Victoria, I thought, probably didn’t want me to shake her awake for a chat. The television was far enough away from the bed that I thought: if the sound’s turned down, it won’t disturb her. I let my hand run across a low sideboard until it settled on the remote. I carefully pulled a chair across the room, up close, a yard or so from the screen. I switched it on and sat back.
That little crack of electricity and then the picture comes swimming up to the surface. As things come into focus on the bright screen in that darkroom on the other side of the world, my mouth drops open. I’m watching this team in an all-white uniform. The others are in red and white stripes. I squint to try and pick out individual players. That’s Luis Figo. This is Real Madrid. And there’s Zidane, stabbing a ten-yard pass into the penalty area, away from the defender, into the path of Ronaldo’s run. The big man’s not even had to break his stride. He doesn’t have to give his first touch a second thought. Because his first touch is a shot from fifteen yards, across the goalkeeper, into the far corner. Roberto Carlos is there, jumping all over him. On the screen the caption comes up: Real Madrid 3 Athletic Bilbao 1. Just as well: I’ve got the sound turned down.
And it’s only then that I realize. I’m watching Real keep the ball for minutes at a time, passing amongst themselves, twisting and turning away from challenges, playing out the twenty minutes that remain. Thousands of miles away, Real are winning La Liga, right now. Because of the time difference, I’m watching it live in the middle of my night. The final whistle goes and the celebrations begin. Streamers and confetti come cascading down from the stands. Fireworks explode over Madrid. The floodlights snap out, everything goes black– for a moment I think there’s something wrong with my television—and then spotlights pick out the Real players, all in t-shirts, white as their uniform, saying: ‘Campeones 29’. They carry the trophy—their trophy—along the touchline, dancing around it, holding it up to the four corners of the Bernabeu.
I’m breathless watching. Gasping at the spectacle. Gasping at the sight of my future. I glance across and can just make out the outline of Victoria under the bedcovers: my wife’s still sleeping tight. No need to wake her, even for this. We’ll be there soon enough.
I’m sitting alone, knees tucked up under my chin now; perched on my chair in front of the television as the air cools before morning. I shiver and then I’m aware I’ve got this huge smile on my face: a boy from Chingford, England. United born and bred. And going to play for Real Madrid.
Career Record
Personal Summary
Full name: David Robert Joseph Beckham
Place and Date of Birth: Leytonstone May 2 1975
Parents: Sandra and Ted. Sisters: Joanne and Lynne
Married: July 4 1999
Wife: Victoria Caroline Adams Beckham
Sons: Brooklyn Joseph Beckham, b. March 4 1999 Romeo Beckham, b. September 1 2002
Height: 71in (180cm)
Weight: 167lb (75kg)
Early Career
As a junior played for Ridgeway Rovers, winning the Fyfield five-a-side tournament
At 11 years old won the Bobby Charlton Soccer Skills Competition
Played for Waltham Forest Under-12s
Scouted to Manchester United by Malcolm Fidgeon
Represented Essex Schools as a schoolboy
Attended Tottenham Hotspur’s school of excellence
July 8 1991—joined Manchester United as a trainee
Won the 1992 FA Youth Cup
September 23 1992—First team debut in the Coca Cola Cup at Brighton
January 22 1993—Signed as a professional
Personal Sponsors
adidas Police sunglasses
Castrol TBC
Marks & Spencer Tsubasa Systems
