David Beckham: Good but not Great...

David Robert Joseph Beckham

Like many people from my generation, David Beckham was one of the first footballers I grew up idolizing. Back in 2002 when I was a spiffy ten year old, ‘Beckham Mania’ for lack of a better phrase was spreading vehemently across the world. It was hard to not be bitten by ‘Beckham Mania’ growing up and naturally, I too was smitten.

It became all the more difficult to turn my attention away from David Beckham.

He was everywhere and well on his way to superstardom.

David Beckham’s free kicks in particular mesmerised a generation. While his oft changing hairstyles appealed more to the feminine gender, to the male gender, Beckham was what made every high school kid who managed to slot a free kick past me, pretend they were the man from Leytonstone.

Beckham was a good player, I agree.

But he was never a great player.

This is not demeaning Becks in any way. Not to say he hasn’t achieved great things in his career. Not many names come to mind when I think about players who’ve won league titles in four different countries. Beckham’s done that, he's the first Englishman to win titles with Manchester United in England, with Real Madrid in Spain, with the LA Galaxy in the United States and most recently with Paris Saint-Germain in France.

In fact take another look at the clubs Beckham played for – United, Real Madrid, Milan, and PSG – you have to be exceptionally gifted to play your football career at top clubs across the globe. I for one, like many others won't ever have that honour to suit up for the best in Europe. But Beckham did that. During his off season training stints at Arsenal and Tottenham, Beckham often received praise as one of the finest professionals and greatest influencers of the game of football.

At an international level, David Beckham has been a better marketing campaign rather than a football player. But don’t get me wrong, he’s achieved success with England too – that free kick against Greece at Old Trafford in 2001, singlehandedly sending England to the World Cup 2002. But like a bunch of his England team mates during the “Golden Age of English Football” he was missing when 

he was needed the most.

What did Beckham do against Argentina at World Cup ’98, against Brazil at World Cup ’02, or against Portugal at Euro ’04 and at World Cup ’06?

Next to nothing; the English came out beaten on every one of those occasions.

What did David Beckham win with the England National Team? Nothing!

It’s true that without Beckham’s corner kicks against Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wouldn’t have written his name into United folklore. The Premier League wouldn’t have been as exciting as I remember it back in the early 2000’s had Beckham not been running up and down United’s right wing, knocking in a few very memorable goals.

"Beckham soares, Sullivan off his line..."

That goal against Wimbledon on opening day of the 1996/97 was symbolic of Beckham's legacy. He had the talent to mesmerize every ten year old. He had the stage, the biggest of them all. And if you think Beckham's goal against Wimbledon was a one off thing, he did it once again, in 2008, with the Los Angeles Galaxy against the Kansas City Wizard.

Talent.

Don't get me wrong, David Beckham will always be one of the first footballers I adored. Absolutely adored. And if you think he did nothing after leaving Real Madrid, you definitely have it wrong. Beckham did what Beckham does best: market the sport. He wasn't all flashy in most games I remember watching, even with just Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan as the stars on the team. He was extremely effective off the pitch though, and largely the reason why Thierry Henry and players like Torsten Frings and the likes came to North America. In my mind, it’s a move that even helped rescue Beckham from his state of obscurity. He was once again the star; once again the man of the moment. David Beckham, the way David Beckham likes it.                                 

David Beckham brought football to America, and like his goal against Greece in 2001: it'll never be forgotten.

Eighty five Manchester United goals in total; but his name was never in the forefront. That honour went to his teammates, in particular an enigmatic Frenchman Eric Cantona. Beckham was part of Manchester United’s famous ‘Class of 92’ that former the heart and soul of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United side. However, it’s fellow teammates Paul Scholes, who announced his second retirement this summer and the evergreen Ryan Giggs who remain truly legendary. Even in Madrid, Beckham was overshadowed by the likes of his teammates Zinedine Zidane, Raul, Luis Figo and a certain Ronaldinho, around who rivals Barcelona built their team after Beckham turned them down in 2003.

I’ll give Beckham credit once again, he did make the jump to the MLS, a move that drastically changed the fortunes of football in North America. The MLS is a thousand times better than it was half a decade or so ago.

David Beckham will be a role model for my generation for the foreseeable future, and it’s something Beckham has worked towards.

But sometimes I’ve often wondered what might have been for Beckham.

I for one, blame his wife Victoria Adams for the glitz and glamour that surrounded Beckham wherever he went. The Beckham’s realised their potential and cashed in, and you can’t really hold them at fault for that. What I do hold Beckham at fault is for letting that get in the way of his game.

Many a time, I sit back and compare Beckham to Paul Scholes and wonder what if? David Beckham accomplished a ton of things that he should be proud of. He won numerous accolades at the club and individual level. He's won football matches time and again, almost single-handedly. He had millions of adoring fans; of which I am one.

David Robert Joseph Beckham: Good! But not great!