David Beckham on Wikipedia

* Professional club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of {{{pcupdate}}}.
** National team caps and goals correct
as of 28 April 2006.

David Robert Joseph Beckham OBE (born 2 May 1975) is an English footballer who plays for Real Madrid and is captain of the English national team. He is also famed for his media attention, marriage to former Spice Girls singer Victoria Beckham and marketing potential. Beckham is one of only four players to have appeared 100 times in the UEFA Champions League.

Beckham's career began when he signed for Manchester United in 1989 and signed a professional contract with them soon after making his first first-team appearance in 1992. By 1995, he had established himself as a first-team player and he won Premier League and FA Cup winners' medals with the club in 1996. He was selected to play for England after winning another league medal in 1997, but was sent off in a World Cup match against Argentina for kicking Diego Simeone. Beckham consequently became a figure of public hatred among many English football supporters, but he continued to play well and helped United win the treble of league, FA Cup, and Champions League in 1999. His relationship with the club's manager Sir Alex Ferguson began to deteriorate, though, and although he won further league championships with United in 2000 and 2001, he left the club to join Real Madrid in 2003, after another league title that year. His performances for Madrid have attracted considerable praise but the team has not been successful in winning major trophies during his time there.

Beckham's relationship with and marriage to the former Spice Girl Victoria (née Adams) has contributed towards him becoming a major celebrity away from football, and his name was searched for on Google more than that of any other sporting personality in 2003 and 2004. The Beckhams have three sons, Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz.

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