Meiji Upper Deck
Pepsi Vodafone
Notable moments
December 7 1994 Champions League debut (vs Galatasaray)
August 19 1995 First Premiership goal (vs Aston Villa)
August 17 1996 Lobs Neil Sullivan from the halfway line (vs Wimbledon)
September 1 1996 Full international debut (vs Moldova in Kishinev)
June 26 1998 First goal for England (vs Colombia)
November 15 2000 Captained England for the first time (vs Italy)
July 2001 First sportsman on front cover of The Face
May 9 2002 Meeting with Tony Blair
May 10 2002 Meeting with Her Majesty The Queen
June 2002 First solo male on front cover of Marie Claire
May 21 2003 Meeting Nelson Mandela
June 13 2003 Awarded OBE, for his efforts both on and off the pitch
July 1 2003 Signs for Real Madrid
Career Breakdown
Season-by-Season breakdown
Season Competition Total Apps On as sub Subbed off Goals Yellow Red
1992–93 League Cup 1 1 0 0 0 0
1994–95 Champions League 1 0 0 1 0 0
1994–95 English FA Cup 2 1 1 0 0 0
1994–95 English Premiership 4 2 1 0 0 0
1994–95 League Cup 3 0 0 0 0 0
1994–95 Third Division 5 1 0 2 0 0
1995–96 English FA Cup 3 0 1 1 1 0
1995–96 English Premiership 33 7 5 7 4 0
1995–96 League Cup 2 0 0 0 2 0
1995–96 UEFA Cup 2 0 1 0 0 0
1996–97 Champions League 10 0 1 2 1 0
1996–97 English Premiership 36 3 3 8 6 0
1996–97 FA Community Shield 1 0 0 1 0 0
1996–97 FA Cup 2 0 0 1 0 0
1997–98 Champions League 8 0 1 0 0 0
1997–98 English Premiership 37 3 2 9 6 0
1997–98 FA Community Shield 1 1 0 0 0 0
1997–98 FA Cup 4 0 0 2 0 0
1998–99 Champions League 12 0 0 2 2 0
1998–99 English Premiership 34 1 6 6 5 0
1998–99 FA Community Shield 1 0 0 0 0 0
1998–99 FA Cup 7 0 0 1 1 0
1998–99 League Cup 1 0 0 0 0 0
1999–00 Champions League 12 0 0 2 5 0
1999–00 English Premiership 31 1 7 6 6 0
1999–00 European Super Cup 1 0 0 0 0 0
1999–00 FA Community Shield 1 0 0 1 1 0
1999–00 FIFA World Club Championship 2 0 0 0 0 1
1999–00 Inter Continental Championship 1 0 0 0 0 0
2000–01 Champions League 12 0 3 0 3 0
2000–01 English Premiership 31 2 3 9 3 0
2000–01 FA Community Shield 1 0 0 0 0 0
2000–01 FA Cup 2 0 1 0 1 0
2001–02 Champions League 13 0 3 5 0 0
2001–02 English Premiership 28 5 4 11 6 0
2001–02 FA Community Shield 1 0 0 0 0 0
2001–02 FA Cup 1 0 0 0 0 0
2002–03 Champions League 13 3 3 3 1 0
2002–03 English Premiership 31 4 2 6 5 0
2002–03 FA Cup 3 0 2 1 0 0
2002–03 League Cup 5 0 0 1 1 0
Totals
Competition Apps On as Sub Subbed Off Goals Yellows Reds
English Premiership 265 28 33 62 41 0
Champions League 81 3 11 15 12 0
FA Cup 19 0 3 5 2 0
League Cup 12 1 0 1 3 0
FA Community Shield 6 1 0 2 1 0
Third Division 5 1 0 2 0 0
English FA Cup 5 1 2 1 1 0
UEFA Cup 2 0 1 0 0 0
FIFA World Club Championship 2 0 1 0 0 1
Inter Continental Championship 1 0 0 0 0 0
European Super Cup 1 0 0 0 0 0
Honors
Team
1992 FA Youth Cup
1995–96 English Premiership
1996 FA Cup
1996 FA Charity Shield
1996–97 English Premiership
1997 FA Charity Shield
1998–99 English Premiership
1999 FA Cup
1998–99 Champions League
1999 Inter-Continental Cup
1999–2000 English Premiership
2
000–01 English Premiership
2002–03 English Premiership
Personal
1996 August Carling Premiership Player of the Month
1996 Sky Sports/Panasonic Young Player of Year
1997 PFA Young Player of the Year
1997 Sir Matt Busby Award
1999 European Player of the Year (2nd place)
2000 World Footballer Of The Year (2nd Place)
2000 Nationwide Football Awards Player Of The Year
2001 Western Union Most Valuable Player 2000/01
2001 Britain’s Sportsman Of The Year 2001
2001 BBC Sports Personality Of The Year
2001 FIFA World Footballer Of The Year (2nd Place)
