David Beckham : childhood and way to fame

Full Name: David Robert Joseph Beckham Birth Date: May 2, 1975 Birth Place: Leytonstone, London, United Kingdom
Nationality: English Education: Chase Lane Primary School and Chingford Foundation School Height: 182cm (6ft)
Weight: 74kg Eyes: Hazel Marital Status: married to Victoria Caroline Adams Beckham Children: 3 sons - Brooklyn Joseph, born Mar 4, 1999, Romeo James, born Sept 1, 2002, Cruz David born Feb 20, 2005

Could you say that young boy on the picture is one of the most celebrated and successful football athletes of his era? There was really huge amount of work and self control involved to reach this title, but everything is possible when you have vision. David Beckham had his vision, and through the years he realized it. Kid which was once rejected for a spot in the junior English league on account for being considered «too small» eventually became most famous English football player of all time. Everything started when one of the country's most celebrated teams, took an interest in him, and Beckham entered the legendary Manchester United club organization as a 14-year-old recruit in its development league in 1989. Read further to find out the most interesting details from his birth until he became world known celebrity, both on and off football field.

• David Beckham was born at Whipps Cross University Hospital in Leytonstone, in London, England on May 2nd, 1975.
• He is the son of David Edward Alan «Ted» Beckham, a kitchen fitter from London and wife Sandra Georgina West, a hairdresser.
• As a child, he regularly played football in Ridgeway Park, Chingford, and attended Chase Lane Primary School and Chingford Foundation School.
• Beckham played for a local youth team called the Ridgeway Rovers, coached by his father, Stuart Underwood and Steve Kirby.
• By the age of eight, Beckham was scoring more than a hundred goals over three seasons for his team, Ridgeway Rovers of the Enfield District League.
• In one of his recent interwievs (from 2007), Beckham said that at school, whenever the teachers asked: «What do you want to do when you're older?» he`d say: «I want to be a footballer.» And they'd say: «No, what do you really want to do, for a job?». And he would said: «But that was the only thing I ever wanted to do». That was my point when I said he had a vision what to do from youngest days.
• His maternal grandfather is Jewish, although Beckham has referred to himself as «half Jewish». When speaking of the influence the religion had on him, in his book «Both Feet on the Ground», he stated that growing up he always attended church with his parents and his two sisters, Joanne and Lynne.
• His parents were fanatical Manchester United supporters who would frequently travel to Old Trafford stadium to attend the team's home matches. At that time, David was a strong cross-country runner who regularly finished first in his age group in the Essex cross-country championships, but he also inherited his parents' love of Manchester United, and his main sporting passion was football.
• At the age of 11 Beckham won the chance to take part in a training session at FC Barcelona, as part of a talent competition when he attended one of Bobby Charlton’s football schools.
• As teen he was rejected for a spot in the junior English league on account for being considered «too small».
• He was Manchester United's mascot for a match against West Ham United in 1986. Young Beckham had trials with Leyton Orient and attended Tottenham Hotspur's (which was the first club he played for) school of excellence. But once Manchester United offered him a place there was no doubt where he would go.
• During a two-year period in which he played for Brimsdown Rovers' youth team, he was named Under-15 Player of the Year in 1990.
• David also attended Bradenton Preparatory Academy, but one of the country's most celebrated teams, took an interest in him. Beckham signed schoolboy forms at Manchester United on his fourteenth birthday in 1989, and then subsequently signed a Youth Training Scheme contract on July 8th 1991.
• He was part of an exceptionally talented group of young players at the club, including the future international stars like Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville and Gary Neville. These players later helped the club to win the FA Youth Cup in May 1992, with Beckham scoring in the second leg of the final against Crystal Palace.
• David had his first appearance for United's first team that year, as a substitute in a League Cup match against Brighton & Hove Albion, and signed his first professional contract shortly afterwards. United reached the final of the Youth Cup again the following year, with Beckham playing in their defeat by Leeds United, and he won another medal in 1994 when the club's reserve team won their league.
