David Beckham delves back into the hateful treatment he received following his infamous 1998 red card B次元官网网址� and its impact on him B次元官网网址� in a new Netflix documentary series pegged to the 10th anniversary of his retirement.
B次元官网网址淭his whole process has been like an emotional rollercoaster,B次元官网网址� Beckham said of the in an exclusive video interview with The Associated Press. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e never talked about these certain moments in my career and in my life.B次元官网网址�
The intimate four-part series explores BeckhamB次元官网网址檚 upbringing, his courtship with his wife and his triumphs on the field, but perhaps the most difficult part was revisiting his painful sending off during EnglandB次元官网网址檚 World Cup match against Argentina.
B次元官网网址淚 hadnB次元官网网址檛 actually watched it and I hadnB次元官网网址檛 actually watched the interviews and what people said about me after,B次元官网网址� he said, adding that it left him B次元官网网址渟hocked and emotional.B次元官网网址�
Beckham was red carded for deliberately kicking the back of Diego SimeoneB次元官网网址檚 leg. He lashed out after the Argentina captain pushed him to the ground. EnglandB次元官网网址檚 World Cup hopes were crushed, and Beckham instantly went from hero to villain.
B次元官网网址淏eckhamB次元官网网址� includes footage of the hatred the soccer star received B次元官网网址� condemnation in British tabloids and constant fan abuse, including one who hung his effigy from a noose outside a London pub.
B次元官网网址淚 knew it was bad at the time, but going over that whole that whole thing was quite a tough one,B次元官网网址� he told the AP.
The backlash continued throughout the next season.
B次元官网网址淚t wasnB次元官网网址檛 just stepping onto a football pitch, it was every time that I went out in my car and people stopped me and spat at my window and you know, all of those things, and then walking into a restaurant knowing that everybody in there hates you.B次元官网网址�
Best friend David Gardner recalls how Beckham even had to be accompanied by friends in the bathroom for his safety, yet never retaliated.
Despite the full support of Manchester United fans and club manager Sir Alex Ferguson, Beckham said there wasnB次元官网网址檛 the same knowledge or concern about mental health that exists now.
B次元官网网址淏ack then there wasnB次元官网网址檛 anyone turning round to me and saying, B次元官网网址楢re you OK? Are you sure youB次元官网网址檙e OK? LetB次元官网网址檚 talk about it.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Even his own family struggled to understand. B次元官网网址淭wenty five years ago, if IB次元官网网址檇 have turned around to my dad and said that I donB次元官网网址檛 feel great, he would have said, B次元官网网址楤oy, just get on with itB次元官网网址�. So thatB次元官网网址檚 how I grew up and thatB次元官网网址檚 how I knew how to kind of handle a situation like that,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淚 became, I wouldnB次元官网网址檛 say a cold person, but I was able to block things out that were challenging and difficult for me at the timeB次元官网网址� he added, saying it helped him grow as a player and as a person.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not a person that sits and reflects on past achievements and things like thatB次元官网网址� Beckham said, explaining that he learned from an early age that you can win a trophy and celebrate that evening, B次元官网网址渂ut then the next day youB次元官网网址檙e on to the next season and youB次元官网网址檙e on to something else. B次元官网网址�
The first episode, which debuts Oct. 4, explores young DavidB次元官网网址檚 upbringing in Chingford, Essex, and his relationship with his father.
B次元官网网址淗e was a very disciplined dad from a very early age. And when I didnB次元官网网址檛 play well, he told me and when I did play well, he kind of told me that I did play well, but not too much,B次元官网网址� Beckham said with a smile.
It had always been his fatherB次元官网网址檚 dream that his son play in the premiership for Manchester United and it soon became their shared dream, turned reality. After being spotted by a scout playing on LondonB次元官网网址檚 Hackney Marshes, Beckham moved to Manchester at 15. The tough love continued under Ferguson. Their partnership helped Beckham win six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and one Champions League.
