Who is the most annoying soccer player alive? It is not Diego Maradona. His “hand of god” goal might be irritating for some, but his individual honors had proven that he was a capable player. Romario could often be a jerk, but it cannot be too bothersome as we do not hear so often from him. The prestigious title would rather go to David Beckham. He is the man who inspired the movie “Bend It Like Beckham” starred by gorgeous Keira Knightley; the man whom you see on different kinds of advertisements featuring sexy celebs like Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce; the one who seems to pose for magazines and newspapers more than playing on the field. You would hear about him everyday on TV, gossip magazines to daily newspapers. I am not really exaggerating when I say he is the man who follows you no matter where you are.
Absolutely not an arch enemy of mine, I simply have enough of seeing him everywhere I turn. I completely know that it is not his fault, as he just earns money for his living. I just cannot understand people’s response towards him. He only needs to make sensational news, which matters not whether it was good or bad, to win people’s heart. His bad temper is well-known, only to make him loved more. In FIFA World Cup 1998, he kicked out at Argentinean midfielder, Diego Simeone for retaliation after Simeone tackled him from behind. He was then sent off, which caused England had to play with ten people and beaten in a penalty shoot-out. People did criticize him, but he survived it. The gift then came from the national coach Sven Goran Eriksson who handed him the captain’s armband in 2001.
Well, he had an impressive track record back then; but surely no more impressive than Zinedine Zidane who was chosen as the FIFA World’s Best Footballer of the year twice, for example. Of course, David Beckham cannot be compared to the world’s most boring player for he has the money, the women, and the fame. The truth is that no other soccer player who could compete with Beckham’s popularity nowadays.
Things have been turned upside down for Beckham and his wife, former Posh Spice Victoria Beckham. Back in 1997, he was just a fledging soccer player at Manchester United while Vic was a member of the most famous group in the world, Spice Girls. Now he’s untouchable. Is it the reason of all his love affairs? The tabloids started to spread the news by putting the blame on those whom they called as temptresses; and even Victoria, the pretty housewife who effortlessly has the whole fortune of money, media attention, and a perfect family, revealing that it was entirely her fault that the affair had ever happened. Apparently the public had the same opinion, and left David to remain not guilty. What is up with him? He’s a good father, as people keep saying. Yes, agreed; a good and smart father who spends his time in front of mirror more than his wife does, and know how to kill his time with other women when his wife was not around. Victoria perhaps deserves some hatred for her fake breasts, bad voice (she was/is a singer, remember?), and greediness, but that does not mean Beckham is the innocent victim. There cannot be smoke without fire.
That was about his personal life. Yet, on the field David is not less annoying than outside. While Liverpool won the UEFA champions league this year after struggling for nine months “only” to receive GBP 50 millions, Real Madrid would get GBP 15 millions during their 14 days tour to the USA, China and Japan starting from July 14. There is only one condition: David must come! It is mentioned on the contract that he must be played during the matches in Los Angeles, Seattle, Beijing and two more matches in Tokyo. “Because Beckham is the biggest selling point in Real Madrid right now,” said an internal source to The Sun.
On June 1, when the England team had a friendly match against Colombia in Giants Stadium, New Jersey, USA, he received a long applause from the viewers, although Michael Owen was the one who scored hat-trick. David was simply famous because the USA has been flooded with advertisements using him as the model. Have soccer fans turned blind? Despite all the title he won in the past, he has not yet had any impressive performance since the UEFA Super Cup 2003 went to Real Madrid. Rumor said that Real Madrid bought him from Manchester United only because of commercial reason. Right or wrong, that is for you to decide. As for me, I’m still wondering which one is prettier between David and Victoria. Would they look different without make-up?
This has been originally posted here on june 13, 2005
