Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard, and John Terry, the US television cameras were firmly focused on Beckham who spent most of the match on the bench. The match's added time featured a scare for already injured Beckham when he got tackled by Steve Sidwell whose cleats struck Beckham's right foot, sending him airborne before he crumpled hard to the ground. Though the existing injury wasn't aggravated too much, Beckham's recovery process was set back by about a week. ESPN's presentation of Beckham's debut earned a 1.0 TV rating, meaning it was seen in an average of 947,000 television homes in the US - a disappointing figure given the national media buzz and two weeks of constant promotion by ESPN. For comparison ESPN2's weekly MLS broadcasts on Thursdays drew a consistent 0.2 rating on virtually no promotion while Freddy Adu's MLS debut televised on ABC back in 2004 earned a 1.3 rating.[80] As far as sporting events that were televised that weekend in the United States, Beckham's much publicized debut drew less TV viewers than British Open golf tournament, a regular-season national baseball game, and even the Indy Racing League's Honda 200 motor race.[80]

However, about a month later, Capello backtracked on his earlier statement, allowing Beckham to rejoin the team for the match against Real Sociedad on 10 February 2007. The player immediately repaid his head coach's trust by scoring the equalising goal from a 27-yard free kick as Real Madrid eventually recorded a 2–1 victory.[69] In his final UEFA Champions League appearance for the club, Real Madrid were knocked out of the competition by Bayern Munich at the round-of-16 stage (on the away goals rule) on 7 March 2007. The return leg against Bayern was Beckham's 103rd match in the Champions League, at the time placing him third on the all-time appearances list in the competition.


Beckham's last season in Real MadridOn 17 June 2007, the last day of the La Liga season, Beckham started in his final match for the club, a 3–1 win over RCD Mallorca, which saw them clinch the title from Barcelona. With Real down 0–1 Beckham limped off the field and was replaced by José Antonio Reyes who scored two goals leading the team to that season's La Liga title, their first since Beckham had signed with them and 30th overall in club's history. Although Real and Barca both finished level on points, Madrid took the title because of superior head-to-head record, capping a remarkable six-month turnaround for Beckham. With his wife and children along with celebrity friends Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes watching from a luxury box at Bernabeu Stadium, it was only Beckham's second piece of silverware since he joined the famous club.

Towards the end of the season, as Beckham was getting back into Capello's good books after successfully fighting his way back into the first team, Real Madrid announced they would try to untie his transfer to LA Galaxy, but were ultimately unsuccessful.[70] Several weeks before Beckham's scheduled arrival to the United States, Real's management contacted LA Galaxy's ownership group about reacquiring the player, but were quickly turned down.[71]

A month after the conclusion of Beckham's Real career, Forbes magazine reported that he had been the party primarily responsible for the team's huge increase in merchandise sales, a total reported to top US$600 million during Beckham's four years at the club.[72]

Los Angeles Galaxy
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.[73]

Beckham on going to America
From ESPN
Beckham (centre) scores his first goal for LA GalaxyBeckham's involvement with Major League Soccer began while he was still a Real Madrid player when it was confirmed on 11 January 2007 that the world's most famous footballer would be leaving Madrid in six months in order to join MLS' Los Angeles Galaxy. The speculation about his new contract in Madrid was thus put to an end and the following day Beckham's official press conference was held in conjunction with the 2007 MLS SuperDraft.[74]

Predictably, the announcement made top news all across the globe. Though many worldwide media outlets reported the deal to be worth US$250 million,[75] the astronomical figure was soon revealed to be something of a PR stunt engineered by Beckham's media handlers (British representative agency 19 Entertainment).[76] In order to maximize the media effect, in the press release they decided to list the potential sum that Beckham could make over the 5-year period from all his revenue sources, which in addition to his Galaxy pay also include his personal endorsements. Beckham's actual deal with the Galaxy was a 5-year contract worth US$32.5 million in total or $6.5 million per year.[77]

The high-profile acquisition paid immediate financial dividends for Galaxy long before Beckham joined the team. On the strength of the signing and the media frenzy it created, the club was able to pull off a new 5-year shirt sponsorship deal with Herbalife nutrition company worth US$20 million. The gate revenue peaked as well with 11,000 new season tickets holders and sold-out luxury suites (each one of the 42 inside the team's home ground, the Home Depot Center).[78] Even the LA Galaxy owners Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) saw an immediate spike in business. Involved on many business fronts worldwide, AEG was already leveraging its Beckham association in places such as China, where the company had been working aggressively in Shanghai and Beijing for years to receive clearance to build arenas and stadiums. The company's CEO Tim Leiweke put it as follows: "Suddenly, we're known as the company that owns the team that David Beckham is going to play for, so our world changed".[79]

In the months following the announcement, the additional terms of Beckham's contract became public knowledge. One unique contract provision was giving him the option of buying an MLS expansion franchise at a fixed price whenever he stopped playing in the league - an allowance that the league's owners had never given to a player before. Another provision was the opt-out clause after the 2009 season, meaning that should he decide so, Beckham was free to leave the club after completing year three of his 5-year contract.[78]

In July 2004, while Beckham was in pre-season training in Spain, an intruder scaled a wall at the Beckham 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.[63]

The league season began with new head coach José Antonio Camacho behind the bench, but he ended up lasting only three matches, handing in his resignation following week 3 fixture as Real dropped to eighth spot in the La Liga standings. Camacho's assistant Mariano García Remón took over on temporary basis as Real leadership scrambled to find a permanent replacement. 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.[64] He was sent off shortly afterwards, this time in a league match for Real Madrid against Valencia CF. Having received a yellow card, he was judged to have sarcastically applauded the referee and was given a second yellow card, causing an automatic dismissal, although the suspension was cancelled on appeal two days later.