B次元官网网址淲ithout a doubt, me getting out of London at that time and becoming a Manchester United player, in the north, surrounded by unbelievable people B次元官网网址� that for me without doubt helped me have the success and have the career that I had had and have,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淗aving the discipline of Sir Alex Ferguson possibly was one of the biggest reasons why I was able to succeed.B次元官网网址�
But the discipline didnB次元官网网址檛 rub off when it comes to his own four children Brooklyn, , Cruz and Harper Seven, who all appear in the documentary. Beckham admits his wife is B次元官网网址減retty strictB次元官网网址� and he finds it hard to lay down the law.
B次元官网网址淚 always thought growing up, if I was to become a young dad, I would be like my dad. I would support my kids with going into football and be hard with them. But I was nowhere near like my dad was. IB次元官网网址檓 a bit of a softie.B次元官网网址�
Meeting Spice Girl Victoria Adams was a pivotal moment in BeckhamB次元官网网址檚 life. She was already a global superstar as B次元官网网址淧osh SpiceB次元官网网址� and he was a rising talent with Manchester United.
B次元官网网址淚t wasnB次元官网网址檛 something that normally happens, you know, a footballer and a pop star coming together and the pressures of that but also her being on the world tour, me really wanting to see her. But obviously I couldnB次元官网网址檛 travel. So, we used to sneak around.B次元官网网址�
He said they managed to keep their relationship secret for the first few months and then B次元官网网址渢he explosion happened.B次元官网网址�
BeckhamB次元官网网址檚 teammate and close friend Gary Neville jokes on B次元官网网址淏eckhamB次元官网网址� about the pairB次元官网网址檚 long phone calls into the early hours before a game and says Beckham would drive for four hours just to spend 20 minutes with her.
Part three and four of the series were not available for review prior to BeckhamB次元官网网址檚 interview, but those episodes explore his explosive fallout with Ferguson, his sale to Real Madrid and tabloid allegations of BeckhamB次元官网网址檚 extra-marital affairs.
B次元官网网址淭here are pressures, but you work hard,B次元官网网址� Beckham said of his marriage. And despite press speculation, the couple recently celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary and remain a united force.
B次元官网网址淚 suppose thatB次元官网网址檚 one of the reasons why weB次元官网网址檙e so, so strong as a couple, because, yes, we have amazing kids, we have amazing careers, but we B次元官网网址� make time for each other as well.B次元官网网址�
BeckhamB次元官网网址檚 career spread far beyond his success as a player to cultural icon and entrepreneur. He was a trailblazer for collaborations with brands like Adidas, Armani, Breitling and more. While players werenB次元官网网址檛 really doing similar deals at the time, he said it felt like a natural progression enabled by his success on the football pitch.
He knew early on that B次元官网网址淏rand BeckhamB次元官网网址� would broaden and lengthen his career if he could achieve a good balance.
B次元官网网址淚 always made sure that whatever I was doing off the field never affected what I was doing on the field because that was what I loved and what was important to me.B次元官网网址�
His business savvy culminated in , Inter Miami.
B次元官网网址淚 had the opportunity to play in different countries, move to America, obviously have my own franchise and my own team, become an owner,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o then once I finished playing, I knew that the moment I finished playing, I could then jump into the business. But, we were working on that a long time before that.B次元官网网址�
Looking back on his careerB次元官网网址檚 highs and lows, itB次元官网网址檚 natural to wonder: Does Beckham have regrets?
B次元官网网址淒o I wish things hadnB次元官网网址檛 happened? Absolutely. Do I wish B次元官网网址�98 hadnB次元官网网址檛 happened? Absolutely.B次元官网网址�
But he said he realized it all happened for a reason.
B次元官网网址淚t made me stronger as a person, as a player, as a human being, and as a father, as a husband,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd if that hadnB次元官网网址檛 have happened, I maybe I wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have had the career that I had.B次元官网网址�
