Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about
DAVID BECKHAM
1. When Beckham was 11 years old, he won the acclaimed Bobby Charlton Soccer Schools National Skills competition – which led to a trip to Barcelona, where he drew the attention of a Manchester United soccer talent scout.
2. Following the end of a season-long loan at Preston North End, he returned to Man Utd and came up in the side as an attacking midfielder. The next season, he helped the Red Devils to the Premier League and FA Cup double as Six Alex Ferguson's faith in him ultimately reaped the rewards.
3. During his earlier days of fame, Beckham – who is from London's East End – was known for his "common" sounding voice that was of a slightly higher pitch. He took voice coaching lessons to improve his accent, taking elocution classes that deepened his voice and allowed him to talk more eloquently (for instance, he now pronounces the "H" at the beginning of words that start with that letter).
4. The midfielder met future wife Victoria Beckham, "Posh" Spice of the Spice Girls, in the United players' lounge after a charity football match in 1997.
5. At the time, Victoria was already famous as a member of the girl band. But Beckham still had yet to achieve worldwide fame as a footballer for Manchester United.
6. As a skilled midfielder, Beckham gathered acclaim for his ability to "bend" his free kicks, curving the ball around or over defenders in order to score. The 2002 movie Bend it like Beckham, starring Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley as young female footballers trying to achieve success in the male-dominated sport, is a tribute to him.
7. Beckham’s 1998 World Cup was a turning point in his career. During an infamous match against Argentina, he was given a red card for kicking Diego Simeone when the score was tied 2-2. Argentina went on to win the game on penalties, booting England out in just the second round. Upon his return home, he was met with harsh criticism from both the media and the public.
8. The criticism affected Beckham. He publicly apologised, saying: “I will always regret my actions. I want every fan to know how deeply sorry I am.”
9. Despite the disappointment with England, he was a pivotal part of the successful Man Utd side of the mid-to-late 1990s that dominated English football. In 1999 he helped the team win the treble. He became one of the world’s most celebrated midfielders during his eight-year spell at Old Trafford, scoring goals in 262 games and winning six Premier League titles.
10. Victoria's nickname for her husband is "Golden Balls". We can only hazard a guess as to why.
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