Beckham Magazine - Career Information

| More

You are at Beckham Magazine : Information / Career Information

DAVID BECKHAM CAREER SHORTS
1991
Beckham was first spotted by Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton and snatched up by United’s Youth system at the age of 16.

May 1992
David won his first honour with Manchester United when United’s youth side won the FA Youth Cup.

1995-1996
In United’s first Premiership match of the 1995-96 season against Aston Villa, David came off the bench to play in the second half. United were beaten that day prompting the now notorious Alan Hanson remark, You can’t win anything with kids. The one bright point for the United fans was the wonderful strike from David. That was his first Premiership goal. It was Beckham who scored the winning goal in the semi-final of the FA Cup at Villa Park against Chelsea. This led to United completing the ‘double’ in the 1995-96 season.

1996-1997
It was the 1996/97 campaign that launched Beckham into super stardom. In the opening league game of the season he performed an unforgettable 60-yard lob over Wimbledon goalkeeper Neil Sullivan from inside his own half.

David represented England for the Under 21's, in seasons 1994-95 and 1995-96. However, at the start of the 1996-97 season Glen Hoddle called David up to his first full England squad.

1998
Beckham was included in Hoddle’s 22 man squad for the World Cup finals in France. He scored a fantstic free kick against Columbia in England’s final match.

1999-2000
David Beckham picked up his forth Premiership winner’s medal and came second to Rivaldo in voting for both the World and European Player of the Year. He was also runner-up in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

2000-2001
David again won the Premiership title with United, having scored in three matches in a row early in the campaign.

David proudly captained England for the first time in a friendly in Italy and then kept the armband for the friendly with Spain and the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Finland, against whom he scored an important goal at Anfield, home of Liverpool FC.

2001-2002
The following seasons saw Beckham rise to new heights. Beckham single-handedly scored a crucial goal against Greece to send England to the World Cup Finals in Korea/Japan.

But not everything went all smoothly as Beckham was to break a toe bone in a Champions League match and the nation held it's breath to see if it would heal in time for the finals. Needless to say it did just that and 'Captain Fantastic' led England to the Quarter finals only to be defeated by the eventual champions - Brazil.

2002-2003
United and Beckham went on to win the 2003 Premiership title but press reports on the rift and speculation on a possible transfer grew.

Barcelona's presidential candidate Joan Laporta announced he would sign Beckham if elected and to everyone's suprise Manchester United agreed to sell Beckham in such an event. In a counter move Beckham announced that he would sign a four year contract with Real Madrid for a fee of Ł25m. The Beckham and United love affair was at an end.

2003-2004
Beckham now starts a new chapter in his career with Real Madrid. Despite his new haircuts and his star status, he will not detract from his football for which he continues to tune and perfect.

2004-2005
In July 2004, while Beckham was in pre-season training in Spain, an intruder scaled a wall at the Beckhams' home while carrying a can of petrol. Victoria and their children were in the house at the time, but security guards apprehended the man before he reached the house. Beckham made more headlines on 9 October 2004 when he admitted intentionally fouling Ben Thatcher in an England match against Wales in order to get himself booked. Beckham was due to receive a one-match suspension for his next caution, and had picked up an injury which he knew would keep him out of England's next match, so he deliberately fouled Thatcher in order to serve his suspension in a match that he would have had to miss anyway. The Football Association asked Beckham for an explanation of his actions and he admitted that he had "made a mistake" and apologised. Beckham became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in January 2005 and was involved in promoting London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympic Games.

2005-2006
Real Madrid finished second to Barcelona (with a 12 point gap) in the La Liga and only reaching the last sixteen in the Champions League after losing to Arsenal by one goal. Although there is the notable fact that Beckham led La Liga in assists for the season.Warming upIn October 2005, Beckham's sending off against Austria made him the first ever England captain to be sent off and the first (and only) player to be sent off twice while playing for England. He captained England for the 50th time in a friendly international against Argentina the following month. He was sent off again shortly afterwards, this time in a league match for Real Madrid against Valencia CF. Having received a yellow card, he appeared to sarcastically applaud the referee and was given a second yellow card, causing an automatic dismissal, although the suspension was cancelled on appeal two days later. He was sent off for the third time that season on 3 December 2005 in a league match against Getafe.During the season, Beckham established football academies in Los Angeles and east London and he was named a judge for the 2006 British Book Awards.

2006-2007
Real Madrid won their first Spanish La Liga title in 3 years because of their superior head-to-head record against Barcelona, giving Beckham his first title since he joined Real Madrid. Initially out of favour with manager Fabio Capello, Beckham started only a few games at the beginning of the season, as Jose Antonio Reyes was normally preferred on the right wing. In the first nine matches Beckham started, Real lost seven.

Beckham pictured during his time with Real MadridOn 10 January 2007, after prolonged contract negotiations, Real Madrid's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic announced that Beckham would not remain at Real Madrid after the end of the season. However, he later claimed that he was mistranslated and that he actually said that Beckham's contract had not been renewed yet.

On 11 January 2007 Beckham announced that he had signed a five-year deal to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy beginning 1 July 2007. On 13 January 2007 Fabio Capello said that Beckham had played his last game for Real Madrid, although he would continue to train with the team. Capello back-tracked on that statement and Beckham rejoined the team for their match against Real Sociedad on 10 February 2007 – he scored and Real Madrid won. In his final UEFA Champions League appearance, Real Madrid were knocked out of the competition (by the away goals rule) on 7 March 2007. Beckham had made a total of 103 appearances in the Champions League, the third highest number of any player at the time.

On 17 June 2007, the last day of the La Liga season, Beckham started in his final match for the club, a 3-1 win over Mallorca, which saw them clinch the title from Barcelona. Although both finished level on points, Madrid took the title because of their superior head-to-head record, capping a remarkable six-month turnaround for Beckham.

A month after the conclusion of Beckham's Real career, Forbes magazine reported that he had been the party primarily responsible for the team's huge increase in merchandise sales, a total reported to top $600 million US during Beckham's four years at the club.