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*Listed by "Arena" as number 1 on their 2007 list of the 40 most influential men under the age of 40 in the UK [ [http://www.arenamagazine.co.uk/?p=942 Britain’s original style magazine – for men ] ]
Personal life
In 1997, Beckham started dating Victoria Adams, after she attended a Manchester United match. She was famously known as "Posh Spice" of the pop music group Spice Girls, one of the world's top pop groups at the time, and his team was also enjoying a great run of success. Therefore, their relationship instantly attracted a great deal of media attention. The couple were dubbed "Posh and Becks" by the media. He proposed to Victoria on 24 January 1998 in a restaurant in Cheshunt, England.
He married Adams at Luttrellstown Castle, Ireland on 4 July 1999, and her name changed to Victoria Beckham. The wedding attracted tremendous media coverage. Beckham's teammate Gary Neville was the best man, and the couple's son Brooklyn, then four months old, was the ring bearer. The media were kept away from the ceremony, as the Beckhams had an exclusive deal with OK! Magazine, but newspapers were still able to obtain photographs showing them sitting on golden thrones. [cite web | title = Sun pips OK! to Posh wedding photos | work = BBC News, 6 July 1999 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/07/99/the_posh_wedding/387126.stm | accessmonthday = 25 May | accessyear = 2006 ] 437 staff were employed for the wedding reception, which was estimated to have cost £500,000. [cite web | title = Wedded spice|work = BBC News, 5 July 1999 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/07/99/the_posh_wedding/385866.stm | accessmonthday = 2 December | accessyear = 2005 ]
In 1999, the Beckhams purchased their most famous home, unofficially dubbed Beckingham Palace, near London. It is estimated to be worth £7.5 million pounds. David and Victoria have three sons: Brooklyn Joseph Beckham (born 4 March 1999 in London, England), Romeo James Beckham (born 1 September 2002 in London, England) and Cruz David Beckham (born 20 February 2005 in Madrid, Spain, the name is Spanish for "cross"). Both Brooklyn and Romeo's godfather is Elton John and godmother is Elizabeth Hurley. [ [http://marriage.about.com/od/sports/a/davidbeckham.htm Victoria and David Beckham Marriage Profile ] ] They have stated that they would like to have more children, especially a daughter. [ [http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1029920,00.html David, Victoria Beckham Have a Third Son - Birth, David Beckham, Victoria Beckham : People.com ] ]
In April 2007, the family purchased their new Italian villa in Beverly Hills, California, to coincide with Beckham's transfer to the LA Galaxy in July. The mansion, priced at $22 million, is near the homes of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, and talk-show host Jay Leno, in an exclusive gated community in the hills overlooking the city.
Affair claims
In April 2004, the British tabloid "News of the World" carried claims by his former personal assistant Rebecca Loos that he and Loos had an extramarital affair. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3614993.stm BBC.co.uk: "Beckham story is tabloids' dream"] ] [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1-1066358,00.html TimesOnline: "Beckham flies back to Madrid from holiday"] ] A week later, the Malaysian-born Australian model Sarah Marbeck claimed that she had slept with Beckham on two occasions. Beckham dismissed both accusations as "ludicrous". [cite web | title = Beckham to stay in Spain | work = BBC News, 20 May 2004 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/3733607.stm | accessmonthday = 7 October |accessyear = 2005 ] There has never been any proof of any of the allegations of Beckham's claimed infidelity. [ [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-300554/Did-Becks-threesome.html "Did Becks have a threesome?"] Article from the "Daily Mail" 8 April 2004. Retrieved on 2008-06-02.]
Fame beyond football
, contributed to David's celebrity beyond football.
Beckham became known as a fashion plate, and together with Victoria, the couple became lucrative spokespeople sought after by clothing designers, health and fitness specialists, fashion magazines, perfume and cosmetics manufacturers, hair stylists, exercise promoters, and spa and recreation companies. One recent example is a new line of aftershave and fragrances called David Beckham Instinct. [ [http://www.beckham-fragrances.com/ David Beckham Instinct] ]
In 2002 Beckham was hailed as the ultimate "metrosexual" by the man who invented the term [ [http://dir.salon.com/story/ent/feature/2002/07/22/metrosexual/print.html Salon.com Politics | Meet the metrosexual ] ] [ [http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2007/07/13/america-meet-david-beckham/ America - meet David Beckham | MARK SIMPSON.com ] ] and has been described as such by scores of other articles since.
