This is Part 26 in a series of articles on the players that make up the 2010 Los Angeles Galaxy.


The name David Beckham evokes images of success and of failure in the knock-down, drag-out world of association football. 

It evokes images of the highest highs with Manchester United, and the lowest lows with injuries at AC Milan.

It evokes images of celebrity stardom and celebrity scrutiny.

It evokes images of a career that has not only seen him compete for the Red Devils and the Rossoneri, but also for Real Madrid before his final destination with his current club. 

It evokes images of an experiment whose only redeeming factor came in the form of reconciliation. It evokes images of a new precedent that has changed the landscape of Major League Soccer forever.

It evokes all of that, and more. Not even a neophyte to the world can mention in the most casual of conversations the game of soccer without mentioning one of the most accomplished players in our lifetime.

The son of David Edward Alan "Ted" Beckham (b. Edmonton, London, July–September 1948), a kitchen fitter, and wife (m. London Borough of Hackney, 1969) Sandra Georgina West (b. 1949), a hairdresser, David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE was born on May 2, 1975 at Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, located within the London borough of Waltham Forest. 

Beckham spent his childhood growing up in nearby Chingford, situated 10 miles (16.1 km) northeast of Charing Cross.

In his youth, Beckham attended the Chingford School while playing for Ridgeway Rovers F.C.

"At school whenever the teachers asked, 'What do you want to do when you're older?' I'd say, 'I want to be a footballer,'" Beckham said in a 2007 interview. "And they'd say, 'No, what do you really want to do, for a job?' But that was the only thing I ever wanted to do."

Not even Ridgeway coaches Stuart Underwood and Steve Kirby knew that they would have a star in the making. 

But that was typical David Beckham. A player fueled by a passion for football. His parents were loyal Manchester United supporters, the supporters of the club that many fans will associate the Galaxy's No. 23 with.

It wasn't an easy path for Beckham en route to his contract at Old Trafford. He attended Bobby Charlton's football schools in Manchester, trained with FC Barcelona, and had trials with his local club Leyton Orient, Norwich City while attending Tottenham Hotspur's School of Excellence.

From 1987-1991, Beckham played with the Spurs youth sides after a stint with the Brimsdown Rovers. He could have been a scholar after attending Bradenton Preparatory Academy, but Beckham loved the game too much to let it go.

So, on May 2, 1991, Beckham signed with Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United and he would also sign a Youth Training Scheme contract on July 8 that same year. His childhood dream would become a reality.

In May 1992, Beckham helped lead Manchester United to the FA Youth Cup, scoring in the second of the final against Crystal Palace. That same year, he started for United's first team in a Football League Cup match against Brighton & Hove Albion. and would sign his first professional contract.

Beckham would lead the Red Devils to the FA Youth Cup Final in 1993 and the Premier Reserve League title in 1994. He made his UEFA Champions League debut on Dec. 7, 1994, scoring in a 4-0 win over Galatasaray.

After a loan to Preston North End during the 1994-95 campaign, Beckham made his Premier League debut on April 2, 1995.

Beckham was part of a group of young talent Ferguson entrusted to hoist hardware. Known as Fergie's Fledglings, the group included Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and brothers Gary and Phil Neville.

At first, the idea was looked upon as a risky gamble on Ferguson's part. But as the Red Devils manager stayed the course, Beckham eased into his position on the right side of the midfield, and he flourished.

During the 1995-96 campaign, Beckham helped United earn the Premier League and FA Cup double.

During the 1996-97 season, Beckham again led Manchester United to the Premier League crown en route to PFA Young Player of the Year honors.

In that campaign, he scored on a scintillating volley from the halfway line against Wimbledon (now Milton Keynes Dons). It ranked 18th on a list of the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments in a 2002 Channel 4 poll.

While the 1997-98 season saw Manchester United finish second to Arsenal in the Premier League table, the 1998-99 could be seen as Beckham's breakthrough season with the Red Devils winning the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League.

