When David Beckham arrived on the soccer scene in the '90s, many sports fans weren't quite sure what to make of him. He had talent, for sure, earning himself the nickname Golden Balls—but his high-profile relationship with Spice Girl Victoria Beckham and the media attention their marriage received launched him from professional athlete to global superstar.
Off the pitch, Beckham leveraged his fame as an athlete into endorsement deals for brands and became a red carpet clotheshorse, with every single one of his outfits and hairstyles getting turned into a news story. He was, in many ways, arguably one of the first ever male influencers.
His life and career are the subject of a new documentary series, BECKHAM, now streaming on Netflix. And it hasn't taken long for one moment in particular to grab viewers attention and go viral: a brief interview segment in which Victoria alludes to her own working class upbringing, and David goodhumoredly interjects.
"What car did your dad drive you to school in?" he asks his wife, who famously went by the moniker Posh Spice back in her girl group days. Victoria protests briefly, before admitting that her father drove a Rolls-Royce. Seemingly satisfied, Beckham closes the door and allows the interview to continue.
But while the 48-year-old soccer legend may come from humble origins, he has certainly come a long way from his North London beginnings, playing for 11 years with Manchester United and moving to the States before retiring from the sport to focus on building a business empire and raising a dynasty.
What is David Beckham's net worth?
Beckham has an estimated fortune of $450 million, comprising his athletic career earnings, business ventures, brand endorsements, property portfolio and ongoing sporting ambassadorship.
Per the UK's Daily Mirror, Beckham earned $800 million during his time as a soccer player, due to a combination of his salary and endorsements with brands like Adidas and Gilette. His earnings made him the seventh highest-paid athlete ever at the time of his retirement in 2013.
After his retirement, Beckham started his own company, DB Ventures, which manages his endorsement deals with companies such as Tudor watches and Haig whiskey. According to CNBC, the former soccer star sold 55% of DB Ventures to retail conglomerate Authentic Brands Group in 2022 for a reported $269 million. Beckham also earns additional revenue as a co-owner of the MLS team, Inter-Miami, which joined the league in 2020 and signed its highest-profile player yet, Lionel Messi, in 2023.
