DAVID BECKHAM STILL POPULAR IN SOUTH KOREA
Saturday, March 01, 2008
He may have been denied his 100th England cap for the time being by Fabio Capello, but in South-East Asia David Beckham remains as popular as ever.
The LA Galaxy midfielder is currently in South Korea for a friendly against FC Seoul tomorrow.
However, the match also provides Beckham's army of sponsors with an ideal opportunity to exploit the player's rich commercial value.
Adidas, who reportedly signed a lifetime deal with Beckham in 2003 worth £100 million, are hosting an event where Beckham will meet his Korean fans. They are also setting up a wall of over 2,000 photos in Cheonggye Square in central Seoul.
Mobile phone manufacturer Motorola is launching a new model to coincide with Beckham's trip. Beckham is a company ambassador for Motorola and will unveil the new phone.
This week Beckham acknowledged he was still short of being fit enough to earn his 100th cap for England.
"I would love to reach 100 caps, but I have to be physically ready to be part of the team," said Beckham.
He is hoping to change all that with the three-match tour of Asia, which see LA Galaxy travel to China and Hong Kong after their game in Seoul.
The MLS season begins on March 15, with Galaxy kicking off their campaign away to FC Dallas.