In 2007, the Beckhams were reportedly paid $13.7 million to launch this fragrance line in the US. In the world of fashion, David has already appeared on the covers of countless magazines. In 2007, U.S. covers have included the men's magazine Details, and with his wife for the August 2007 issue of "W". [ [http://www.style.com/w/feat_story/071107 The Beckhams: American Idols: W Feature Story on Style.com] ]
According to Google, "David Beckham" was searched for more than any other sports topic on their site in 2003 and 2004. [cite web | title = 2003 Year-End Google Zeitgeist | work = Google.com | url = http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist2003.html | accessmonthday = 9 October | accessyear = 2005 , cite web | title = 2004 Year-End Google Zeitgeist | work = Google.com | url = http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist2004.html | accessmonthday = 9 October | accessyear = 2005 ]
Upon their arrival in Los Angeles on 12 July 2007, the night before Beckham's formal introduction, Los Angeles International Airport was packed with paparazzi and news reporters. [ [http://www.etonline.com/celebrities/spotlight/48967/ The Beckhams Take Hollywood] ] On the next night, Victoria appeared on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to talk about the their move to L.A., and presented Leno with a number 23 Galaxy jersey with his own name on the back. Victoria also talked about her NBC TV show "" [ [http://www.nbc.com/Victoria_Beckham/ Victorial Beckham coming to America] ]
On 22 July, a huge private welcoming party was held for the couple at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. A-list celebrities attending included Steven Spielberg, Jim Carrey, George Clooney, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Oprah Winfrey. [ [http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-beckham19jul19,1,1699340.story?track=rss Hollywood breathlessly awaits Beckhams] ]
Charitable work
Beckham has supported UNICEF since his days at Manchester United and in January 2005 the England Football Captain became a Goodwill Ambassador with a special focus on UNICEF's Sports for Development program.
On 17 January 2007, Rebecca Johnstone, a 19-year-old cancer patient in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada received a surprise phone call from Beckham. After the conversation, he sent her a Real Madrid Jersey with his signature on it. Rebecca passed away on 29 January 2007. [cite news
title=To Rebecca, with love
url=http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/175193
publisher=Toronto Star
date=2007-01-26
accessdate=2007-02-02]
Beckham is a spokesman for Malaria No More, a New York-based non-profit launched in 2006. Malaria No More's mission is to end deaths caused by malaria in Africa. Beckham appears in a 2007 Public Service Announcement advertising the need for inexpensive bed nets. The TV spot currently airs in the U.S. on FOX Networks including Fox Soccer Channel, and can also be seen on YouTube. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va-PGV9RM4c David Beckham: Fight Malaria by Donating a $10 Bed Net] ]
Since he has joined MLS, he has been a very public advocate in the U.S. for related charities such as MLS W.O.R.K.S. On 17 August 2007, he conducted a youth clinic in New York City's Harlem, along with other current and former MLS players. This was in advance of his first New York City area match the following day against Red Bull New York. That team's Jozy Altidore and Juan Pablo Ángel also were with Beckham, teaching skills to disadvantaged youth to benefit FC Harlem Lions. [cite web|url=http://www.paddocktalk.com/news/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=63413&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0|title=Video: Juan Pablo Angel, David Beckham to Assist MLS W.O.R.K.S.|work=paddocktalk.com|accessdate=2007-08-21|date=2007-08-18]
Appearances in films
;Bend It Like Beckham:Beckham never personally appeared in the 2002 film "Bend It Like Beckham" except in archive footage. He and his wife wanted to make cameo appearances but scheduling proved difficult, so the director used lookalikes instead. [imdb title | id=0286499 | title=Bend It Like Beckham]