2001 European Footballer Of The Year (4th Place)
League Games
Milestones for Manchester United
Game Season Date Home Team Home score Away Team Away score Goals Time
1 1994–95 02/04/95 Man Utd 0 Leeds 0 0
10 1995–96 16/09/95 Man Utd 3 Bolton 0 0
50 1996–97 16/11/96 Man Utd 1 Arsenal 0 0
100 1997–98 21/02/98 Man Utd 2 Derby 0 0
200 2000–01 25/02/01 Man Utd 6 Arsenal 1 0
250 2002–03 28/12/02 Man Utd 2 Birmingham 0 1 73
Club Goals
Season Date Home Team Away Team Competition Goals Time
1994–95 07/12/94 Man Utd Galatasaray Champions League 1 37
1994–95 04/03/95 Preston NE Doncaster R Third Division 1 56
1994–95 11/03/95 Preston NE Fulham Third Division 1 50
1995–96 19/08/95 Aston Villa Man Utd English Premiership 1 82
1995–96 28/08/95 Blackburn Man Utd English Premiership 1 67
1995–96 22/11/95 Coventry Man Utd English Premiership 1 57
1995–96 02/12/95 Man Utd Chelsea English Premiership 1 61
1995–96 25/02/96 Bolton Man Utd English Premiership 1 5
1995–96 31/03/96 Man Utd Chelsea English FA Cup 1 59
1995–96 28/04/96 Man Utd Nottm Forest English Premiership 2 44, 54
1996–97 11/08/96 Man Utd Newcastle FA Community Shield 1 86
1996–97 17/08/96 Wimbledon Man Utd English Premiership 1 90
1996–97 04/09/96 Derby Man Utd English Premiership 1 38
1996–97 25/09/96 Man Utd Rapid Vienna Champions League 1 27
1996–97 12/10/96 Man Utd Liverpool English Premiership 1 23
1996–97 16/10/96 Fenerbahce Man Utd Champions League 1 55
1996–97 26/10/96 Southampton Man Utd English Premiership 1 41
1996–97 08/12/96 West Ham Man Utd English Premiership 1 75
1996–97 26/12/96 Nottm Forest Man Utd English Premiership 1 25
1996–97 05/01/97 Man Utd Tottenham FA Cup 1 82
1996–97 12/01/97 Tottenham Man Utd English Premiership 1 76
1996–97 22/02/97 Chelsea Man Utd English Premiership 1 68
1997–98 13/08/97 Man Utd Southampton English Premiership 1 78
1997–98 27/08/97 Everton Man Utd English Premiership 1 29
1997–98 22/11/97 Wimbledon Man Utd English Premiership 2 66, 76
1997–98 06/12/97 Liverpool Man Utd English Premiership 1 70
1997–98 04/01/98 Chelsea Man Utd FA Cup 2 23, 28
1997–98 18/02/98 Aston Villa Man Utd English Premiership 1 82
1997–98 06/04/98 Blackburn Man Utd English Premiership 1 89
1997–98 18/04/98 Man Utd Newcastle English Premiership 1 38
1997–98 04/05/98 Man Utd Leeds English Premiership 1 58
1998–99 15/08/98 Man Utd Leicester English Premiership 1 90
1998–99 16/09/98 Man Utd Barcelona Champions League 1 64
1998–99 17/10/98 Man Utd Wimbledon English Premiership 1 48
1998–99 04/11/98 Man Utd Brondby Champions League 1 7
1998–99 21/03/99 Man Utd Everton English Premiership 1 67
1998–99 03/04/99 Wimbledon Man Utd English Premiership 1 44
1998–99 14/04/99 Arsenal Man Utd FA Cup 1 17
1998–99 01/05/99 Man Utd Aston Villa English Premiership 1 46
1998–99 16/05/99 Man Utd Tottenham English Premiership 1 52
1999–00 01/08/99 Arsenal Man Utd FA Community Shield 1 36
1999–00 27/10/99 D. Zagreb Man Utd Champions League 1 32
1999–00 29/01/00 Man Utd Middlesbro English Premiership 1 87
1999–00 18/03/00 Leicester Man Utd English Premiership 1 33
1999–00 25/03/00 Bradford Man Utd English Premiership 1 79
1999–00 01/04/00 Man Utd West Ham English Premiership 1 66
1999–00 19/04/00 Man Utd Real Madrid Champions League 1 64
1999–00 22/04/00 Southampton Man Utd English Premiership 1 7
1999–00 06/05/00 Man Utd Tottenham English Premiership 1 34
2000–01 22/08/00 Ipswich Man Utd English Premiership 1 39
2000–01 26/08/00 West Ham Man Utd English Premiership 1 5
2000–01 05/09/00 Man Utd Bradford English Premiership 1 85
2000–01 23/09/00 Man Utd Chelsea English Premiership 1 39
