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He became an icon both on and off the field, revolutionizing sports-focused marketing. However, David Beckham was more than just good looks, he was more than just a publicity stunt, and this docuseries by Netflix, titled "Beckham," serves to recognize how important he was as a player, something he could never remove from his DNA.
And it was his father, Ted Beckham, who molded him to become a Manchester United player. He made him play in the yard of their house dressed as "Red Devils" and then accompanied him during his childhood years until Sir Alex Ferguson's call finally came (literally). Beckham's father revealed that he had between 1,300 and 1,400 recorded matches on VHS documenting his son's entire career since he was very young. An impressive amount of material that has visually enriched this four-episode documentary, which also serves to reposition United as a historic team in an era dominated by Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.
The documentary "Beckham," which has remained in Netflix's TOP 10 most-watched since its premiere on October 4th, was directed by Fisher Stevens, a recognized actor in the recently acclaimed series Succession and the director of The Cove, the Oscar-winning documentary in 2010. Stevens brings a touch of naturalness, complicity, and follow-up questions to interviews with luxury characters such as Victoria Beckham, Florentino Pérez, Eric Cantona, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Paul Scholes, Figo, Alex Ferguson, Gary Neville, Roy Keane, among others.
The first episode of "Beckham" is truly cinematic as it will show you unpublished images of his beginnings in soccer, his time at United (where he became an idol after winning it all), his highly anticipated arrival to the national team along with the memorable expulsion he suffered against Argentina due to Simeone's "fault" in the 1998 World Cup, and how he started his relationship with Victoria Adams, the singer of the Spice Girls. All compressed into a dose that will not be enough because you'll want to see more.
As the episodes progress, we can see how traumatic Beckham's life as a couple was, constantly harassed by the media and an entire country that pointed fingers, insulted, and even threatened David after the mistake in France 98; but he knew how to endure and wait for his moment to rise again, proving that he not only had a pretty face on the field, but he also had what it takes.
His time at Real Madrid and everything his arrival in Spain generated is considered the greatest marketing move in the history of soccer, in a time when there were no social media platforms. Beckham turned everything he touched into gold, which is why Victoria nicknamed him "Golden Balls."
"In 2003, Beckham and Real Madrid were the most important global brands in football, so it was logical that they would merge," says renowned journalist John Carlin, who was interviewed for this documentary.
This led to Beckham being labeled as a "marketing player," but he left the Bernabeu with a title, being the last "Galactico" remaining. After that came L.A Galaxy, AC Milan, and PSG (despite Victoria's refusal), where he sought to regain the sporting recognition he had lost and continue to show his competitiveness.
You have probably already seen a reel or a post about this documentary on social media because the first thing that came to light was that David and Victoria had extramarital problems. However, what it seeks to redeem is Beckham the footballer. A player who captivated fans with his striking power and made fans of the world's top teams and the English national team cheer with his amazing free-kick goals.
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