• Then he went to Preston North End on loan in the 1994-95 season to get some first team experience, then finally made his first Premier League appearance for Manchester United on April 2nd 1995, in a goalless draw against Leeds.
• David made his first appearance for the England national football team on September 1st 1996, in a World Cup qualifying match against Moldova.
• His former trainer Sir Alex Ferguson said that he «practised with a discipline to achieve an accuracy that other players wouldn't care about». He maintained his training routine at Real Madrid and even when his relationship with management was strained in early 2007, Ramon Calderon and Fabio Capello praised Beckham for maintaining his professionalism and commitment to the club.
• Lets now move on his personal life a little bit. Beckham started dating Victoria Adams in 1997, after she attended one of his football matches. At that time she was already famously known as «Posh Spice», performing in the Spice Girls, one of the world's top pop groups at that time, and his team was also enjoying a great run of success. Therefore, their relationship instantly attracted a huge media attention, and the couple were named «Posh and Becks» by the media. He proposed to Victoria on 24 January 1998 in a restaurant in Cheshunt, England.
• Posh and Becks finally married at Luttrellstown Castle, Ireland on July 4th 1999. Beckham's team mate Gary Neville was the best man, and the couple's son Brooklyn, then four months old, was the ring bearer.
• The media were kept away from the ceremony, as the Beckhams had an exclusive deal with OK! Magazine, but newspapers were still able to obtain photographs showing them sitting on golden thrones. Unbeliveable number of 437 staff were employed for the wedding reception, which was estimated to have cost around $800,000.
• In 1999, the Beckhams purchased their most famous home, unofficially named Beckingham Palace, in Hertfordshire, north of London. It is estimated to be worth £7.5 million.
• David and Victoria have three sons: Brooklyn Joseph Beckham, born March 4, 1999 in London, England, Romeo James Beckham, born September 1, 2002 also in London, and Cruz David Beckham, born February 20, 2005 in Madrid, Spain.
• Name of their youngest son, Cruz, is Spanish for "cross".
• Both Brooklyn and Romeo's godfather is Elton John and godmother is Elizabeth Hurley.
• Posh and Becks have stated that they would like to have more children, especially a daughter
• In April 2007, the family purchased their new Italian villa in Beverly Hills, California, because of Beckham's transfer to the LA Galaxy in July same year. The mansion, priced at $22 million, is near the homes of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, and talk-show host Jay Leno, in an exclusive gated community in the hills overlooking the city.
• In April 2004, the British tabloid «News of the World» carried claims by Beckhams former personal assistant Rebecca Loos that he and Loos had an love affair. A week later, the Malaysian-born Australian model Sarah Marbeck claimed that she had slept with Beckham on two occasions.
• It was pretty tough period for Beckham, but he dismissed both accusations as «ludicrous». There has never been any proof of any of the allegations of Beckham's claimed infidelity.
• In December 2008, Beckham and his bodyguard were sued by paparazzi photographer Emicles Da Mata, who claimed that he was assaulted by them when attempting to take a picture of Beckham in Beverly Hills.
• David Beckham and Victoria have given each other ''magic'' necklaces. The couple, who are facing separation when soccer star David heads to Italy on loan to AC Milan, believe the mystical jewelery will keep them safe.
• David and Victoria Beckham celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary by getting matching Hebrew tattoos that says: «I am for my beloved, and my beloved is for me, who grazes sheep in rose-like pastures.»
• Beckham is one of the most popular pin-up boys, and his face appears in advertisements for many products and he has graced the cover of magazines such as Vanity Fair and Mari Claire.
• Beckham and George Clooney struck up a friendship after they were introduced by fashion designer Giorgio Armani at 2008 New York Met Ball.
• David is advertising impotence pills in China.
• Stan Lee, the legend behind comic books including Spider-Man and Fantastic Four, was hoping to turn David Beckham and his pop-star-turned-designer wife Victoria into cartoon super heroes for his production company POW! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment.