In the final match of the Premier League season against Tottenham, a crucial equaliser by Beckham helped United win the match and the first part of the Treble.

Against Bayern Munich in the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final at the Camp Nou in Barcelona, David Beckham rallied the troops in second-half injury time with two corners which led to a 2-1 victory.

As a result of his accomplishments, Beckham would finish second to Rivaldo for European Footballer of the Year and FIFA World Player of the Year.

Also that year, Beckham married Victoria Adams, a former lead singer of the Spice Girls. The couple now have three sons and currently reside in Beverly Hills, Calif.

However, the importance of raising family became a difficult responsibility for David Beckham. It was a challenge that drew the ire of Ferguson in the 2000 season, who fined him £50,000 and dropped him for a match against Leeds United.

"[David Beckham] was never a problem until he got married," Ferguson said in a 2007 interview. "He used to go into work with the academy coaches at night time, he was a fantastic young lad.

"Getting married into that entertainment scene was a difficult thing; from that moment, his life was never going to be the same. He is such a big celebrity, football is only a small part."

Nonetheless, Beckham helped United run away with the 1999-2000 Premier League title by 18 points and during the 2000-01 campaign he helped the Red Devils defend their crown yet again.

In the 2001-02 Premier League season, Beckham scored 16 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions, by far the best tally of his career.

It could have been more, had it not been for a deliberate injury by Deportivo La Coruña's Aldo Duscher in UEFA Champions League play prior to the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

However, the 2002-03 season would be Beckham's last year at Manchester United after Ferguson threw a boot at Beckham over the eye, causing a cut that would require stitches. The fallout was irreparable, and Beckham would sign a four-year contract with Real Madrid.

Before he took off to sign with Los Blancos, Beckham led the Red Devils to the Premier League crown and earned an Order of the British Empire distinction for services to football on June 13, 2003. 

All in all, Beckham made 265 Premier League and 81 UEFA Champions League appearances for Manchester United, scoring 76 goals.

In his 12 years, he hoisted six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, one European Cup, one Intercontinental Cup, and one FA Youth Cup.

By this point, Beckham's star status had risen to its nadir as he joined a Real Madrid side that featured Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos, Raúl González, and current mainstay Iker Casillas.

In the 2003-04 season, Real Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup over RCD Mallorca while finishing fourth place in La Liga. In the 2004-05 season, Real were in a state of flux, with three managers in one season and a second-place finish to FC Barcelona.

The following year, Real Madrid finished second again to Barça while Beckham led La Liga in assists. At this point, he began to establish football academies in Los Angeles and east London.‌

With the establishment of the David Beckham Football Academy at the Home Depot Center, the possibility of Beckham's time at the Santiago Bernabeu looked to be counting down.

Finally, on Jan. 11, 2007, David Beckham announced that he has signed a five-year deal to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Real Madrid went on to win the 2006-07 La Liga in his final year with Los Blancos. Beckham scored 13 times in 116 appearances for Real Madrid.

"I'm coming there not to be a superstar," Beckham said in a 2007 interview with ESPN. "I'm coming there to be part of the team, to work hard and to hopefully win things. With me, it's about football. I'm coming there to make a difference. I'm coming there to play football.

"I'm not saying me coming over to the States is going to make soccer the biggest sport in America. That would be difficult to achieve. Baseball, basketball, American football, they've been around. But I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think I could make a difference."

The windfall from a five-year contract worth $32.5 million proved to be strong. 

The Anschutz Entertainment Group, the owners of the Galaxy, signed a five-year shirt sponsorship deal with Herbalife worth $20 million. 11,000 new season ticket holders and sold-out luxury suites became all the rage. 

A new logo for the team was erected. TV specials upon TV specials were broadcast on the airwaves.

