Simple facts speak for themselves- Beckham won six Premier League championships, two FA Cups, four Community Shields, a Champions League title, two MLS Cups (USA), the Ligue title (France), and La Liga (Spain). He is also one of only three players to have won titles in four different countries (England, USA, France, Spain). The other two players are Alfredo Di Stéfano and Marco van Basten.
Beckham's achievements can't be denied. When he arrived in England in 2003, many people wrote him off as just another pretty face who could never play football. But under Josep Guardiola at Manchester City, he developed into one of the world's best midfielders, winning multiple trophies including the UEFA Champions League. In 2014, he returned to England where he played out his career with David Moyes at West Bromwich Albion. During his time there, they never finished above eighth place in the Premier League which is considered very good position. His final season was even better as he helped the club to its first ever English championship. At the end of it all, he had won several awards including the PFA Players' Player of the Year Award.
Now back in Spain, it is hard to imagine that nobody thought he would succeed when he first came to Europe.
Beckham appeared in 265 Premier League games for United, scoring 61 goals. He also appeared in 81 Champions League games, scoring 15 goals. Over the course of 12 years, Beckham won six Premier League crowns, two FA Cups, one European Cup, one Intercontinental Cup, and one FA Youth Cup. He was awarded £5 million ($6.4 million) by Manchester United for making himself available for international duty.
He made his debut for the United States on February 1, 2007, in a friendly against Argentina at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. The match ended in a 2-2 draw after both teams scored twice in the first half. Beckham provided the cross for Landon Donovan's opening goal before he was substituted out at half time due to an injury. In all, he played 77 minutes of football before being replaced by Carlos Bocanegra.
Donovan called him up for the national team following a strong season with Los Angeles Galaxy. At the time, Beckham was without a club following his release from Manchester United. However, negotiations between Beckham and Galaxy broke down over money issues and he soon returned to England.
Beckham has since become one of world soccer's most recognizable stars after joining the Galaxy. He is considered by many to be one of the best outfield players in the world.
In January 2009, it was reported that Beckham would be offered a role with the United States government as a special envoy to Africa.
His most notable success as a Madrid player came in his last season, which witnessed a thrilling race for the 2007 Liga title, which the Englishman played a significant role in winning. Beckham left a lasting mark at the club, having scored 20 goals in 158 games. His contribution to the club has been recognized with several awards.
After leaving Los Blancos, Beckham went on to play for Paris Saint-Germain and Toronto FC in the MLS. He ended his career in 2018 after three seasons with LA Galaxy.
During his time at Madrid, Beckham won two UEFA Champions League titles, one Spanish La Liga title, and one Spanish Cup. He also became the first player to score in five consecutive Champions League matches when he found the back of the net against Liverpool in 2005. At the end of the 2006–07 season, Beckham was awarded the Balón de Oro (Golden Boot) for scoring more goals than any other player in La Liga.
Beyond football, Beckham has been involved in controversies throughout his career. In 2003, he was convicted of assaulting his wife, Victoria, during an argument in London, but was allowed to remain free while his appeal was being processed. The conviction was later overturned by an appeals court.
In 2009, it was reported that Beckham had attempted to move to Shanghai Shenhua of the Chinese Super League but the deal fell through at the last minute.
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