In pictures: Beckham at 50
As football icon David Beckham celebrates his 50th birthday, BBC Sport takes a look back at the former Manchester United and England great’s life in photos.
David Beckham was one of Manchester United’s ‘Class of ’92’ – players who won the 1992 FA Youth Cup before going on to win the Treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League titles in 1999
Beckham scored from the halfway line against Wimbledon in the last minute of the opening day of the 1996-97 season – perhaps his most famous goal and the one that launched his career
Beckham and Victoria Adams, more commonly known as Posh Spice from girlband the Spice Girls, started dating in 1997. They announced their engagement in 1998 and married the following year in an Irish castle ceremony featuring golden thrones.
Beckham has four children – sons Brooklyn (pictured), Romeo and Cruz, and daughter Harper
At the 1998 World Cup in France, Beckham was sent off after kicking out at Argentina’s Diego Simeone. He became, at the time, only the second player to be sent off for England at a World Cup, after Ray Wilkins received a red card in 1986.
Beckham delivered both corners from which Manchester United scored twice in injury time to beat Barcelona in the 1999 Champions League final, completing the Treble
Peter Taylor, although only caretaker manager for one game, gave Beckham the England captaincy in 2000. Beckham went on to lead the side 59 times
In perhaps his most iconic moment on the pitch, Beckham scored a 93rd-minute free-kick against Greece at Old Trafford in 2001 to send England to the 2002 World Cup finals
The Beckhams appeared on Sir Michael Parkinson’s self-titled chat show in 2001, a famous interview in which Victoria let slip her ‘Golden Balls’ nickname for her husband
David Beckham and Kirsty Howard presented the Jubilee Baton to Queen Elizabeth II during the Manchester Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in 2002. Kirsty was born with a rare heart defect and was given just weeks to live at the age of four, but lived until she was 20 and raised more than 7.5m for Manchester’s Francis House Children’s Hospice.
Beckham redeemed himself four years later at the 2002 World Cup, his goal from the penalty spot sealing a 1-0 win for England against Simeone’s Argentina
David Beckham and the England squad met Nelson Mandela before a friendly against South Africa in 2003. Known for his ever-changing hairstyles, Beckham later said he regretted having cornrows when he met the former South Africa president.
Beckham was left with a cut eyebrow after he was hit by a boot kicked by Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson in the dressing room after a 2-0 FA Cup defeat by Arsenal in 2003.
Beckham joined Real Madrid’s ‘Galacticos’ in 2003. Because forward Raul already wore Beckham’s famous number seven shirt, the England captain chose the number 23 instead because of his admiration for basketball great Michael Jordan.
Beckham left Real Madrid for LA Galaxy in 2007, a move which transformed the profile of Major League Soccer (MLS)
During his time at LA Galaxy, Beckham had two loan spells at AC Milan. After a Champions League defeat by Manchester United at Old Trafford, Beckham draped a green and gold scarf – symbolic of United fans’ protests against the Glazer family’s ownership of the club – around his neck. He later said he wasn’t aware of the scarf’s association with the anti-Glazer campaign.
Having been part of the successful bid to bring the 2012 Olympics to London, Beckham played his part in the memorable opening ceremony, driving the speedboat that carried the Olympic flame down the River Thames to the stadium
Beckham joined Paris St-Germain in January 2013 and it was there he played the final match of his career four months later. He was in tears as he was substituted in the 80th minute against Brest, departing the pitch to a standing ovation from fans
In 2014, it was announced that Beckham had exercised his option to buy a MLS expansion team for $25m – part of the contract he signed with LA Galaxy. Inter Miami made its MLS debut in 2020 and signed Argentine great Lionel Messi in 2023
