david beckham autobiography

David Beckham

Retired soccer star David Beckham played for Manchester United, England, Real Madrid, and the L.A. Galaxy. He is married to singer and fashion designer Victoria Beckham.

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1975-present

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Quick facts, early years, soccer career, mls team owner and other ventures, wife and children, netflix docuseries, who is david beckham.

A phenom almost from the moment he could first kick a soccer ball, David Beckham fulfilled his childhood dreams of playing for Manchester United, a legendary English team, beginning at age 18. He became a full-time starter in 1995 and remained with the club until 2003. Next, the soccer star played for Spain’s Real Madrid, before signing a five-year contract with the L.A. Galaxy, an MLS team, in 2007. Beckham retired from his professional playing days in 2013. Today, he is a part-owner of Inter Miami CF, among other business interests. He and his wife, Victoria Beckham , have been married since 1999.

FULL NAME: David Robert Joseph Beckham BORN: May 2, 1975 BIRTHPLACE: Leytonstone, London, England SPOUSE: Victoria Beckham (1999-present) CHILDREN: Brooklyn , Romeo, Cruz, and Harper ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Taurus

Born on May 2, 1975, in the Leytonstone area of London, David Robert Joseph Beckham is the only son of Ted Beckham, an appliance repairman, and Sandra West, a hair stylist. A middle child between two sisters, David grew up with a family of committed fans to Manchester United, England’s legendary soccer franchise.

Young Beckham showed his own promise as a footballer, winning the coveted Bobby Charlton Soccer Schools National Skills competition at 11 years old. His talent soon caught the notice of Manchester United team officials, who asked him to try out for the club’s youth league. By age 16, Beckham had left home and was playing for United’s training division. Two years later, he made the club, and by 1995, he was a full-time starter.

Beckham wasted little time in making a splash on the English soccer landscape. The talented goal scorer was named the Professional Footballers’ Association Young Player of the Year in 1997. A year later, he was one of the leading faces of England’s World Cup team. In 1998, Beckham, who’d already signed a deal with Adidas, netted $13 million in endorsement deals.

In 1999, he led Manchester United to the Premier League title, the FA Cup championship, and the Champions League title. Thanks to a last-minute free kick against Greece in 2001, England qualified for the 2002 World Cup. That same year, Beckham signed a three-year $22 million contract to remain with Manchester United.

But Beckham’s time with United proved to be shorter than anyone thought. In 2003, he was acquired by Real Madrid in a stunner of a deal that brought to light Beckham’s growing rift with Manchester’s then-manager Alex Ferguson.

Spanish soccer fans were thrilled to have their archrival join their team. Americans, meanwhile, were just getting to know him with the release of the 2002 movie Bend It Like Beckham , which follows a young girl who bucks her family’s traditional ways in order to play soccer.

America’s fascination with Beckham and his decade of dominance culminated in 2007 when the soccer great moved across the Atlantic on a reported five-year, $250 million deal with the L.A. Galaxy. The relocation was as much about giving Victoria Beckham ’s career a boost (she helped drive the decision to move to the States) as it was to give America’s MLS a shot in the arm. Within 48 hours of the signing, the Galaxy sold more than 5,000 season tickets.

Beckham’s career after moving to the United States, however, was a rocky one. He was beset by injuries, spraining a knee ligament his first season in Los Angeles, and later missed out on a chance to play in the 2010 World Cup because of an Achilles tendon injury.

On May 16, 2013—just days after winning a title with French club Paris Saint-Germain—the 38-year-old Beckham announced that he would retire at the end of the season, ending his 21-year soccer career.

“I wouldn’t have achieved what I have done today without my family. I’m grateful for my parents’ sacrifice, which made me realize my dreams,” Beckham said in a statement. “I owe everything to Victoria and the kids, who have given me the inspiration and support to play at the highest level for such a long period... If you had told me as a young boy I would have played for and won trophies with my boyhood club Manchester United, proudly captained and played for my country over 100 times and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy. I’m fortunate to have realized those dreams.”

In 2014, Beckham and other investors announced plans to create a new MLS team in Miami. “This is an exciting time for myself, my family, my friends and partners, and it is something we are really looking forward to bringing to Miami,” Beckham said that February. He is the first former athlete to become a team owner in modern MLS history. Inter Miami CF officially launched in January 2018 and had its first game in March 2020. In July 2023, Inter Miami signed all-time great Lionel Messi to the team.

Dating back to his soccer days, Beckham has been involved in various charity work. Most notably, he has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2005.

Beckham has been described as one of the world’s wealthiest athletes, with a reported net worth of $450 million . He and his wife, Victoria Beckham, have a combined net worth of $514 million.

Beckham has amassed his fortune from his time as an athlete, as well as his successful business ventures off the field. Forbes estimated he earned $255 million during his six years playing for the MLS (including endorsements and licensing). At the time of his retirement, he was the 7th highest paid athlete of all time, according to The Mirror , with a reported total earnings of $800 million.

