David Beckham the player

He seems to only be remembered as a set piece taker and a threat from free kicks, which I think does him a disservice and vastly underrates him. He was a whole lot more than that. A goal threat from anywhere, and excellent passing range.

One of the hardest working players on the pitch usually. Tough as nails too. The shit that got piled on him after France 98 from the gutterpress was insane, plus the death threats and the hanging effigy from the knuckledraggers. He just brushed it all off and had the best season of his career. Unbelievable resilience.
 
He was a unique footballer. Brilliant at crosses, set pieces and long passes. Really underrated.
 
Jordi Cruyff 99 said:
I can't stand Beckham as a person but he was a great player. He did the technical things exceptionally well to a degree that is seldom seen in 2023. A star player in any team.
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Beckham comes across as a genuinely decent bloke and really likeable. But to each their own
 
He is 99 at crossing, 96 at setpiece and long pass, and 82 at work rate.
 
RC89 said:
Love how gracious he's always been about United and Fergie. You'd expect a little bit of bitterness towards Fergie maybe but he never said a single word or even hinted at any frustration with SAF. A classy person.
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And on a personal level, has kept quiet when papers and (especially dumpster) magazines have been telling us for 24 years that his marriage is over!
 
I've met him twice, both times he was thoroughly decent.

First time I was a young lad shopping in the Trafford Center with my mum, we saw him come in HMV and he took the time to talk to us. My mum was officially swooning. He was thoroughly pleasant.

Second time he was sitting his car near King Street, in central Manchester. A few people were getting autographs. I was a teenager with a group of friends and he took the time to talk to us about United and what he was up to (taking his friend to a jewellers)

Absolutely smashing player who had an illustrious career with club(s) and country. Great captain and a proper, proper passer of the ball.
 
Should have won the Balon D'or in 99. Especially considering some of the years Messi won it over Ronaldo it was because Messi won trophies whilst Ronaldo scored goals. If they were consistent Becks would have won because he won trophies while Rivaldo scored goals.
 
Iconic gait that resulted in Winning Eleven creating unique animations just for him as their cover star.

Still the best crosser I've ever seen and up there amongst the best for cross field passes. Brilliant work rate and desire to win, too. Scholes and Beckham would have been perfect for a transition team (winks at Ten Hag).
 
He was so so good. He was a master of his art that we had him so long we took it for granted. He made delivering a ball look so easy that we only realised how difficult it was to do when we lost him and had no one ever able to do what he did again.

Closest I’ve seen to deliver a ball like Beckham is Trent or KDB but even they aren’t as good or consistent as Beckham was.
 
Love him. I have said it many times, in the period when Cantona left and until Ruud arrived, Beckham was our 2nd best player (after Keane). Scholes as good as he was stepped up a level around 2006, but when Beckham was at the club he was even better than Scholes.
 
united_99 said:
Love him. I have said it many times, in the period when Cantona left and until Ruud arrived, Beckham was our 2nd best player (after Keane). Scholes as good as he was stepped up a level around 2006, but when Beckham was at the club he was even better than Scholes.
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Kind of agree.

Beckham post Treble to 2002 (aside from that little wobble around Spring 2000) was our best player. I would even argue that for a large period he was more influential than Keane.

I think Ruud's slow decline after 2003 can probably be explained by his departure.
 
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