5 Famous Manchester United academy graduates

#3 David Beckham

David Beckham

Before we mimicked Cristiano Ronaldo's free kick, we used to mimic David Beckham's. Beckham was a superstar cloaked beneath the footballing persona. He was the face on every 13-year old's wall poster. There was a certain panache to his play that made him an icon.

The Manchester United academy prodigy broke onto to the scenes when he was just 17 years old making his first senior club appearance. However, to find regular playing minutes he was loaned out to Preston North End.

Beckham became an integral part of the United squad after Sir Alex Ferguson decided to rely upon Fergie's Fledgling's (A group of homegrown talents that were recruited by Sir Alex Ferguson and trained by assistant coaches before promoting them to the senior squad).

During his stay at Manchester, Beckham won numerous silverwares and was a fundamental part of the 1998-99 treble winning United side. In 2003, he left the Red Devils to ply his trade with Real Madrid.