From backyard football to the legend of Manchester United: how 7-year-old Beckham changed his destiny

"Don't be like the majority. The majority give up on their dreams," said David Beckham once.

There are stories in life where a person knows from a young age exactly what they want. David Beckham is one of those people. A boy from a humble family who dreamed of only one thing from an early age: playing football professionally.

When a Childhood Dream Becomes Reality

David was born in Leytonstone, East London, on May 2, 1975. His father, Edward Alan, was a kitchen installer, and his mother, Sandra Georgina, was a hairdresser. A true working-class family—no privileges or connections.

Footballer David Beckham in a black jacket with a red ribbon pinned to it — David Beckham

However, they had one passion—football. More precisely, his father, who was a devoted Manchester United fan. He passed this love to his son from an early age. As soon as the boy started walking, his dad handed him a football. By the age of three, David was already practicing in the nearby park.

1982 was a turning point in the life of seven-year-old Beckham. His parents decided to enroll him in Bobby Charlton's football school in Manchester. This is where true parental heroism shone—every week, they traveled 300 kilometers to visit their little boy. That's what it means to believe in your child.

David Beckham as a child with his parents on the lawn in front of the house — Little David with his parents

And David? When teachers at school asked him what he wanted to be, the boy would unhesitatingly reply, "A footballer." Naturally, the adults would just smile indulgently—kids have all sorts of dreams. But David knew it wasn't just a childhood fantasy; it was his one true dream.

Persistence and talent began to bear fruit. In 1988, young Beckham won a children's football competition held by the legendary Bobby Charlton. Imagine his excitement when he was officially declared the best young footballer in England! He was awarded a trophy and—what was especially valuable to the boy—a kit of his beloved Manchester United.

Then came the moment thousands of boys around the world dream of. The management of Manchester United noticed the talented teenager and invited him, along with several other promising youngsters, to join the team. A true miracle for a boy from a working-class family.

David Beckham as a child in a football kit and with a football — David Beckham dreamed of becoming a footballer from childhood

However, the path to fame was not all smooth. Initially, David mostly warmed the bench. For a whole six months! It's easy to imagine how he struggled. But patience and hard work, as they say...

In the early '90s, Beckham finally got a chance to prove himself in a match against Brighton. Although he was brought in as a substitute, and then returned to the reserves, the entire 1993-1994 season passed with hardly any appearances. Yet, even in reserve, he became an English champion with the team and made his debut in European competitions.

A real breakthrough came in the last group stage match of the Champions League. Manchester United trounced Turkey's Galatasaray 4-0, and David was among the lucky four to score a goal. It was a shining moment!

David Beckham's First Goal for Manchester United

After that, things went smoothly. In 1995, Beckham debuted in the English Premier League and quickly established himself as a leading player in the main squad. He secured his place in the starting lineup, displacing none other than Andrei Kanchelskis, who later admitted, "It's nice that I paved the way for David!"

His career at Manchester United was simply phenomenal—six Premier League titles, two FA Cup victories, an Intercontinental Cup, and triumph in the UEFA Champions League. Imagine the scale!

By 2011, David had become the world's highest-paid athlete! Just think—the son of a kitchen installer at the pinnacle of financial success. And in 2013, he topped the list of the fifty richest footballers on the planet with a fortune of $175 million, surpassing titans like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Young David Beckham sitting on the bench of the sports locker room with the UEFA Cup — Young David Beckham with the UEFA Cup

Arguably, Beckham's most unique achievement was becoming the first English athlete to win football championships in four countries—England, Spain, the USA, and France. Such feats are only possible for true legends.

Love at First Sight

Speaking of fairy tales that come true, David's football career is just half of his amazing story. The other part is his whirlwind romance with Victoria Adams from the Spice Girls.

David first saw his future wife in 1996. While with the England team in Tbilisi, he watched a performance by the hugely popular Spice Girls on television. One of the four singers caught his eye—a slender, graceful girl.

Young David Beckham hugs Victoria Adams by the waist at a social event — David fell in love with Victoria at first sight

Fate brought them together in 1998 at a charity match at Old Trafford. David was flustered upon meeting her, but Victoria took the initiative—chatting casually and offering her services as a designer for football uniforms. She then extended her hand to introduce herself and suggested having dinner, writing her phone number on a ticket. This ticket became a real talisman for Beckham. He even copied the number onto six different pieces of paper to ensure he wouldn't lose it.

Every morning, David sent Victoria bunches of roses and spent every free minute with her. Their phone conversations even became a source of friendly teasing from his teammates—Beckham would only turn off his phone just before stepping onto the field. And you know what? After many years of marriage, they still fondly remember their first kiss in a restaurant parking lot.

Just a year after they met, in 1999, the couple announced their engagement. David bought two rings—Victoria's was gold with a three-carat diamond, and his was adorned with diamond chips. He wanted a keepsake from that day too.

Collage: on the left, David Beckham and Victoria Adams pose in wedding attire; on the right, they are holding baby Brooklyn — David and Victoria's Wedding

Their lavish wedding in an Irish castle cost $800,000. However, the couple signed a contract with a publication for $1.5 million for exclusive rights to cover the ceremony, so they ended up in the black.

By that time, they had already welcomed their firstborn—Brooklyn Joseph. For Victoria, who had been told by doctors that she might be infertile, his birth was a true miracle. For David, too—he considered it a "blessing from heaven" and declared that no matter how many children they had, they wouldn't have nannies. In the end, they had four: besides Brooklyn, they raised sons Romeo and Cruz, and daughter Harper.

David Beckham and Victoria Beckham and their children Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz, and Harper — David Beckham with his family

So, this young man from a working-class family, with perseverance, talent, and parental support, transformed not just into a star, but into one of the greatest icons of world football. Dreams come true if you believe in them as little David Beckham did.