Football

David Beckham

Such is his high-celebrity profile, courtesy of his marriage to Victoria Adams of the Spice Girls, that Beckham’s prodigious natural ability is often overlooked.

A fixture on the right side of midfield, Beckham is an excellent passer of the ball, but his key strengths are his outstanding crossing ability and his prowess from dead-ball situations.

His best position remains open to debate and he impressed in central midfield for Manchester United in last year’s UEFA Champions League Final, playing there also in England’s friendly against Argentina in February this year. But while some pundits predict a permanent move into the middle for Beckham, the speed and deadly accuracy of the crosses he whips in from the right should ensure he stays out wide.

He made his Manchester United FC first-team debut aged 17, but really came to prominence when scoring with an impudent lob from the halfway line against Wimbledon in 1996.

Scored a memorable free-kick in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, but his tournament was marred by his sending-off against Argentina. He was the target of much criticism in England for that red card but, give or take the odd moment of petulance, he has since let the quality of his football do his talking for him.

Country: England
Club: Manchester United FC
Born: 02/05/1975
Height: 1.83m
Weight: 75kg

Position: Midfielder
Shirt Number: 7

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