David Beckham

David Beckham

David Beckham was born on the 2nd May 1975. He is a retired footballer and has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy, Paris Satin-Germain and the English National Team. He retired from professional football at the end of the 2012-13 season after a 20 year career. He made 115 career appearances in total, including three FIFA World Cups and two UEFA European Championship tournaments. He was named the world’s greatest living players in the FIFA top 100 list and in 2013 he was listed as the best paid player in the world, earning over $50 million in 12 months. He is married to Victoria Beckham and they have four children.

Engagement in Cultural Diplomacy

David Beckham is the face of several multi-national companies such as Coca-Cola and IBM. David and his wife Victoria Beckham are know as style icons and have appeared on a number of high profile magazine covers. Chinese authorities appointed Beckham as global ambassador for Chinese football in March 2013 to help improve the image of football after several official were banned for match-fixing.

Humanitarian Causes

In 2005, Beckham founded the David Beckham Academy football school in Los Angeles and London. In 2009 they were closed but all activities were transferred to a mobile academy with plans to travel around the UK and abroad. Beckham has supported numerous charities and organisations including UNICEF since he started his career at Manchester United, becoming a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF’s Sports for Development program. He has pledged his support for the current Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. David Beckham is a founding member of the Malaria No More UK Leadership Council and has been a public advocate in the U.S for soccer related charities such as MLS W.O.R.K.S. Beckham is a supporter of Help for Heroes in the U.K.

Philanthropic Donations

David Beckham recently helped to raise $185,500 for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and donated £3.4m to two French children’s charities. He donated all of his earnings whilst playing at Paris Saint- Germain (rumoured to be £170,000 a week) to a local children’s charity. Both him and his Victoria Beckham donated designer clothes to a charity Shop in London to raise money for the Philippines. He has donated millions of pounds to charities.

External Links

Humanitarian Causes

David Beckham Donates Wages