Beckham’s future has been the subject of much speculation
Arthur O’Dea
Contributing Writer
When considering the case of David Beckham and his prolonging of a career already showered with success beyond the dreams of most footballers, the moment which epitomises my support of his decision is when, as captain of England, he became saviour of football’s most passionate country, and qualified England for the World Cup with a last minute free kick against Greece. I clearly recall rising to my feet in celebration as he exorcised the demons of France ’98 and epitomised to me why he is a footballer, and indeed a man, that football will be a little emptier without. With this in mind, I am under no doubt that David Beckham is a continual asset to football’s ever expanding global reach.
To charter the success of David Beckham’s career would prove to be a glittering display of one man’s phenomenal success in the world’s most competitive sport. However, in keeping with Eric Cantona’s rationale; ‘I prefer to look forward.’ YouTube has allowed anyone who wishes to see what David Beckham has done for England, Manchester United, Real Madrid, A.C. Milan and L. A. Galaxy and it would be a far more potent way of experiencing it then reading about it here. At 37 years of age his footballing peak has long eclipsed but like his old teammates Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, it is no longer his footballing ability alone that makes him indispensible still.
As soon as he inherited the number 7 jersey at Manchester United, Beckham became part of a tradition which was continually built upon by George Best, Bryan Robson and the aforementioned Eric Cantona. I believe in wearing this jersey, he inherited a little bit of each great player who had worn it previously. Cantona’s ability to turn a match on its head with a select moment of brilliance or madness, Robson’s determination and leadership on the pitch, and perhaps most telling, Best’s enigmatic ability and the celebrity it endowed, which gave cause for the jersey to be held in such high regard. Beckham dealt with celebrity in a way that Best never could. Robson and Cantona were of course keenly followed figures too, but the synthesis of Best and Beckham’s rise to public attention bears an uncanny resemblance. Two men were thrust into a limelight scarcely seen by many. Best ultimately crumbled where Beckham so magnificently shone. The divide which separates success and excess is a sturdy wall in comparison to Best’s faded line in the sand. While many feel Beckham’s off pitch commitments occasionally hampered his on field efforts one really could never tell. For each new haircut or outfit he sported, there was soon another match winning free kick or devastating cross which left those who loved to fault him quickly realise that beyond all else it was still football that David Beckham cherished most of all.
At 37, less and less is seen of his footballing exploits and lately you are much more likely to see him in attendance at an L. A. Lakers match, or in light conversation with David Letterman. He truly is one of the world’s global superstars. One must ask the question therefore that should he retire from professional football would it really impact on his life that much? After all, he would still be heavily sought after. As an ambassador for sport his presence is immense; lest we forget his diplomatic role in garnering support for the London Olympic games of 2012. Financially, we can also only assume that his amassed wealth would not be too heavily dented without the exuberant pay cheques he receives for his footballing duties. On a more personal note, he is now the father of four children and at a time in his life when all he has wanted to achieve as a professional footballer has been done one must ask, what then is keeping David Beckham’s career alive?
It is in this question that we realise that while we are continually aware of his actions, they are but a gentle fog we can see but cannot touch. His lavish lifestyle, his ever increasing ‘celebrity’ is but a façade. It is this that David Beckham realises to be his place of business. Playing football though, as it was when he began for Manchester United in 1993, is the enjoyment that life allows him to experience. It is on the football pitch that he can escape the rigmarole of all that football has determined he must put up with. This alone would be justification enough for David Beckham to play on to his hearts content. He, like the aforementioned Giggs and Scholes also maintains a physical fitness astonishing for that of a 37 year old; it is not as if he is deteriorating the pinnacles he has reached by turning out as a substandard version of himself. He has modified his game, all pivoted around the majestic caress he has over a football and what he can make it do.
Yet, there is more justification still. For it is the same media circus that follows Beckham where he decides to garner some of life’s little pleasures on the football pitch, that is a genuinely useful asset for the process of this argument. Given the innate interest Beckham inspires wherever he goes to play football, people will follow. His six year stint at L. A. Galaxy has seen an explosion in the love of football amongst American crowds. Football, or soccer, is still far from becoming anything like ‘America’s pastime’ but given the recent appropriation of Premier League games by American broadcaster ESPN, it’s clear to see that football is a growing interest in the U.S.A. Should Beckham follow the money en route to his next ‘job’ and end up in the burgeoning markets of China or Australia, whatever enjoyment it brings him will be a pleasure. As one who has seen David Beckham play on a number of occasions, it is nothing short of mesmerising to see his manipulation of a football in any manner of circumstances. However, the concurrent growth that a potential move to one of football’s growing markets can have for the ‘beautiful game’ is an opportunity that football cannot but hope to gain from.
For David Beckham, for those of us who love to watch him play and for football in general, I’ll happily sit through an array of new haircuts and outfits at the possibility of even one more memory from the man who has already given us so much.
