fitness
Breakthroughs
He’s known for scoring big goals in Europe - and trying to
do the same thing in America. His pinpoint kicking accuracy
has made him one of soccer’s biggest stars, and his moviestar status makes him one of the world’s most recognizable
people. Here’s a closer look at David Beckham!
David Beckham: Growing Up
Soccer has always been the biggest thing in
David’s life. He and his dad used to play for hours
when he was a kid. Because he was always kicking the
ball around, David never did all that well in school. He
dropped out when he was 16 and went to play soccer
for Manchester United’s junior team. He played his
first pro game for Manchester two years later when he
was only 18 years old.
By 1996, David was a regular with the Manchester team and one of the most popular players in
England due to the fact that he helped the team win an
FA Cup and a Premier Division title in the same year.
David was also the FIFA World Player of the Year
runner-up in 1999 and 2001.
One year later, in 2002, David helped England
advance to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in South
Korea and Japan. Unfortunately, David and his team
lost to Brazil that year. In 2003, David was transferred
to Real Madrid in Spain for a mind-boggling $40 million. But after being plagued by injury and scandal,
the English soccer star decided he needed a change
in scenery. In 2007, just like Pele (aka Edson Arantes
do Nascimento did in back the 1970s, David got on a
plane and took his famous game to the U.S., signing an
enormous five year $250 million contract to play for
the LA Galaxy of the MLS. But his injuries subsisted
and he missed quite a few games with the Galaxy at
the start of his contract.
By the time he was healed and ready to play,
it seemed like it was already too late. Despite scoring
a goal and assisting his American teammate Landon
Donovan, the Galaxy failed to qualify for the end of
season playoffs.
In October 2008, Milan in Italy announced
that David was going to join them on loan for a short
while. Even though David made it clear that he was
NOT leaving the MLS and would return to play in
LA at the start of the 2009 season in March, the move
didn’t sit too well with Galaxy fans. They were angry
and didn’t seem to lake David that much – some held
signs up at games saying, “Go home fraud” and “Part
time player.”
Still, David decided to go play on loan with
Milan for a second season. Unfortunately, while in
Italy he tore his left Achilles tendon and needed surgery in March 2010. Because of his injury, he was
forced to miss the 2010 FIFA World Cup as a player.
In May 2010 it was announced that David Beckham
would work as a mediator between management and
the players and as an English member of the coaching
staff for the England national football team at the 2010
World Cup.
David Beckham: Glam Life
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