Endorsements for Victoria's brand of fragrances and deals from Pepsi, video game bigwigs, clothing designers, health and fitness specialists, fashion magazines, perfume and cosmetics manufacturers, hair stylists, exercise promoters, and spa and recreation companies ran rampant.

And celebrities like Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Eva Longoria Parker, Mary-Kate Olsen, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jennifer Love-Hewitt, Alicia Silverstone and Drew Carey welcomed Beckham to the Home Depot Center in the 2007 World Series of Soccer on July 21 against Chelsea.

After the debut, there was a welcoming party at the Museum of Contemporary Art for the Beckhams that was attended by many A-listers and was fodder for Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood.

Nagging ankle and knee injuries prevented Beckham from being a major force on the football pitch during the Galaxy's 2007 campaign. 

August 5 of the 2007 MLS season saw the G's experience life with Beckham on board. The team was treated to a charter flight and a stay at a five-star hotel prior to their match with Toronto FC.

Beckham earned a series of firsts from his August 15 match against DC United in the 2007 SuperLiga. The Galaxy's No. 23 earned his first start, first yellow card, first team captain armband, first goal and first assist en route to a 2-0 victory. 
2008 was a disappointing year for the Galaxy, who failed to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs under Ruud Gullit. 

However, Beckham scored his first-ever MLS goal on April 3 against the San Jose Earthquakes and on May 24 scored an empty-netter from 70 yards away.

Beckham would go on to spend some more time in Europe. During the 2009 and 2010 MLS offseasons, Beckham was loaned out to AC Milan, where he has made 29 appearances for the Rossoneri and scored twice. A torn Achilles tendon suffered against Chievo Verona in the 2009-10 Serie A sidelined him for six to eight months. Currently, he is close to recovering from this injury.

After Beckham's first stint with Milan, the Galaxy supporters expressed their reservations against his "timeshare" deal with the Rossoneri. 

In 2009, a book by Grant Wahl called "The Beckham Experiment: How the World's Most Famous Athlete Tried to Conquer America" discussed how his designated player status caused major repercussions in terms of chemistry between Beckham and the rest of the team, specifically Landon Donovan.

However, both Donovan and Beckham reconciled their differences, and as a result, the Los Angeles Galaxy went on to win the MLS Western Conference regular season crown and finished runner-up to Real Salt Lake in the 2009 MLS Cup. In that contest, Beckham converted his penalty in the shootout that the G's went on to lose.

So far, Beckham has scored seven goals in 41 appearances for the Los Angeles Galaxy, and will hope to sneak in at least one near the end of the season.

As a member of the England national team, Beckham scored 17 goals in 115 appearances for the Three Lions and even assisted the 2010 FIFA World Cup side in South Africa. But it's not just his work for club and country that makes David Beckham the man that he is.

From the 2002 Commonwealth Games, to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, to work with UNICEF as a Goodwill Ambassador, David Beckham has become a global ambassador to the game of soccer. 

He is a spokesman for Malaria No More, a New York City-based non-profit launched in 2006 that was created to reduce malaria deaths in Africa.

Beckham is active in MLS W.O.R.K.S and conducted a youth clinic in August 2007 that taught football skills to disadvantages youth in Harlem.

The honors are staggering.

It's distinctions upon distinctions that are a long cry from his childhood days in Waltham Forest.

But one can never know how far his or her love for football can lead. Perhaps not even Beckham realized that his skills as a midfielder has seen him accomplish many things in and out of the beautiful game, the world game as we know it.

A long storied career with Manchester United. An integral part of a star power consortium that fuels Real Madrid. A trailblazer for Major League Soccer, a celebrity among celebrities, and one of sport's most storied plenipotentiaries.

These attributes are what separates David Beckham from the rest. It is part of the ever-burgeoning mystique of the Los Angeles Galaxy's No. 23.

A certain chant to the tune of "Guantanamera" may not be ringing today within the hallowed walls of Victoria Street, but when it does, you can be sure of this:

There's Only One David Beckham.

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