David Beckham documentary: the highs and lows of his career World Cup red to Champions League glory

It has now been 10 years since David Beckham last graced the football field but he still remains one of the most recognizable celebrities in the world while co-owning both Inter Miami and Salford City.

Beckham enjoyed a whirlwind 21-year career in the sport which saw him lift silverware in England, Spain, USA and France.

He was one of his nation’s most important players during this period and represented the Three Lions on 115 occasions, whilst also serving as captain for six years.

The highs and lows of David Beckham’s career will be explored in a brand new four part Netflix series which is due to be released in October.

The series will feature insight from those closest to him including his wife Victoria Beckham, family members such as his son Romeo and the manager who gave him his first break in football Sir Alex Ferguson.

Beckham’s documentary will delve into the challenges that a professional footballer can face in terms of mental health, whilst also focusing on some of the hurdles that he overcame to make it to the elite level.

With that in mind we have taken a look back at some of the most important moments of David Beckham’s career in football.

The 1992 FA Youth Cup final

David Beckham rose to prominence in 1992 and he graduated from a talented Manchester United academy which featured future stars such as Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt.

The quintet all went on to have successful careers for Manchester United alongside Beckham, and they all caught the attention of manager Alex Ferguson after their contributions in the 1992 FA Youth Cup.

Beckham would score one of the goals in the final during a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace and he was handed his first team debut just months later during a cup-tie with Brighton.

Shortly after in January 1993, he signed his first professional contract with the club and the graduates from the Class of 92 would go on to have an illustrious period of success at Old Trafford.

The chip against Wimbledon in 1996

David Beckham was slowly introduced to the Manchester United first team after a brief loan spell at Preston North End which saw him score his first career goal directly from a corner against Doncaster Rovers.

Beckham’s breakthrough campaign for the Red Devils was the 1995/96 campaign as Ferguson’s men came back from a 12pt deficit to snatch the title from Newcastle United.

However, that was just the start of things to come at Old Trafford and the moment where Beckham really rose to stardom was the opening day of the 1996/97 season when he scored a chipped goal from inside his own half against Wimbledon goalkeeper Neil Sullivan.

The stunning 57 yard strike was nominated for the Goal of the Season award and remains one of the Premier League’s most iconic strikes.

That same year Beckham would win the PFA Young Player of the Year and Man Utd lifted yet another Premier League title.

The sending off in the 1998 World Cup

David Beckham’s career had grown from strength to strength and by 1998 the midfielder was a regular starter for England at international level.

Beckham was a celebrity off the field at this point and by 1997 he had started his relationship with Spice Girls band member Victoria Adams, who is now Beckham’s wife.

The Man Utd man was called up to England’s 1998 World Cup squad by manager Glen Hoddle and the team were tipped to go all the way after their semi-final loss in Euro 96.

However, Beckham was handed a blow early when he was dropped for his side’s opening two games. Hoddle accused Beckham of not being focused on football and being too focused on his celebrity status.

Beckham returned in matchday three and scored a free kick against Colombia, but his tournament took a turn for the worse when he was sent off for stamping on Diego Simeone’s during England’s round of 16 defeat to Argentina.

The midfielder was blamed by the press for his nation’s exit and criticised by many sections of England’s fan base who even sent the player death threats.

In the documentary Beckham claimed the experience took a huge toll on him which affected his mental health.

Winning the treble in 1999

David Beckham was heavily criticised by the press in the summer leading to the 1998/99 season, but it would prove to be his best season yet in terms of silverware.

Beckham was a near ever present for Man Utd throughout the campaign as the Red Devils lifted the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

The midfielder provided two assists in the iconic 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich and he was subsequently nominated for the World Player of the Year award.

Earning the England captaincy

David Beckham’s England status was in tatters after the 1998 World Cup but he bounced back to establish himself as a fan favourite in years to come and achieved over a century of international caps.

Beckham’s road to recovery began shortly after Euro 2000 when he was awarded the captaincy by Sven Goran Eriksson and he ultimately scored the decisive goal against Greece which secured England’s status at the 2002 World Cup.

The midfielder remained England captain for the following until 2006 and the Three Lions exited the next three tournaments at the quarter-final phase.

Beckham’s clash with Alex Ferguson

David Beckham had been a member of the Man Utd team for over a decade but the early 2000s saw a breakdown in his relationship with manager Alex Ferguson.

Rumours of unrest were amplified in 2003 after an FA Cup defeat to Arsenal when Ferguson famously kicked a boot that struck Beckham in the eye, causing a cut that needed stitches.

Beckham’s career at Man Utd ended shortly after the incident and he completed a blockbuster move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2003.

Beckham’s move to LA Galaxy

David Beckham enjoyed a four year stay at the Bernabeu where he played alongside icons such as Zinedine Zidane, Raul, Ronaldo and Luis Figo.

But that came to an end in the summer of 2007 when he completed a shock move to the MLS to join LA Galaxy.

Beckham’s move to the USA sent shockwaves around world football but he helped the sport grow to new heights in the country during his time at the club.

The footballer has since settled in America after his retirement and he began his mission to form an MLS expansion team in 2014.

Six years after his retirement he formed Inter Miami and the club now has some of the biggest stars from the last decade in their ranks including Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.