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When you think of famous soccer players to come from England, one of the first names that comes to mind is David Beckham. Known for his ability to shoot it in the exact right place, Beckham became a pop culture icon away from the pitch. He would end up getting into modeling work while also entering into a marriage with one of the biggest pop stars in the world, making Beckham a household name.

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Beckham was born in London, England on May 2, 1975, and growing up had always wanted to be a soccer player. Even more specifically, he said he wanted to join the Manchester United club, which was his favorite as a child. That dream would end up coming true as Beckham would eventually become part of their youth program to put him on the fast track to becoming a professional.

Beckham started his professional career with Manchester United in 1993, and the following year finally became part of the highest club team. For a brief period, Manchester United had loaned out Beckham to Preston North End, though he’d come back in time to play with the team in the Premier League in 1995. Along with other young up and comers, Manchester United became more powerful as Beckham grew his starpower thanks to his play on the field. Beckham even landed the number seven jersey, which is a big badge of honor for the club.

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After becoming a big star in the soccer scene, Beckham would become part of the biggest power couple in England outside of the royal family. Victoria Adams, a member of the Spice Girls that went by Post Spice, met Beckham following one of his games. The two hit it off, and they began a relationship.

Beckham and Adams would get married in July of 1999, and together they’ve had four children while still being married to this day. Because of his massive net worth, Beckham has been able to spend a lot of money to keep his family happy, and this includes dropping more than $1 million for a winery. The winery is located in California’s Napa Valley, which Beckham purchased in 2008. In the years leading up to that, the Beckhams had taken an interest in wine, so it was a bit of a passion project.

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Beckham was part of the Manchester United Club for more than a decade, but all good things must come to an end at some point. He played in a total of 265 matches for the team, scoring a total of 62 goals. During that time, he played with the English national team, scoring 17 times in 115 appearances. In 2003, Beckham parted ways with Manchester United and joined the Spanish team Real Madrid.

Spending four years in Spain, Beckham would score 13 times in his 116 matches. In 2007, Beckham took his talents to the United States for the first time, signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer. Beckham performed well in the States, scoring 18 total goals in fewer than 100 games. Twice during that time he was loaned to Milan to play, and he departed from Los Angeles in 2012 to play in 10 more professional games with Paris Saint-Germain in 2013 before calling it a career.

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“Throughout my career I have been pretty successful,” Beckham said. “I’ve played for some pretty big teams, represented my country quite a few times, and played for managers without sentiment.” Some of his accomplishments include winning the Premier League six times, as well as the Champions League, FA Cup (twice) and three Major League Soccer Cup Championships.

On top of his playing career, Beckham has become a highly successful businessman. He has purchased a stake in a pair of teams, including one in England as well as an expansion team in Miami, Florida for Major League Soccer. Other ventures for Beckham include modeling, creating fashion and fragrance lines endorsing products both in traditional media and social media. Because of all of this, Beckham is worth an estimated $450 million, making him one of the richest athletes of all-time.

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To many, Beckham is a role model, even if he doesn’t quite view it in the same regard. “When people say, ‘You’re a role model,’ I get embarrassed,” Beckham said. “Because I just don’t think of myself in that way. But I’m proud of the fact that I’ve come so far, because I could easily have gone in the other direction. There were certain moments...when I could have gone off the rails. Those things could have affected me in a way that I might not have had the career that I had. However, I have to be a role model for my children.”