There wasn’t a more famous person on the planet than David Beckham when I was a kid. My football fandom began around the time of the 1998 World Cup, just when Beckham was public enemy number one.
Once the madness of the Simeone kick died down, the midfield maestro proved his greatness with England, Manchester United and Real Madrid before heading off to the MLS with LA Galaxy. He also had spells with AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain before his well-earned retirement finally came in 2013.
There’s no doubt that Beckham is an English football icon, but just how good was he as a footballer? And how much money does he earn now that he no longer plays?
Let’s take a look at seven things you might not know about the former England captain.
7. What number was David Beckham?
As the sub-heading says, Beckham wore the number seven shirt for most of his career. However, he also donned several other shirt numbers throughout the years.
The free-kick specialist wore the following numbers at club and international level (information via transfermarkt):
- England: 7, 15, 17
- Manchester United: 7, 10, 14, 15, 24, 28
- Real Madrid: 23
- LA Galaxy: 23
- AC Milan: 32
- PSG: 32
Beckham chose the number 23 when he joined Real Madrid in 2003 to pay homage to basketball legend Michael Jordan. Madrid great Raul wore seven at the time, meaning Beckham had to find a new number.
6. Does David Beckham have a yacht?!
The England legend does indeed own a yacht.
According to The Sun, Beckham spent almost £5 million on a 100ft Ferretti yacht in 2021. The purchase was apparently inspired by his past vacations on the water with David Furnish and Elton John.
- Why Did Sir Alex Ferguson Retire?
- Why Did Ruud Van Nistelrooy Leave Man Utd? Exit Explained
- Why Did Jose Mourinho Leave Chelsea in 2007? Exit Explained
In 2022, David and his wife Victoria also enjoyed a holiday with their two youngest children, Cruz and Harper, on a 311ft superyacht in Saint Tropez in the South of France.
5. What is David Beckham’s net worth?
Very few footballers were as marketable as Beckham during his 21-year career. Since retirement, the former England captain’s enormous wealth has shown no signs of slowing down.
CelebrityNetWorth claims Beckham has a net worth of $450 million, with an annual salary of $50 million. That means he’s worth roughly £370 million based on current exchange rates.
To put that into context, Lionel Messi is reportedly the wealthiest footballer in the world with a net worth of $620 million (£517 million).
4. What is David Beckham’s football record?
At club level, Beckham scored 129 goals in 719 games for Manchester United, Preston North End (loan), Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan and PSG. He also made 115 appearances for England, scoring 17 goals.
His biggest club career moments undoubtedly came at United. Between 1995 and 2003, he won the Premier League six times, FA Cup twice and Champions League once.
The Premier League legend also had success abroad, winning La Liga with Real Madrid, the MLS Cup twice with LA Galaxy, and Ligue 1 with PSG.
3. How many goals did David Beckham score for Manchester United?
Beckham scored 85 goals in 394 games for Manchester United, which puts him in 17th place on the club’s list of all-time record goalscorers.
What makes this even more impressive is the fact that 27 of those goals came via direct free-kicks. In 2000-01, he set a record for the most free-kicks scored in a Premier League season (five). He netted 18 Premier League free-kicks in total, setting yet another record.
His most famous free-kick came in 2001 when he scored a stoppage-time equaliser for England against Greece. The vital point secured the Three Lions’ qualification for the 2002 World Cup.
2. How tall is David Beckham?
The six-time Premier League winner is fairly tall for someone who spent most of his career as a right-sided midfielder.
Based on various outlets online, Beckham is 5ft 11in (180cm). By comparison, Victoria is 5ft 4in (163cm).
1. Is David Beckham a sir?
Surprisingly enough, no. Despite his charity work over the years, Beckham has not yet been given a knighthood.
He received an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2003 for services to football, but he has never been made a sir.