;The Goal! Trilogy:"Beckham" makes a cameo appearance with Zidane and Raùl, in the 2005 film '. Lookalike Andy Harmer, who played Beckham in "Bend It...", also appears here in one party scene as Becks. [ [http://www.beckhamlookalike.com/clients.htm beckhamlookalike.com ] ] Beckham himself appears in the sequel ' [imdb title | id=0473360 | title=Goal! 2: Living the Dream... ] in a larger role, when the film's lead character gets transferred to Real Madrid. This time the story centers around the Real Madrid team, and besides Beckham, other real life Real Madrid players also appear on and off the pitch, alongside the fictional characters. Beckham also will appear in "Goal! 3", scheduled for release in 2008. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0065743/ David Beckham ] ]
;Asterix at the Olympic Games (Astérix aux jeux olympiques):In his first feature film role playing someone other than himself, Beckham has a small part (again alongside former Real teammate Zidane) in this live-action French-language take on the comic, with a release scheduled to coincide with the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games. [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0463872/ Astérix aux jeux olympiques (2008) ] ]
Despite moving to Los Angeles, Beckham has expressed no personal interest in pursuit of acting roles, saying he is too "stiff". [Cite web|url=http://www.askmen.com/gossip/david-beckham/david-beckham-hollywood-snub.html|title=David Beckham's Hollywood snub|work=askmen.com|accessdate=2007-08-15|date=2007-03-02]
Records
Beckham has captained England 59 times during his tenure as England captain, [cite web|url=http://www.thefa.com/WorldCup2006/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2006/06/BeckhamStandsDown.htm|title=Beckham stands down|date=2006-07-02|accessdate=2007-07-14] one of the most in England's history.With his free kick goal against Ecuador in the second round of the 2006 World Cup, Beckham gained membership into two of football's exclusive clubs: he became the only English player — and the 21st player regardless of nationality — to score in three world cups. Real Madrid team-mate Raúl also achieved this feat a few days earlier. [" [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4991536.stm England 1-0 Ecuador] ", BBC Sport, 25 June 2006. URL accessed on 25 June 2006.] It also made him only the fifth player in World Cup history to score twice from a direct free kick; the other four were Pelé, Roberto Rivelino, Teófilo Cubillas and Bernard Genghini (Beckham had previously scored this way against Colombia in the first round of the 1998 World Cup). All three goals were against South American teams (Colombia, Argentina and Ecuador) and from set pieces (the two aforementioned free kicks and a penalty against Argentina).
Tattoos
Beckham has many tattoos on his body, one of which is the name of his wife Victoria, written in Hindi, because Beckham thought it would be "tacky" to have it in English. Another tattoo, written in Hebrew reads אני לדודי ודודי לי הרעה בשושנים, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine, that shepherds among the lilies." This is from the Song of Songs in the Hebrew Bible, and a popular Jewish paean to fidelity. Beckham has also been ridiculed in the press for looking like a "Hell's Angel biker" and a "football yob" due to his ever-expanding number of tattoos, their design and location. [cite news
title=Beckham's tattoo sparks debate
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3738305.stm
publisher=BBC News
date=22 May 2004
accessdate=2006-06-27] He often wears long sleeved shirts when playing football to cover his tattoos from those who may feel uncomfortable about them due to their beliefs. [cite news
title=David Beckham Biography
url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0065743/bio
publisher=IMDb
date=
accessdate=2008-08-20]
A chronology of Beckham's tattoos [cite news
title=Becks' tatt-trick
publisher=Daily Star
date=16 March 2005] includes:
* April 1999 - Son Brooklyn's name on his back.
* April 1999 - "Guardian Angel" on his back.
* 2000 - Hindi "Victoria" design on his left arm.
* April 2002 - Roman numeral VII (7) on his right forearm.
* May 2003 - Latin phrase "Perfectio In Spiritu", meaning "Spiritual Perfection", on his right arm.
* May 2003 - More Latin, "Ut Amem Et Foveam" or "So That I Love And Cherish", on his left arm.
* 2003 - Son Romeo's name on his back.
* 2003 - Classical art design on his right shoulder.
* 2004 - Winged cross on the back of his neck.
* 2004 - Angel with motto "In The Face of Adversity" on right arm.