By Christmas 2004, with the team sitting in second league spot, García Remón was gone as Vanderlei Luxemburgo became the new head coach. However, the well-traveled Brazilian failed to inspire the team to the title as Real again finished the season in the runner-up spot.

On 3 December 2005, Beckham was sent off for the third time that season in a league match against Getafe CF. One day later Luxemburgo got the axe and was replaced with Juan Ramón López Caro. By the end of that season, Beckham led La Liga in number of assists.


Warming up with Real Madrid in August 2006During the season, Beckham established football academies in Los Angeles and east London and he was named a judge for the 2006 British Book Awards.[65] Real Madrid finished second to Barcelona in the 2005–06 La Liga, albeit with a large 12-point gap, and reached the last 16 only in the Champions League after losing to Arsenal. The season also marked the end of an era for the club as Pérez resigned his president post in January 2006 with Vicente Boluda named as replacement on interim basis until the end of the season.

The summer 2006 off-season marked a turbulent time as club president elections were held. Ramón Calderón became the new Real president. As expected, none of the club officials that served under the previous president were kept, including head coach López Caro.

Initially out of favour with newly arrived head coach Fabio Capello, Beckham started only a few games at the beginning of the season, as the speedier José Antonio Reyes was normally preferred on the right wing. In the first nine matches Beckham started, Real 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 yet been renewed.[66]

On 11 January 2007, Beckham announced that he had signed a five-year deal to play for Los Angeles Galaxy beginning 1 July 2007. 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.[67] A few days later while speaking to the students at Villanueva University Center in Madrid, club president Calderón said that Beckham is "going to Hollywood to be half a film star", adding "our technical staff were right not to extend his contract, which has been proved by the fact that no other technical staff in the world wanted him except Los Angeles".[68]

Real Madrid

Beckham (top) and Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid in August 2003As the summer 2003 transfer window approached Manchester United appeared keen to sell Beckham to FC Barcelona[54] but instead the player joined reigning Spanish champions Real Madrid for €35 million (£25m) transfer fee[55] on a four-year contract as the latest of the galáctico signings by club president Florentino Pérez. The news came as a bitter pill to the newly elected Barça president Joan Laporta who based much of his presidential campaign precisely on signing Beckham.[56] Though announced in mid-June, the transfer was completed on 1 July 2003, making him the third Englishman to play for the club after Laurie Cunningham and Steve McManaman. Following a successful medical on 2 July, Beckham was unveiled in front of 500 accredited journalists from 25 countries at Real's basketball facility where he was handed the Real shirt by club legend Alfredo di Stéfano.[57] Although Beckham had worn the number seven shirt for Manchester United and England, he was unable to wear it at Madrid as it was currently assigned to club captain Raúl. The Englishman decided to wear number 23 instead, citing his admiration of basketball player Michael Jordan, who also wore the number 23 shirt, as the reason behind his decision.[58]

In the week before Beckham presentation, Real named Carlos Queiroz as their new head coach, meaning that Beckham got reunited with a familiar face upon arriving to Madrid since Queiroz spent the previous season as Alex Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United. In late July 2003, the club went on a tour of the Far East as part of the pre-season training, but also to cash in on Beckham's huge marketing appeal in Asia where he enjoyed tremendous following. Real's brand recognition in that part of the globe was already well established as the club made financially successful trips to Asia during previous off-seasons, however the presence of global marketing icon such as Beckham made this particular tour a financial smash for los Merengues.[59]

Shortly after his Real switch, Beckham also dropped his longtime agent Tony Stephens of SFX Europe who guided him to and through super-stardom and was one of the key players that engineered Beckham's move from Manchester to Madrid. Beckham signed on with Simon Fuller and his company 19 Entertainment that already managed the career of David's wife Victoria.[60] Beckham also appointed close friend Terry Byrne to be his personal manager.[18][61]

In late August 2003, Real Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup over two legs versus RCD Mallorca, with Beckham scoring the final goal in a 3–0 return leg win at home, thus setting the stage for the start of the league season. Playing on a star-ladden team along with Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos, Raúl, Iker Casillas, etc., Beckham didn't require much time to settle in, scoring five times in his first 16 matches (including a goal less than three minutes into his La Liga debut). Queiroz mostly favoured the adaptable 5-3-2 formation with two fullbacks Michel Salgado and Roberto Carlos often joining the attack down the wings, while Beckham quickly found a regular playing spot on the right of the 3-man midfield alongside Zidane and Figo.[62]

Real Madrid were runners-up in the Copa del Rey, were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarter-final stage and finished the league season in fourth place, meaning the team, whose president Pérez expected them to win either the Spanish league or the Champions League each season, did not match expectations.