RM: David Beckham
A decade on from hanging up his boots David Beckham remains one of the biggest names in football. He may have swapped the pitch for the board room at Inter Miami but his draw and reputation in the game remains as high as it has ever been.
But away from the headlines on the front and back pages, and away from sarongs and different hairstyles, it should not be forgotten that David Beckham was a very, very good footballer. One of the very best.
He is the first English footballer to win championships in four countries – England, Spain, USA and France – and won 115 England caps over a 13-year international career. Renowned for his accuracy from free kicks, Beckham scored 18 in the Premier League – which at the time of writing is still a record.
Beckham played at the very top for the whole of his career, in England, Spain, France, Italy and also played a pivotal role in helping MLS grow and become what it is today. But for all his free kicks, long and accurate passes and crossing ability, Beckham's sheer work and determination is sometimes overlooked.
The World Cup qualifier against Greece at Old Trafford is a perfect example of this. Yes he scored the decisive free kick that booked England’s place in Japan and South Korea, but that had come on the back of 90+ minutes of him covering every blade of grass for the cause.
Make no mistake, David Beckham was an exceptional footballer on the pitch and a global icon off it.
James Andrew
