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 love football and I love winning, and when things aren't going right I get annoyed.
[Meeting Mandela] was the highlight of my career; to meet such a great man and a strong man and such a passionate man about sport and life will always stay with me.
I don't think I have reached a plateau. I have just reached the level where I am today. But I need to go above it.
That goal [in the 1998 World Cup] changed me-not as a person, but as a player. People have looked at me differently ever since. It gave me confidence and now I feel I can achieve anything.
You know when you play in the big away games that the fans are going to be behind their team and will be booing you. As a professional you need to tune yourself out of that part of the game and concentrate on the job at hand.
I know that I will always regret it later in life if I had turned down the chance to play at another great club like Real Madrid.
I would walk back from the United States to play for England again.
As soon as I hit the ball, I know if it's in.
I'm not silly enough to think I'm going to change the whole culture ... but I do have a belief that soccer can go to a different level.
I feel I can still do the same job as I did 10 years ago - I've just got a few more wrinkles!
I've always come back from adversity, and I've always had the mentality of proving people wrong.
I needed two stitches after Alex kicked the boot at me. (on Ferguson)
Coaching is not something I'm passionate about. I'm passionate about coaching kids
I'm happy in Madrid, my kids are happy and my wife is happy, so everything's good. If anyone knows about contracts they take a while to sort out.