David Beckham is England's answer to the Spice Girls. He is a pop star in a soccer uniform. Not only is he married to Victoria Adams, the Spice Girl formerly known as Posh, but he is England's most famous and brightest soccer player. He is the pretty boy, rock star and teen idol of the country, even though he no longer plays for the English Premiership (England's top soccer or football league).
His career has seen a whirlwind of ups and downs, not to mention a whole lot of press. Fans blamed his infamous red card in the 1998 World Cup in France for England's elimination. Yet many consider his superb play during the 1998-1999 soccer season as the reason why his team, Manchester United, enjoyed unprecedented success. Love him or hate him, his skin is thicker than an elephant's considering all the abuse and adoration he has received.
In June 2003, Bechkam was traded to Real Madrid -- soccer's Dream Team -- for $41 million. Despite his ability on the field, he is a pop culture icon, as the unofficial "metrosexual" poster boy with a brand of Cologne for men bearing his name.
David Beckham isn't outspoken or particularly extroverted, but his temper is almost as famous as his hairstyles, and has gotten him into a fair share of trouble.
Talent-wise, few can compare to him. But more often than not, he is quoted as the most marketable player in the world (instead of the best) because of his charisma and his enormous fan base. Without an underlying talent though, not even the world's most charasmatic character would have the global appeal Beckham has.
How good is he? Well, let's just say he has a tendency to score goals from a very, very long distance. Try 57 yards. That doesn't seem like much, but to put it in perspective, most kickers in the NFL can't hit a ball that far, much less at a target much smaller than the NFL's huge goal posts... and with a goaltender.
David Beckham is a soft-spoken guy. He isn't a particularly graceful talker, but when you're a good-looking guy, that's only a bonus to women. Whether it's his blond hair, his model looks, or his athleticism, we're sure that quite a few women across the world became teary-eyed when he married former Spice Girl Victoria "Posh" Adams.
But it seems that Beckham is still attracting the honeys. In 2004, his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, admitted that she had an affair with Beckham.
Two years later, glamour model Emma Ryan insisted that she and David had a love affair. Since things are still going strong with his wife, we can only conclude that this guy definitely has a way with the ladies.
Sometimes David wishes he wasn't so famous; the attempted kidnapping of his son is the kind of event that makes you want to disappear into oblivion. His throng of fans bring him extra publicity, but it also brings more critics, including those who attempted to lynch him for his 1998 World Cup red card.
Despite the harsh environment, Beckham has continued to improve his play on the field. On the international level, he is captain of the English squad. During his tenure at Manchester United, he won 4 league titles, the F.A. Cup and the prestigious Champions League Cup.
In June 2003, it was announced that Real Madrid, home to star players like Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, and Ronaldo, would pay a tranfer fee of $41 million US for the superstar midfielder. He has also become a part of mainstream pop culture, thanks to the huge hit of summer 2003, Bend It Like Beckham, and his status as the poster boy for the latest buzz word, "metrosexual."
Although Beckham is no longer captain of the England football team, Endorsements like his $160 million lifetime deal with Adidas and other lucrative relationships with PepsiCo, Vodafone, Marks & Spencer, and his line of cologne keep him constantly in the spotlight
His wife, Victoria, was known as the most stylish of the Spice Girls, and her sense of fashion has rubbed off on David. He has gone from a simple boy, to an icon in trendy British magazines. Whenever he gets a new haircut, it's right there on the cover of every paper, and it's safe to say that he can pull off any look he chooses. Now how many athletes have become trendsetters?