2000–01 21/10/00 Man Utd Leeds English Premiership 1 50
2000–01 04/11/00 Coventry Man Utd English Premiership 1 37
2000–01 18/11/00 Man City Man Utd English Premiership 1 2
2000–01 30/12/00 Newcastle Man Utd English Premiership 1 25
2000–01 28/04/01 Middlesbro Man Utd English Premiership 1 84
2001–02 19/08/01 Man Utd Fulham English Premiership 1 35
2001–02 22/08/01 Blackburn Man Utd English Premiership 1 78
2001–02 08/09/01 Man Utd Everton English Premiership 1 90
2001–02 18/09/01 Man Utd Lille Champions League 1 90
2001–02 29/09/01 Tottenham Man Utd English Premiership 1 87
2001–02 10/10/01 Olympiakos Man Utd Champions League 1 66
2001–02 04/11/01 Liverpool Man Utd English Premiership 1 50
2001–02 13/01/02 Southampton Man Utd English Premiership 1 45
2001–02 02/02/02 Man Utd Sunderland English Premiership 1 25
2001–02 26/02/02 Man Utd Nantes Champions League 1 18
2001–02 06/03/02 Man Utd Tottenham English Premiership 2 15, 64
2001–02 16/03/02 West Ham Man Utd English Premiership 2 16, 88
2001–02 19/03/02 Boavista Man Utd Champions League 1 51
2001–02 02/04/02 Deportivo Man Utd Champions League 1 15
2002–03 27/08/02 Man Utd Zalaegerszeg Champions League 1 15
2002–03 05/11/02 Man Utd Leicester League Cup 1 80
2002–03 28/12/02 Man Utd Birmingham English Premiership 1 73
2002–03 01/01/03 Man Utd Sunderland English Premiership 1 81
2002–03 04/01/03 Man Utd Portsmouth FA Cup 1 17
2002–03 15/03/03 Aston Villa Man Utd English Premiership 1 12
2002–03 23/03/03 Man Utd Real Madrid Champions League 2 71, 85
2002–03 03/05/03 Man Utd Charlton English Premiership 1 11
2002–03 11/05/03 Everton Man Utd English Premiership 1 42
Total Number of Club Goals: 88
England Goals
Date Competition Home Away Home score Away score Goal time
26/06/98 WC XVI Finals Gp G Colombia England 0 2 29
24/03/01 WC XVII Europe Gp 9 England Finland 2 1 50
25/05/01 Friendly England Mexico 4 0 29
06/06/02 WC XVII Europe Gp 9 Greece England 0 2 87
06/10/01 WC XVII Europe Gp 9 England Greece 2 2 90
10/11/01 Friendly England Sweden 1 1 28p
07/06/01 WC XVII Finals Gp F Argentina England 0 1 44p
12/10/02 ENC XIII Gp 7 Slovakia England 1 2 65
16/10/02 ENC XIII Gp 7 England Macedonia 2 2 13
29/03/03 ENC XIII Gp 7 Liechtenstein England 0 2 53
02/04/03 ENC XIII Gp 7 England Turkey 2 0 90p
Total Number of Internati
onal Goals: 11
Goal Type
Free kicks Open play Penalties Total
Manchester United 30 54 4 88
England 6 2 3 11
% 37 56 7
Playing Record Against Other Teams
Home Team Competition Apps Goals
Anderlecht Champions League 2 0
Arsenal English Premiership 12 0
Arsenal FA Community Shield 2 1
Arsenal FA Cup 3 1
Aston Villa English Premiership 13 4
Aston Villa FA Cup 1 0
B Dortmund Champions League 2 0
B Leverkusen Champions League 2 0
B Munich Champions League 6 0
Barcelona Champions League 2 1
Barnsley English Premiership 1 0
Barnsley FA Cup 2 0
Birmingham English Premiership 2 1
Blackburn English Premiership 12 3
Blackburn League Cup 2 0
Boavista Champions League 1 1
Bolton English Premiership 7 1
Bordeaux Champions League 2 0
Bradford English Premiership 3 2
Brighton League Cup 1 0
Brondby Champions League 1 1
Bury Third Division 1 0
Charlton English Premiership 6 1
Chelsea FA Cup 1 1
Chelsea English Premiership 15 4
Chelsea FA Community Shield 2 0
Chelsea FA Cup 3 2
Chelsea League Cup 1 0
Coventry English Premiership 12 2
Crystal Palace FA Cup 1 0
Crystal Palace English Premiership 2 0
Deportivo Champions League 5 1
Derby English Premiership 9 1
Doncaster R Third Division 1 1
Dynamo Kiev Champions League 2 0
Dynamo Zagreb Champions League 2 1
Everton English Premiership 15 4