‘Beckham,’ a new Netflix series documenting the life of global footballing legend David Beckham, or ‘Goldenballs’ as he was dubbed in the late nineties by wife Posh, launches on Netflix today.
DAVID BECKHAM NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Directed by Academy Award® Winner, Fisher Stevens and produced by Academy Award® Winner, John Battsek, it features a mixture of never-before-seen personal archive footage from the last forty years, candid current-day moments, and interviews with the family, friends, and footballing figures who have been part of his journey.
HOW MANY EPISODES OF BECKHAM ARE THERE?
The documentary series will be shown in four-parts, and features interviews with David Beckham, his wife (Victoria Beckham or The Spice Girls singer ‘Posh Spice’ when they met), parents (Ted and Sandra Beckham), as well as: Gary Neville, Eric Cantona, Sir Alex Ferguson, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Melanie Chisholm (aka Sporty Spice), Diego Simeone, Carlos Queiroz, Luís Figo, Míchel Salgado, Florentino Pérez, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo Nazário and Fabio Capello.
5 THINGS WE LEARN ABOUT DAVID BECKHAM FROM THE DOCUMENTARY
- David became “clinically depressed” after that red card moment, which saw him sent off after kicking Diego Simone during the 1998 World Cup game against Argentina. A decision that would ultimately cost England the game, as they went on to lose in a penalty shoot-out, as well as dropping out of the World Cup altogether.
2. David found out Victoria was pregnant, the night before the infamous red card moment. The couple had their first child Brooklyn in March 1999 – they are also parents to Romeo, Cruz and Harper.
3. The couple spoke about David’s alleged affair with his former personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, publicly for the first time ever. It has always been denied from the Beckham camp. And although it wasn’t fully admitted, Victoria Beckham spoke of the aftermath as “the hardest time” in her marriage.
4. Beckham had a stormy relationship with Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, so much so that Sir Alex famously kicked a boot into Beckham’s face during one row and told him to “f**k off.” The incident happened after Man U lost an FA Cup fifth-round tie 2-0 to rivals Arsenal, which removed any hope of a domestic double, or treble.
5. Beckham’s celebrity relationship and pursuit of personal stardom ultimately led to his “heartbreak” at being sold to Real Madrid, meaning he had to leave his beloved Manchester United on the say-so of Sir Alex. Beckham called his relationship with Sir Alex “always special” but Sir Alex said it was “at a stalemate.”
WHAT TIME IS BECKHAM ON NETFLIX?
Beckham will be available to watch on October 4, from 8am BST. It follows David Beckham’s meteoric rise from humble working-class beginnings to global football stardom and life after as brand ‘Posh and Becks,’ revealing interesting new insights about the man and his life.
But this isn’t the only film he has been involved in…
WHAT MOVIES HAS DAVID BECKHAM BEEN IN?
If you’re in the Gen Z age bracket or older, you’ll remember the early noughties indie, sports comedy movie ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ starring Keira Knightly. Although David Beckham wasn’t officially in the movie, he appeared briefly as himself in archival footage of him playing football on the pitch.
The name of the movie was based on Beckham’s legendary signature skill, where he kicks the ball so it curves around obstacles, making it harder for a goalie to track. The movie showcased the journey of two girls who, despite their parents’ wishes, managed to ‘bend’ gender rules and pursue their dreams of playing professional football.
David Beckham told newspapers at the time that he was happy for the film to use his name and likeness because he was a big fan of supporting girls’ and women’s football.
As well as filming major TV commercials for the likes of Pepsi and Adidas, Beckham pursued a fleeting career in acting, appearing in the film King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, which was released in 2017 and directed by Guy Ritchie. Beckham played a small-part role, the film also starred British actor, Jude Law.
Beckham has also played himself in a number of British comedy TV series including Only Fools and Horses and Modern Family.
WHY IS DAVID BECKHAM WORTH SO MUCH?
“He probably is already the richest English player ever, mainly because he is the best looking one and has monetised the Beckham brand and expanded his portfolio of business investments as opposed to just being a player,” says Kieran Maguire, a business in football expert at Liverpool University.
Rather than going down the more traditional route initially, from football player to football manager, he decided to pursue more lucrative brand ambassador roles. Cashing in on his global fame and burgeoning relationship with famous popstar wife, Victoria Beckham.
And his recent deal at Inter Miami, to secure global football legend Messi, is just another example of his business and brand prowess. He clinched one of the biggest and most lucrative deals in the history of the game, taking Argentinian legend Lionel Messi Stateside.
Reports speculate that without including the wealth of his wife Victoria, David Beckham alone is worth around $450 million, which he allegedly spends on a range of hobbies including art, cars and Elvis memorabilia.
For fresh insights, company news and business advice, subscribe to the weekly Matt Haycox newsletter at the bottom of the site.
