RealGM

I'm just starting to get into soccer now and I really can't understand how David Beckham is the most popular player in the world. I'm aware that he's not in his prime and his game has declined, but was he really a candidate for the best in the world when he was in his prime? No one really mentions him when they talk about the best players of all time. Was he even as good as C. Ronaldo in his prime?

Beckham was never an elite player other than free kicks.

He became so popular because of his looks, and marrying a spice girl didn't hurt. Playing for one of the most popular clubs in the world was a big help, also.

USA wrote:Beckham was never an elite player other than free kicks.

He became so popular because of his looks, and marrying a spice girl didn't hurt. Playing for one of the most popular clubs in the world was a big help, also.

Yeah, but he wasn't that bad.

marketing.

he wasn't a top 5 player at any point of his career even when he finished runners up in player of the year award. he was a serviceable player that can play as a sidekick in top teams but certainly never a player deserving the attention and the salary he got. i would definitely take Ronaldo over prime Beckham.

Calling David Beckham the most popular player in the world is like calling Britney Spears the most artist... it might be true, but just shows that popularity is oftentimes a synonym for SUX!

He had a certain style and flair while playing, but his overall ability (or lack thereof) and some choke jobs while taking penalties leaves him as a top 30 in his prime. Nothing more...

He and Ruud were a beautiful partnership because Ruud could knock home anything within the box and Beckham could hoof the ball from half right onto Ruud's boot.

It was a clutch free kick that made him a star. He brought the whole "bending" thing to the mainstream, though Roberto Carlos was much better at curving his kicks.

Munchlaxatives wrote:It was a clutch free kick that made him a star. He brought the whole "bending" thing to the mainstream, though Roberto Carlos was much better at curving his kicks.

+1

No Roberto Carlos was bloody insane! His curve on the ball was OUT OF THIS WORLD!

joeyyowee wrote:I'm just starting to get into soccer now and I really can't understand how David Beckham is the most popular player in the world. I'm aware that he's not in his prime and his game has declined, but was he really a candidate for the best in the world when he was in his prime? No one really mentions him when they talk about the best players of all time. Was he even as good as C. Ronaldo in his prime?

Alright one thing you need to remember it's not Soccer it's Football

Now to answer you question, David Beckham was never a top 10 footballer in the world. But he was a top 10 midfielder in the world in his prime. He could put the ball anywhere with his free-kicks or of the right wings. Becomes popularity came from mostly modeling and doing world class free-kicks also like someone say he is married to a Spice Girl so of course he his popularity would sky rocket. But now his wives popularity is still strong just because of him and everyone knows him.

And he is nowhere near Cristiano Ronaldos talent, he is 100 kilometers away from Cristiano Ronaldo's talent.

And the reason why David Beckham doesn't want to play in the MLS is, because it's rubbish and has awful trainers that is why he went back to Europe so he can trainer with European clubs/trainers and get fit for England so he can play them qualify and so he can play his last World Cup.

So yeah but, Welcome to the World of Football the greatest Sport known to man and the most populated by Billions!

Here is what I mean when I say world class crosses by David Beckham.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6QyPrwDwko

It is 20% talent and 80% marketing, marketing, marketing. Beckham ain't a player anymore, he is a BRAND.

1. First of all, Becks IS a good player. His right foot is made of gold, his corners and free kicks are superb. His partnership with rightback Gary Neville was one of the most devastating weapons in the 90s and early 2000s. Ok, Becks was not good on D, but Steve Nash was also bad on D and still MVP. Also, his work ethic was very good, Sir Alex never complained until late.

2. ManU was the first club to fully embrace girls and young women as legit target groups. They had a crop of good looking young stars (Beckham, the Nevilles, Solskjaer, Giggs), so they gave it a shot. At first, Giggs was the teen idol, but he was too shy to keep it up. In contrast, Beckham was a natural. That he looked like Tom Cruise was not bad either.

3. Becks is an It Boy, just like Paris Hilton is an It Girl. He had a symbiotic relationship with the British yellow press... and THAT is saying something. Also, Becks was the first metrosexual guy. He was the first soccer guy to represent lifestyle products like Vodafone, Gillette, Calvin Klein etc. Previously, you were lucky to get your Adidas deal.

4. Then came Beckham's love story with Spice Girl "Posh Spice" Victoria. At that time, the Spice Girls hype was as big as the Beatles hype. Posh and Becks fed off each other, and it introduced Becks to the world of pop and fashion... and he LIKED it.

5. THE TREBLE!!! Becks won FA Cup, championship and Champions League in 1999 on the team which played the most attractive soccer. Beckham was also voted MVP of the Finals, IIRC. He shot those last two corners that killed Bayern in injury time.

6. Then, ManU was the first club to embrace the Asian market. Again, Beckham was the face of the marketing posters (although Keane, Stam and Giggs were better). With his looks and charisma, his #7 jersey quickly swept Asia.

7. Being a player of Real Madrid under Fiorentino Perez (GOAT of marketing) made Becks the #1 for good. Real is the #1 soccer brand worldwide, and Becks was the #1 face, so go figure.

Beckham is a BRAND, not a player anymore.

I echo what Smoove and Point forward said. Beckham in his prime was an important part of the best midfield in world football and his pin point passing is still the best in the world. He never made great infield runs as a true winger would do (Ronaldo is a master at this) but despite his limitations he was a match winner.

plus he's a hard worker. he wasn't a diva when it came to playing football. like some have said he was never the best player in the world or near that, but he had/has his talents and has exploited them both on and off the field.

BlackMamba wrote:plus he's a hard worker. he wasn't a diva when it came to playing football. like some have said he was never the best player in the world or near that, but he had/has his talents and has exploited them both on and off the field.

Of course that is why everyone knows him.

Didn't he also Spearhead one of Englands qualifying runs? Like some game against germany or something?

Becks only had one moment of glory, when he converted an injury time free kick vs Greece (2-2) which lifted England over Germany (0-0 draw vs Finland) in the last game of the WC 2002 qualifications. But in real tourney play, Beckham's record is very spotty.

EC 1996 - benched
WC 1998 - red card vs Argentina (kicked Simeone), England lost, Beckham scapegoated
EC 2000 - 1st round exit
WC 2002 - 1/4 finals loss vs Brazil
EC 2004 - 1/4 finals loss vs Portugal, Beckham misses penalty kick
WC 2006 - 1/4 finals loss vs Portugal, Beckham subbed for a defender b/c Rooney is sent off
EC 2008 - not nominated

Also count that one missed penalty vs Turkey, which ended up with Alpay showering him with verbal abuse.

Yeah but even if his international resume doesn't seem heroic, he was by far England's best performer on Sven Ericksson's insipid teams. He turned in more than a handful of match winning performance for Manchester United in big games though.

David Beckham can't even sniff his former teammate Ryan Giggs. If there is one guy that deserved to receive at least half the attention that Spice Boy got, it's Giggs. All-time leader games played for ManU, all-time assists leader in the Premier League.

Donovan: "Beckham has become a bad teammate"

Andris wrote:Donovan: "Beckham has become a bad teammate"

Beckham doesn't want to go back to the MLS, because well it's rubbish he wants to stay in Italia or somewhere else in Europe. And Donovan sucks, so I doubt Beckham even cares about him or MLS.