Beckham’s boots for his final game
David Beckham plays in the final match of his career on May 26th. As he heads into retirement, he carries the pride of Great Britain. Typical Becks.
Thanks for the memories, Becks
We could rattle off a list of all the achievements that David Beckham has won throughout the course of his career, but the truth is, you already know. From the free kicks to the H&M advertisements, David Beckham quickly became an ever-present, unrelenting force in sports and style, one of the first footballers to be embraced and recognized on such a global scale. And while some may maintain a cynical perspective on the trajectory Beckham’s career took, we here at AFR HQ will always remember his ability to transform a monotonous, insignificant match, into a spectacle.
As Becks hangs up his boots, here are some thoughts from the people who knew him best, his peers.
“David was different - he was a crosser of the ball, a passer of the ball, he was a joy to play with… He has probably been the most influential player out of England in transforming football. The impact he has had is enormous.” - Gary Neville
“On the pitch, Beckham sees everything before everyone else.” - Carlo Ancelotti
What unfolds beyond Beckham in Paris
By Arthur James
Under the first impulsive tenure of ‘El Presidente’ Florentino Perez, Real Madrid pursued a business model as simple as it was flawed; they spent copious amounts of money bringing in globally established superstars. Further peppering with a combination of relatively underpaid home-grown and often under-appreciated teammates, Perez’ project became The Galácticos. Under the guidance of Club President Lorenzo Sanz, Real had won their 7th and 8th European Cups in 1998 and 2000 respectively. However, the appeal of Perez and his promise of ruthless spending in an effort to control the transfer market were such that Sanz and his two European Cups in three years lost out in the Club’s Presidential election of 2000.
The initial merit of domestic and continental success granted credence to this electoral surprise. In the summers of 2000, 2001 and 2002, Perez brought Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo to Madrid for a combined figure surpassing the 100 million pound mark. These players along with Raul, Roberto Carlos and Iker Casillas venerated the club to their Galactic status. However, while the first three seasons yielded two League titles and their ninth European Cup, the summer of 2003 offered Real Madrid their opportunity for the biggest seat at football’s economic table. While the six players mentioned exuded a global appeal matched by few, the perennial superstar of footballing fame came by the means of a 25 million pound Englishman. When you’re looking to build a team you can fork out top money for the best players and it can often yield expected results, however, if it is a brand you are looking to expand, then you need a David Beckham.
Not you, David.
Ahead of St. Etienne’s match against PSG, it was announced that David Beckham - Paris St. Germain’s ambassador H&M model representative of the AARP newest addition - would be starting the match in the Rhone-Alps region of France.
With Beckhamania hitting France like a Zizou headbutt (too easy), St. Etienne’s fans had time to prepare a little banner showing their love for Beckham just before kickoff. The initial surprise of seeing “Beckham I Love You” from the club’s supporters was met with a resounding “ohhhh” a few minutes later as “Victoria” popped up to complete the tifo. [Images via. Posted by Eric]
Through Ryu’s Lens: Beckham rises in Paris, Marseille falls
It was the grand derby, Le Classique between Paris St Germain and Marseille. PSG hoped to extend their lead in Ligue 1, and were somewhat fortunate to come away with a cool 2-0 victory. Beckham finally made his debut in France, coming on for the final 15 minutes and playing a chip that would lead to Zlatan Ibrahimovic grabbing the second for the French giants. Ryu was in town to see the derby, as well as Beckhamania jumping right into Zlatan’s arms.
Interact with Ryu on twitter @Toksuede and explore his Flickr. Posted by Eric.
Bienvenue à Paris, Beckham
Words had been swirling everywhere from Australia to England to Qatar, but David Beckham has finally landed in France for a five-month stint with Paris Saint-Germain, the rising superpower in the capital.
The man has also decided to donate his PSG wages to a local charity for children in Paris while he’s in town. With the speculation ending, many are questioning whether or not the 37-year-old can still compete with the best in the world. After all, the decision to join PSG gives Beckham one last chance at the Champions League. So after conquering England, Spain, Italy, and America, a remarkable career continues…
Crisis FC! - AFR Voice - Ep7
Since AFR last loosened up its larynx, there was a series of high profile exits from the football juggernaut. Pulling his ripcord first was David Beckham, who looks set for a safe and particularly well-paid landing in France. Next up was Roberto Di Matteo and Mark Hughes – both unceremoniously ejected from West London into no man’s land. As you’ll hear, Rafa Benitez shouldn’t get comfortable with his in-flight movies just yet either as we wonder whether dastardly Roman Abramovich is determined to drive Chelsea into the ground.
We locate the black box and disassemble all that madness before giving a whole new set of fresh football baggage a considerable shake-down – will LA Galaxy’s MLS Cup success mark the swansong for Landon Donovan? Is it possible to apply the term crisis to half the Premier League’s teams? And, will Arsene Wenger always remain the perpetual bridesmaid of football? We’ll also cover the AFC Wimbledon-MK Dons show down, hopscotch across the big European Leagues and reveal why you must not, under any circumstances, invite Manchester City’s Aleksandar Kolarov over for Christmas.
As always you can contact the team on afrvoice@gmail.com and send your tweets to @AFRvoice. You can also subscribe to AFR Voice on iTunes and find us on Soundcloud.
Individuality vs History: A Look at Antonio Valencia and Manchester United’s number 7
By Jared Mercer
It’s no secret. The number 7 jersey at Manchester United has been worn by many heroes, many legends. George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, David Beckham, and Cristiano Ronaldo being the best examples of the past four decades of legendary number sevens, but since Ronaldo’s departure, a natural phenomenon has yet to emerge as the bearer of the legendary shirt.
First there was Michael Owen, former Liverpool player, who spent most of his United career in the dugout or on the injured reserve, and scored a couple of memorable goals but nothing of real note. The highlight of his Red Devils career being a late winner against Manchester City in his first season, which was exciting, but was also about it. He now “plays” for Stoke where it is likely Owen’s career will fade into an end. The current man in red uniform to wear the number 7 shirt is Ecuadorian Antonio Valencia, who began his United career in 2009/10 wearing the number 25 jersey. While supported by the Old Trafford faithful, Valencia and the history of the old Man Utd 7 have not mixed.
Valencia is a true number 7 in the sense that he is a pure right winger who rarely leaves his role of hugging the side touchline. He was successful at doing so in his three seasons at Wigan Athletic. Scoring 7 goals in his three years at Wigan, he was not overly impressive but showed good signs of being a consistent Premiership performer. When Alex Ferguson snapped him up for £16 million, it seemed like a heavy price for a player of reasonable quality who had not made too much of an impact in England.
“Not bad”, Beckham.
The celebration contained an ounce of Cantona and a hint of Thierry Henry, but the goal was all Beckham. The opportunity presented itself, and Becks knew exactly what to do. The goal against the Portland Timbers was tremendous. His reaction? Even moreso. As Robbie Keane, Landon Donovan, and company rushed towards him, David said “not bad” and laughed. At 37 years old, the legend lives on.