• Justin Timberlake praised him for singlehandedly increasing the popularity of soccer in the US.
• Hip-hop mogul Damon Dash claims David was jealous of wife Victoria's close friendship with him when they teamed up to reinvent her solo career in 2003.
• Usher thinks Beckham is ''one of the coolest white boys'' he knows.
• Is to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for children's charity Unicef after being asked by U2 frontman Bono.
• Made a female fan faint at Jermaine Dupri's pre-Grammys party in Hollywood's Club Central when he kissed her on the cheek.
• Met with children in Sierra Leone as part of his role as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.
• Said he was starstruck when he met Stevie Wonder, and told his wife that he wanted to take a picture with the music legend.
• Said that scoring the winning penalty against Argentina in the 2002 World Cup was a defining moment in his career, a moment of redemption after being vilified by the fans for his sending off against the same side four years earlier.
• Played in a special charity match againts some of Hollywood stars to raise money for those affected by the devastating wildfires in southern California.
• David was devastated when his father temporarily suffered severe memory loss after his recent heart attack - and forgot his son's name.
• Ended the bitter three-year rift with his father by paying a surprise visit to his east London home. They fell out after Ted wrote a book about his famous son without asking his permission.
• The Beckhams shelled out $5,700 for a joystick operated wheelchair for a sick 13-year-old soccer fan, after hearing he is battling his fourth brain tumor.
• His son Romeo has been diagnosed with epilepsy.
• Has reportedly been signed up by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to teach their son Maddox soccer.
• He suffers obsessive compulsive disorder, with a mania for keeping personal items in exactly the right spot.
• Bought super-slim wife Victoria a calorie-laden chocolate fountain for Christmas.
• Said he would consider becoming an astronaut and going to the Moon when he ends his soccer career.
• Is the only British sports star in People magazine's annual 50 most beautiful people poll.
• Beckham was eyed by pop stars Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce Knowles to appear in their music videos.
• The controversial waxwork nativity scene starring David and Victoria Beckham at the Madame Tussaud's museum, as holy couple Mary and Joseph, was attacked by a visitor.
• Was traded to Real Madrid by Manchester United for a $41 million transfer fee.
• His sending off against Argentina for tripping Diego Simeone and England's subsequent defeat on penalties resulted in Beckham becoming the scapegoat and public enemy number one.
• He was the highest-paid football player in 2004. He is also the first English footballer to play 100 champion League matches.
• He was also Google's most search of all sports topic in 2003 and also in 2004. With such global recognition he's not only excelent football player, he has also become an elite advertising brand and top fashion icon.
• David had a cameo role at the end of mega-hit «Bend it like Beckham» when he and Victoria were seen walking through Heathrow airport.
• You could notice that I didn`t mention his numerous tatoos. It is becauce full list of his tatoos is left for end of this post. Beckham has attributed the many tattoos to his obsessive-compulsive disorder, and claims to be addicted to the pain of the needle.
• Here is an impressive full chronology of Beckham's tattoos includes: Son Brooklyn's name on his back ( April 1999); «Guardian Angel» on his back (April 1999); Hindi "Victoria" design on his left arm (2000); Roman numeral VII (7) on his right forearm (April 2002); Latin phrase "Perfectio In Spiritu", meaning "Spiritual Perfection", on his right arm (May 2003); again Latin: "Ut Amem Et Foveam" or "So That I Love And Cherish", on his left arm(May 2003); son Romeo's name on his back(2003); classical art design on his right shoulder (2003); winged cross on the back of his neck(2004); angel with motto "In The Face of Adversity" on right arm (2004); son Cruz's name on his back(Mar 2005); second angel and clouds added to right arm and shoulder (June 2006); portrait of Victoria on left forearm (Jan 2008); "Forever by your side" on left forearm (Feb 2008); Chinese proverb meaning "Death and life have determined appointments. Riches and honour depend on heaven." down his left torso, running from his nipple to his groin (March 2008).

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