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David Beckham is the English footballer whose stardom extends beyond the field and into international celebrity. David Beckham was already a crowd-pleasing star for Manchester United when he married Spice Girls star Victoria Adams (then known as "Posh Spice") in July of 1999; the combination of the two heartthrobs proved irresistible to the press and public, and they became one of Britain's most famous couples. David Beckham's many haircuts, tattoos and snappy suits were closely followed in the British press. As a player Beckham became known best for his pinpoint free kicks, slick passing, and spectacular long-range shots (including a famous goal from midfield against Wimbledon in 1996). Beckham was disqualified from the 1998 World Cup for a rough foul in England's loss to Argentina, but returned to play in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups; he was injured before the 2010 event. He was captain of the English national team from 2000 until 2006, when he stepped down from the role after a loss to Portugal in the World Cup quarterfinals. On the professional side, Manchester United sold Beckham to the Spanish team Real Madrid in 2003 for a transfer fee of 35 million euros (about 25 million British pounds). In 2007 he signed a multi-million dollar contract to leave Real Madrid and move to the United States and play for the L.A. Galaxy; he first suited up for his new team in a "friendly" match against Chelsea on 21 July 2007. He also began playing on extended loan with the Italian team AC Milan in 2009.

David Beckham typically plays midfield... His popular nickname is "Becks"... He has four children with Victoria Beckham: sons Brooklyn (b. 4 March 1999, Romeo (b. 1 September 2002), and Cruz (b. 20 February 2005), and daughter Harper Seven (b. 10 July 2011)... David Beckham wore uniform number 7 with Manchester United; upon joining Real Madrid he switched to number 23, with 7 already taken by his teammate Raul; he kept the jersey number with the Galaxy, and took 32 with AC Milan... His Real Madrid teammates included Luis Figo, Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane... The 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham (starring Keira Knightley) was a fictional tale about a soccer-loving teenager. Beckham didn't star in the movie, but the title has become synonymous with his name. The title refers to Beckham's skill at curling shots around defenders.
On the field, Beckham was a star among others of equal brightness, a crowd-pleasing player with a dramatic style marked by a talent for scoring goals with long kicks that might, to the consternation of defenders, either scream forward at blinding speed or veer off in freakish curves. Off the field, Beckham was an international celebrity that few other athletes - and indeed few others in any field of endeavor - could match for the ability to command sheer public fascination. With a flair for fashion and a pop-star wife, Beckham bounced back from career disappointments and emerged more successful than ever. In the United States, the one place where household-name status eluded him, his reputation was helped along by the success of "Bend It Like Beckham," a gentle British film comedy that dealt with his career only indirectly.

Born to Soccer Fans

David Robert Joseph Beckham grew up in modest circumstances, and his transition to member of the jet set involved a period of adjustment. He was born in the Leytonstone area of London's East End on May 2, 1975 to David (known as "Ted") Beckham, a gas appliance installer, and his wife Sandra, a hair stylist. Both parents, and Ted Beckham's father as well, were passionate soccer fans, although father and grandfather disagreed over the relative merits of the rival Manchester United and Arsenal clubs. The family was pleased to encourage young David Beck-ham when he began to show unusual talent with a soccer ball, and he became a child star with the Ridgeway Rovers youth team when he was eight. Beckham's parents exhorted him to practice hard, and he had a natural work ethic that never flagged even during rough spots in his professional career. He tried out various sports in school, including rugby and distance racing, but soccer always came first. "I had no other career choices," he told Sports Illustrated for Kids. "The buzz I get from playing football [soccer] remains the same as it was when I was a kid growing up in the East End of London."

Beckham's grandfather came to the rescue as the family struggled to scrape together $230 so that the 11-year-old Beckham could attend a soccer camp run by former Manchester United star Bobby Charlton. Though he was too small for most of England's youth leagues, his abilities were obvious, and he won a national soccer skills tournament organized by Charlton, an event similar to Punt, Pass & Kick in the U.S. Manchester United scouts kept an eye on the standout youngster, grooming Beckham with summer training programs in between jobs he took - including one cleaning up drink containers at a dog track - to supplement the family income. When he was 14, Beckham signed a statement of intention to join the Manchester United organization, and in 1991 he joined the team's official training program.

Though he was only 16, and Manchester was several hours away from London, Beckham adapted confidently to life in the world of big-time sports. He led Manchester United's junior team to a Football Association (FA) championship, a nationwide crown, in 1992. Moving up to the "Man U" first team, a step below its top Premier League squad, the following year, he officially turned professional. Beckham was loaned to the lower-level Preston North End team in 1994 and 1995 - a demotion that might have bitterly disappointed many players, but one that Beckham saw as an opportunity to gain large amounts of playing time, build toughness, and work on weak points in his game. Manchester's decision and Beckham's determination paid off, and he took the field for Manchester United in a scoreless game against Leeds on April 2, 1995.

Thought to be looking at a rebuilding year, Manchester United was energized by the presence of its new talent in the 1995 - 96 season. Beckham scored seven goals in 33 Premier League games, and the team won both the FA Cup and the Premier League title. A prime example of Beckham's ability to make headlines came at the beginning of the next season in a match against the Wimbledon team: he noticed that the opposing team's goalie had paused several steps away from the net and let fly a 60-yard curving kick from the other end of field. He scored, and television commentators began to talk about him more often. He was voted Young Player of the Year for the 1996 - 97 season as Manchester United won its second league title in a row.
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