A new documentary delves into the life of David Beckham – half of one of the world’s most photographed and iconic couples.
The new Netflix four-part series, titled Beckham, follows the former midfielder’s rise to football stardom through interviews with his wife Victoria, and other famous faces.
It has already been making the headlines – with Victoria breaking her silence on David’s alleged affair.
Here are more details on that revelation and other insights into their lives from the series.
The infamous boot incident
Beckham, now 48, came through the ranks at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson and went on to become a global superstar.
But the winger and his manager had a number of well-documented stormy moments – and Beckham was eventually sold to Real Madrid.
Sir Alex infamously kicked a boot into Beckham’s face during one row.
Beckham reveals in the documentary his former boss kicked a boot at him after he told him to “f*** off”.
It also emerges the boot belonged to former teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who went on to manage United himself.
The boot incident happened after United lost an FA Cup fifth-round tie 2-0 to rivals Arsenal – ending their hopes of a domestic double, or treble.
According to the Daily Mail, Beckham says of the incident: “We walked in the changing room and the boss is fuming. I can see it by his face.
“And when you see the boss’s face like this, you don’t want to be anywhere near him. It is a face that no one can do, trust me.
“[He was effing and blinding] and I went back at the boss and said ‘no’ and then I swore. I said the f-word.
“And then I saw him change, and I was like, ‘s***, I really shouldn’t have said that’. I think I said the f-word too many times.”
Beckham required stitches after the infamous boot incident
The midfielder was later seen sporting the injury during training.
Sir Alex tells the documentary makers: “I kicked the boot at his head. I mean, honestly, it was an absolute freak.”
When he is asked about the photos, he replies: “Yeah I’m not going to talk about that. The only thing I will say is that I think that was stage-managed. It wasn’t even worth a stitch.”
Ferguson: David’s relationship with Victoria ‘changed’ him
The pair also clashed over his relationship with Victoria – and David’s rising celebrity status – with the couple being dubbed “Posh and Becks” because of Victoria’s nickname in the girl band the Spice Girls.
According to The Sun, David says: “I knew my career was going to come to an end at some point and I wanted a career after football – that ate away at the manager.
“He just wanted me to be the best footballer that I could be and be married to a local girl that wasn’t a superstar.”
According to the Daily Mirror, he concedes his “life had become something different”, and later adds: “It definitely didn’t change me.”
But when Sir Alex is asked about it, the straight-talking Scot tells the documentary: “Well, he changed. There’s no doubt about that.”
Victoria and David Beckham pictured in Monaco in August 1999. Pic: AP
Beckham also reveals his heartbreak after having to leave Manchester United for Real Madrid the following season.
According to the Mail, he says in the documentary he asked to speak to Sir Alex, but was told: “He doesn’t want to talk to you.”
Beckham says: “I said, ‘I need to speak to the boss, I need to know this is really what he wants’, and I pleaded to not go. I couldn’t get in contact with the boss.
“Did I ever want to leave Man United? No, never.
‘It was my home. My relationship with the boss was always special. We had our moments, but I still loved him.”
Sir Alex says their relationship “was at a stalemate”.
“There was not going to be any point in me saying to David, ‘I’m selling you’,” he added.
“The decision was made, it was better he went.
“He didn’t need to go. He could have stayed if he wanted. I think he knew it was the right time.”
Read more:
World Cup red card left David ‘clinically depressed’ – Victoria
Beckham defends Qatar role despite LGBTQ+ rights criticism
Impact of David’s alleged affair with Rebecca Loos
In another revelation, Victoria finally breaks her silence about the “hardest period” of her marriage – the time David was accused of having an affair with his former personal assistant Rebecca Loos.
She says she was “the most unhappy I have ever been” during the aftermath of the alleged infidelity which is said to have happened in 2003 while he was playing for Real Madrid.
The couple have always denied the claims.
According to The Sun, in extracts of the documentary shared with the paper, Victoria tells of how the allegations impacted their relationship.
“It was the hardest period because it felt like the world was against us,” she says.
“Here’s the thing – we were against each other if I’m being completely honest.
“You know, up until Madrid sometimes it felt like us against everybody else but we were together, we were connected, we had each other.
“But when we were in Spain, it didn’t really feel like we had each other either.
“And that’s sad. I can’t even begin to tell you how hard it was and how it affected me. It was a nightmare.
“It was an absolute circus – and everyone loves it when the circus comes to town, right? Unless you’re in it.”
David Beckham’s former personal assistant Rebecca Loos
When the 49-year-old is asked if she “resented” her husband, she replies: “If I’m being totally honest, yes I did. It was the most unhappy I have ever been in my entire life.”
The woman the former England captain and Manchester United star was accused of having an affair with is not named in the documentary, according to the newspaper.
David also addresses the allegations, saying: “There was some horrible stories which were difficult to deal with.
“It was the first time that me and Victoria had been put under that kind of pressure in our marriage.”
How Posh told Becks she was pregnant before World Cup match
The couple had their first child Brooklyn in March 1999 – and they are also parents to Romeo, Cruz and Harper.
(L-R) Mia Regan, Romeo Beckham, Cruz Beckham, Harper Beckham, David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz Beckham
In the documentary, Victoria reveals she dropped the news of her first pregnancy to David the night before his England side played Argentina at the 1998 World Cup – during which her husband was famously shown a red card.
Beckham was sent off during the match with Argentina, after kicking Diego Simeone – a game that England went on to lose in a penalty shoot-out.
Victoria made the call to David while she was in Brooklyn, New York.
According to the Mirror, she says: “I told David the night before the game.
“He was so, so happy, we both were and there was never any doubt in my mind that I should tell him.
“I mean, it was what we wanted and he could not have been happier.”
She is asked: “So you tell him right before the biggest game of his life – did you think it would help him?”
Victoria replies: “I don’t really know.”
David then says: “Before the Argentina game, she phoned me and said I’ve just taken a test and I’m pregnant. So I found out then.
“The first thing I wanted to do (was get out of there and be with Victoria) but I couldn’t, we were in a major tournament.”
Victoria Beckham and son Brooklyn in 2004
1998 World Cup red card left David ‘clinically depressed’
Victoria also reveals David was left “clinically depressed” after his red card at the 1998 World Cup.
The couple talk about the abuse they had levelled at them in the late 1990s as a result of the sending-off.
After the game, an effigy of Beckham hung in a pub, and during the following season, Manchester United’s team bus was pelted with rocks and pint glasses at an away game at West Ham.
Victoria says: “He was absolutely broken. He was in pieces.
“He was really depressed, absolutely clinically depressed.
“It pained me so much… I still want to kill these people.”
Sir Alex Ferguson (R) congratulates Beckham (C) and Roy Keane after winning the Premiership title at Old Trafford in May 1999
David adds: “I don’t think I have ever talked about it, just because I can’t. I find it hard to talk through what I went through because it was so extreme.
“Wherever I went, I got abused every single day.
“To walk down the street and to see people look at you in a certain way, spit at you, abuse you, come up to your face and say some of the things they said, that is difficult.
“I wasn’t eating, I wasn’t sleeping. I was a mess. I didn’t know what to do.
“The boss (Alex Ferguson) called me. He said ‘David, how are you doing?’ I think I got quite emotional. He said ‘how are you doing, son?’. I said ‘not great boss’. He said ‘OK, don’t worry about it, son’.
“That was the only thing I could control, once I was on the pitch, then I felt safe.”