* Mar 2005 - Son Cruz's name on his back.
* June 2006 - Second angel and clouds added to right arm and shoulder.
* Jan 2008 - Portrait of Victoria on left forearm.
* Feb 2008 - "Forever by your side" on left forearm.
* 9th Mar 2008 in 4th floor, No 8, Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong [ [http://www1.appledaily.atnext.com//template/apple/art_main.cfm?iss_id=20080310&sec_id=4104&subsec_id=12731&art_id=10845406 Beckham Receives Tattoo] (accessed 19/03/2008) Beckham obtained the tattoo on 9 March 2008 in Hong Kong, from an artist named Gabie at 龍威雕師. LeBron James and Kobe Bryant also obtained tattoos from the same artist. ] - The Chinese proverb "Death and life have determined appointments. Riches and honour depend on heaven." down his left torso, running from his nipple to his groin.
Beckham has attributed the many tattoos to his obsessive-compulsive disorder, and claims to be addicted to the pain of the needle. [http://ocdtodayuk.org/famous_people.html] [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-381802/The-obsessive-disorder-haunts-life.html]
ee also
*Soccer in the United States
*Supercouple
References
Books
*
*
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Internet
External links
*FIFA player|161454|David Beckham
* [http://www.davidbeckham.com/ The Official David Beckham Website]
* [http://www.davidbeckhamacademy.com/ The David Beckham Academy]
* [http://www.football-lineups.com/players/player.php?route=43 Tactical Profile] at [http://www.football-lineups.com Football-Lineups.com]
*imdb name|0065743|David Beckham
*people.com
*MLSNet|la|galaxy|t106|beckham_d|bec369464
* [http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={847FFC5F-947A-470D-A13B-E757FD63C2A8}§ion=playerProfile&bioid=92112 Profile on Manchester United Legends]
* [http://www.futbolmeetsfutbol.com "Futbol Meets Football" adidas official video site]
* [http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/promotions/2007/beckham/show/ "David Beckham's Soccer USA" TV series official video site]
Articles
* [http://sdmlsproject.com/beckhamwatchmain.html On the Beckham Watch...] "18 August 2007"
* [http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20070816&content_id=111663&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp L.A. Rides Beckham Brilliance past D.C.] "15 August 2007"
* [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/mls/2007-08-09-beckham-debut_N.htm Beckham Makes Galaxy regular-season debut] "9 August 2007"
* [http://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/galaxy/la-sp-galaxy22jul22,1,777569.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-soccer-gal Start of Something Big] "22 July 2007"
* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19861315/ Beckham all the talk at MLS All-Star game] "19 July 2007"
* [http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-beckham19jul19,1,1699340.story?track=rss Hollywood breathlessly awaits Beckhams] "19 July 2007"
* [http://nmsn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/7035732 Fox TV announces new series "David Beckham's Soccer USA"] "18 July 2007"
* [http://la.galaxy.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20070715&content_id=105716&vkey=news_lag&fext=.jsp&team=t106 L.A. the spot for family man Beckham] "15 July 2007"
* [http://ww2.mlsnet.com/media/player/mp_tpl.jsp?w=mms%3A//a1503.v115042.c11504.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/11504/v0001/mlbmls.download.akamai.com/11504/2007/events/07/071307_beckham_presser_350.wmv&w_id=10484&catCode=events&type=v_free&_mp=1 MLS Behind the Net...video] "13 July 2007"
* [http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/sports/2007/07/07/beckham-soccer-marketing-face-markets-cx_pm_0707autofacescan01.html Becks and Bucks] at Forbes.com "6 July 2007"
* [http://money.cnn.com/2007/07/05/commentary/sportsbiz/?postversion=2007070605 Brand It Like Beckham] at CNNMoney.com "6 July 2007"
* [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/1310AP_SOC_Brand_It_Like_Beckham.html Beckham Advertising Blitz about to Begin] "24 June 2007"
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title= David Beckham - Navigation boxes and awards
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Persondata
NAME=Beckham, David
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Professional football player
DATE OF BIRTH=Birth date and age|df=yes|1975|5|2
PLACE OF BIRTH=Leytonstone, London
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=