David Beckham is a professional soccer player (now retired) who gained international fame on and off the field. He started his professional career playing for Manchester United and ended it with Paris Saint-Germain. He is the first British player to earn titles in four different countries: England, Spain, USA, and France.
Outside of his soccer career, Beckham's popularity grew after getting married to Victoria Beckham. He is also known for his modeling, sponsorships, and being a spokesperson. Beckham is also very involved with UNICEF as he supported their work while playing for Manchester United. He also became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2005 with a focus on the sports for development programme. David Beckham is known both for being an extraordinary midfielder and for his business ventures as well.
Beckham began his soccer career as a part of the youth team for Manchester United in 1991. For the 1994-95 season, he went to Preston North End on a loan to gain some experience. Soon after, he became a player for the professional team for Manchester United and helped the team win the 1995-96 Premier League title and FA cup. Beckham continued to succeed at Manchester United as they won the Premier League title again in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2003. In 2003, he left and joined Real Madrid until 2007. In 2007, with his help, Real Madrid won the La Liga title.
Beckham eventually signed a deal with the MLS team the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007. In 2008, he played for the Italian club, AC Milan on a loan. After he returned, he helped LA Galaxy win the MLS title in 2011 and 2012. In 2013, he signed a deal with Paris Saint-Germain and won the league title with them. After one season, he retired from his professional soccer career.
David Beckham has won many awards throughout his career. He won the Premier League six times with Manchester United in 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2003. He also has won a Champions League title with Manchester United for the 1998-99 season. And in 1996 and 1999, he won the FA Cup with Manchester United. Beckham also won the English Super Cup 4 times with Manchester United in 1994, 1995, 1997, and 1998. In the 2006-07 season, he won the La Liga title with Real Madrid and in 2003-04 he won the Spanish Super Cup with them. Beckham also won the French champion title in 2012-13 with Paris Saint-Germain. He was also a two time MLS Cup Champion with Los Angeles Galaxy in 2011 and 2012. Beckham has also been inducted to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2008. Lastly, in 2004, Beckham was named one of the world's greatest living players in the FIFA 100 list.
Soccer was a big part of David Beckham's life when growing up. At 11 years old, he won the Bobby Charlton Soccer National Skills competition which caught the attention of Manchester United officials.
In 1997, Beckham met Victoria Adams from the Spice Girls and they both fell in love. On July 4th, 1999 both of them got married at a castle in Ireland. The couple gained increased media attention due to their celebrity status. The media attention also focused on their dressing, hair, and style. David and Victoria have four children: Brooklyn who was born on March 4th, 1999, Romeo who was born on September 1st, 2002, Cruz born on February 20th, 2005, and lastly a daughter, Harper born on July 10, 2011.
Despite starting his career as a soccer player, Beckham gained attention, unlike many others. He climbed his way to the top with Manchester United, captained the England national team for 6 years, played for the Spanish and French league, and went to America. Not only that but his relationship and marriage to Victoria Beckham of the Spice Girls increased the attention of the media. Beckham then continued to model for many major campaigns and sponsorships such as Armani, Samsung, and Coca Cola. Over the years, although he started off with soccer, he diversified into other business ventures helping build his brand and image.
Beckham was known to be a midfielder (usually right or center), and has been regarded as one of the greatest free kickers. He had a strong range of passing, and the ability to kick accurate long balls, bending free-kicks, and crossing ability unlike any other. This helped him excel as a midfielder and help create more opportunities for his teammates to score goals. Beckham also was known for his defensive work-rate on the field and stamina.
Beckham began supporting UNICEF when he started his career with Manchester United. He would help take part in campaigns and fundraising activities that would help with recreational and educational programs that include soccer for children across the globe. In 2005, he was appointed the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador with a focus on the sports for development program. He has visited Thailand, Sierra Leone, the Philippines, and Cambodia for his work. Beckham has been supporting UNICEF for years and working toward fundraising for them.
After dating Victoria, the couple increasingly gained media coverage. Both of them would show up wearing matching outfits at times which would make the public fawn over them. Beckham was also known for his range of haircuts from frosted tips, bleached hair, mullet, shaved head, ponytail, and more. Although he played around with some bold fashion choices, as the years went on Beckham became an icon for his style. He campaigned for fashion, beauty, alcohol, and luxury car brands. He also designed a men's collection with H&M; and was hired by Bentley and Jaguar for sponsorships. Beckham's name and image were associated with "style" and "class" establishing another side to him.