David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBEis an English former professional footballer. He played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, Milan, LA Galaxy, Paris Saint-Germain, and the England national team for which he holds the appearance record for an outfield player. He is the first English player to win league titles in four countries: England, Spain, the United States and France. He announced his retirement in May 2013 after a 20-year career, during which he won 19 major trophies. Known...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionSoccer Player
Date of Birth2 May 1975
CityLondon, England
I don't regret the decision to retire. My body was losing its edge. I was taking longer to recover from injuries. You have to get out at some point.
I'm used to being around kids. Even when I was growing up in London, I had an older sister, I had a younger sister that I used to look after from time to time.
Football's the biggest game in the world. America's the greatest sporting nation there is. To play some part in putting those two things together: why wouldn't I be excited about that?
Finally, I have lived the dream, I am extremely proud to have worn the armband and been captain of England and for that I will always be grateful
My secret is practice
I always wanted kids I could take to work, and for them to experience the things I experience. So, having three boys as a footballer was a dream.
I feel this pang of regret whenever I watch sport; this sense that I will never play a big match again.
At the end of the day, I'm a footballer who has played at some of the biggest football clubs in the world and played with some of the best players in the world.
It's one thing I like about America - they respect the sportsman. They put them up on a pedestal. They don't try to knock them down. And that's a great thing, to be respected by the whole country. It's so patriotic!
I'm surprised I still have so much hair after all the things I've done with it.
I wasn't as fit as I would of liked to have been, going to the World Cup, but I'm not sure what difference that made.
Being at a club that supported me meant a lot.
In Spain people have lunch and dinner a lot later - when I return to England I'll have to eat alone at midnight.
There's room for boys' and girls' football in the world-that's what I believe.