An in-demand influencer for years, the soccer star has signed deals with companies such as Adidas, Haig Clubn whisky, Armani, and PepsiCo. In 2012, he started an underwear line for the clothing brand H&M. As part of Beckham’s marketing campaign with H&M, six 10-foot statues of the soccer star in his underwear were installed in New York City; others were installed in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Beckham reportedly boasts a $44 million art collection and spends an average of $46,000 per day on his hobbies, which includes collecting Elvis Presley memorabilia.

David Beckham has been married to Victoria Beckham , also known as Posh Spice of the Spice Girls, since July 4, 1999. Even before meeting her , Beckham predicted to friends that he would one day marry her after watching the 1997 movie Spice World , telling them, “See that one there? I’m going to marry that one.” They met at a Manchester United game in 1997, and the two quickly fell in love. The couple tied the knot at a lavish $800,000 wedding at a castle outside of Dublin.

The couple learned they were pregnant with their first child just before a World Cup match in 1998, which prompted Beckham’s reply: “Oh blimey, you couldn’t have picked a worst time.” Their son Brooklyn Beckham was born in March 1999. The couple have three more children: sons Romeo and Cruz, born in September 2002 and February 2005, respectively; and daughter Harper, born in July 2011.

In 2020, David and Victoria Beckham signed a $20 million contract to create a docuseries with Netflix about their lives. The series, called Beckham , premiered in early October 2023, drawing significant attention from fans of the soccer star, while also drawing him nearly a half million new fans on social media. The documentary included several revelations about the Beckham couple, including how they fell in love, details about their lives together, and how they responded to negative chants from soccer fans.

One of the most attention-grabbing moments of Beckham was one in which the couple directly addressed rumors that David reportedly cheated on his wife with model Rebecca Loos (who wasn’t identified by name in the series) while playing in Spain in 2003, which he has vehemently denied. “It was a nightmare,” Victoria said . “It was an absolute circus—and everyone loves it when the circus comes to town, right? Unless you’re in it.” Roos said she endured many “disgusting” remarks on social media as a result of the Netflix series.

• If you had told me as a young boy I would have played for and won trophies with my boyhood club Manchester United, proudly captained and played for my country over 100 times and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy. I’m fortunate to have realized those dreams.
• The spotlight will always be on me, but it’s something I’m learning to live with as the years go by.
• I wouldn’t have achieved what I have done today without my family. I’m grateful for my parents’ sacrifice, which made me realize my dreams.
• I owe everything to Victoria and the kids, who have given me the inspiration and support to play at the highest level for such a long period.

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Colin McEvoy joined the Biography.com staff in 2023, and before that had spent 16 years as a journalist, writer, and communications professional. He is the author of two true crime books: Love Me or Else and Fatal Jealousy . He is also an avid film buff, reader, and lover of great stories.

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David Beckham: My Side: My Side - The Autobiography Hardcover – 12 September 2003

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David Beckham is one of the world's foremost media icons, his popularity transcending sport and cultural divides. This is his own in-depth account of his career to date, for Manchester United and England, his childhood, family and personal life, and the full story of his transfer to Real Madrid.

With endless newspaper column inches devoted to one of the most talked about men in the world, it seems that we know everything there is to know about David Beckham. Or do we?

This is Beckham’s fascinating life story in his own words. His stormy relationship with United boss Alex Ferguson and the highs and lows of his career at Old Trafford. The England story, from being vilified by the nation before returning as the prodigal son, captain of his country and almost single-handedly guiding them to the 2002 World Cup Finals. And the full account of a turbulent 2002/03 domestic football season, when relations between Beckham and his manager hit a new low, culminating in his highly publicised transfer to Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Now from Beckham himself, we gain a vivid and at times searingly honest insight into the family man behind the famous footballer, the international model and fashion leader. He describes how he first met and then married ex-Spice girl Victoria Adams, and the upbringing of their two children Brooklyn and Romeo. How his family's every step is monitored by a possee of newshounds and paparazzi, and the threats to their safety. Also, the influence of his parents, growing up as a shy youngster in the family home, and how their subsequent split created a yawning chasm in his private life.

This book is an intimate and soul-searching portrayal of a massive celebrity, a family man, and an awe-inspiring footballer – the likes of which we are unlikely to see again.

• Print length 416 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Willow
• Publication date 12 September 2003
• ISBN-10 9780007157327
• ISBN-13 978-0007157327
• See all details

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About the Author

David Beckham was born in Leytonstone, East London in May 1975. At the age of 11 he came first in the Bobby Charlton Soccer Schools competition ahead of 5,000 other boys. He signed for Manchester United in 1989 and made his debut three years later, aged 17. He has since gone on to play more than fifty times for England, including captaining his country in the 2002 World Cup Finals. He was transfered to Real Madrid for £25 million in the summer of 2003.

Product details

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0007157320
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Willow (12 September 2003)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780007157327
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007157327
• 554 in Soccer Clubs
• 670 in Soccer Biographies
• 892 in Ball Games

About the authors

David beckham.

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