David Beckham - The man who overtook Football's popularity

At school, whenever the teachers asked David Robert Joseph Beckham what he wanted to do after he grew up, his only reply would be that to be a professional footballer. Not often do we find something like this occurring in every kid’s life. For kids are ambitious, and their dreams and aspirations even more ambitious. One kid may want to scale the Everest, while another may want to preside over the USA. The natural tendency of adults on listening to such playful banter, is to laugh it off and mollycoddle the kid who had given such a reply. Then so be the case with Beckham, with nobody taking his aspirations to be serious. However, he was resolute as right from his childhood, all he ever wanted to do was become a footballer!

Fast forward three decades and we find the same man making the headlines, probably for the umpteenth time. His latest move to French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint Germain has been hogging the limelight for the last few days and it is bound to continue for some more time definitely. Such is the charisma of this London born footballer that even at a pretty ripe age of 37, he generates the same level of excitement and frenzy in the media as he used to when he was at his peak.

Just like millions of football fanatics who have embraced Manchester United as their club for life, Beckham too was an avid fan of the Red Devils, even bagging a chance to be their mascot at a friendly against West Ham, way back in 1986. So, it was only fitting that he would kickstart his career at Old Trafford! Famously part of the young brigade also known as “Fergie’s Fledglings”, he was able to establish himself as a dominant force on the soccer pitch for United. His penchant for spectacular goals had become prevalent, and even today, one would find his name mentioned in some of those “greatest goals” lists, and that too several times over. After a successful stint at United, while simultaneously earning a name for himself in the International circuit, he made the move to Spanish heavyweights Real Madrid, for another eventful four years. As if his footballing exploits were not enough, his sky-rocketing pop culture status ensured even laymen, who knew little about the sport of football, were aware of Beckham the celebrity! The move to Major League Soccer only managed to enhance his reputation, namely because of the astronomical sum he was netting because of his contract. A little known LA Galaxy was sharing the pedestal with some of the top clubs in terms of popularity, the moment the news of Beckham joining them was made public!

Controversies aside, the image of Beckham has always been that of a star, whose name every kid would have come across at some point of time. The stamp of authority that he has created may not be replicated in several years to come, but every kid can now dream of becoming a “David Beckham“. Now, all Beckham fans like myself would be hoping that he can create magic at PSG for the five months he is going to be there. Sceptics may deny the thought outrageously, but even they would not disagree with the fact that ‘Nobody can bend it like Beckham’ .