Born as David Robert Joseph Beckham, he is one of the most successful midfielders that the world of football has ever seen. Born in cheap kitchens Leytonstone, London, England, Beckham was born to Ted Beckham (Kitchen Fitter) and Sandra Georgina West (hairdresser). Soccer attracted him from a young age as he started playing at the Ridgeway Park in Chingford even as a child. David Beckham (DB) in an interview in 2007 said that when teachers at school asked him “What do you want to do when you’re older?” he would say that he wanted to be a footballer. Such is the passion and love for the game that has today catapulted his career to newer heights.
David Beckham started his career in soccer with Manchester United and he was instrumental in guiding the club to win the FA Youth Cup in 1992. David scored in the second half of the final against Crystal Palace to seal victory. In the same year, he appeared as a substitute in a league match and following that signed his first professional contract. But it was 2 years later in 1994 that Mr.Beckham made his debut in the UEFA Champions League and scored a goal in the 4-0 victory against Galatasaray. In spite of his efforts Manchester United finished 3rd in the group.
In the 1994-95 season David Beckham enthralled soccer fans by scoring goals directly from a corner kick. During the same season, Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United’s manager gave David Beckham the chance to play in major league. MU started the season with a 3-1 defeat in the hands of Aston Villa with Beckham scoring the only goal. MU went on to win the next 5 matches. He achieved immense popularity wearing the jersey 10 for MU when he scored a spectacular goal against Wimbledon and that year he was voted “PFA Young Player of the Year”. At the same time, Euro 1996 team was chosen and David Beckham got the opportunity to play for England.
With the retirement of Eric Cantona, David Beckham coveted the number 7 jersey. In the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final, David Beckham scored 2 goals taken from corners to help Manchester United win the championship. As a result, he finished second behind Rivaldo as the European Footballer of the Year 1999 and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. David Beckham helped Manchester United win the premier league title again in 1999-2000 and then in 2000-01. But his best season as a Manchester United player was in 2001-02 when he scored 11 goals in 28 league games and 16 goals in 42 games through the year. All in all, David Beckham has made 265 Premier league appearances for Manchester United and scored a total of 61 goals. He has 81 Champions league appearances and 15 goals to his name as well. He has won two FA Cups, six Premier League titles, one European Cup, one FA Youth Cup, and one Intercontinental Cup within a span of 12 years.