Former Manchester United midfielder David Beckham has agreed to join MLS side LA Galaxy. Beckham, who currently plays for Spanish giants Real Madrid, will join the side on the 1st of July 2007 after the expiry of his Real Madrid contract.
Beckham hadn’t signed a contract extension at Real Madrid, primarily due to the fact that he did not get enough first team opportunities under new coach Fabio Capello. He also lost his spot in the English football team after Steve McLaren took over the reigns from Sven Goran Eriksson. Madrid had signed him from Manchester United in 2003.
Now for the moolah part of it :
The deal is
1.) for five years
2.) worth $250 million ( US Dollars), approximately 128 million pounds.
3.) The contract makes him the player with the second largest contract in team sport (Practically the highest). Alex Rodriguez, holds first spot with a $ 252 million 10 year deal, signed when he was at the Rangers, but he has now moved to the Yankees.
Beckham is the first major footballer to join the MLS since its inception a decade back. Franz Beckanbauer, Johann Cryuff and Pele have also played club football in North America in the 70’s and 80’s.
The LA Galaxy are already a superpower in the MLS, and the inclusion of Beckham will give them a boost in many ways. One is of course his abilities on the field (His crossing and free kick skills are amongst the best in the world), and the second is Brand Beckham, which is arguably one of the biggest in the world. It will probably generate more interest among American kids in soccer and will hopefully go a long way towards increasing the standard of football in the largest untapped soccer market in the world.
Beckham will also play against former United youth teammate Terry Cooke, who now plays for the Colorado Rapids. His to be famous teammates at the Home Depot Center will include former Leverkusen forward Landon Donovan and the most capped USA player of all time, Cobi Jones.