Five things we learned from Beckham documentary

The ex-captain of England played in 115 games for his national team and participated in 394 matches for Manchester United.

The recently released documentary on Netflix featuring David Beckham has allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of the existence of a highly revered English soccer star.

Beckham's production company Studio 99 has released a documentary called "Beckham" in which Becks talks about his journey from playing for the Waltham Forest under-12s to becoming a famous person. The film features interviews with his family, former teammates, and Sir Alex Ferguson.

Here are some key points to remember.

Ferguson Struggles To Ground Beckham's Feet

In 1991, Beckham became a trainee at Manchester United. The following year, he started playing for the first team and in 1993, he signed his first professional contract.

He made his mark on the football scene in 1996 with a goal from the center field against Wimbledon.

After achieving fame, the manager Ferguson began to worry about the celebrity lifestyle and connection with Victoria Adams who was a singer in the Spice Girls.

Ferguson stated that becoming famous and gaining attention was not what he had in mind. Managing to keep David grounded proved to be a more challenging task.

Beckham remembered that Ferguson was extremely angry with him because he decided to work with a different agent instead of the one that Ferguson had recommended.

"He simply wished for me to excel as a football player and to tie the knot with a girl from our town who wasn't a famous personality," he expressed.

Beckham was a member of the famous 'Class of 92', who achieved a remarkable feat in winning the treble in 1999. He also had an impressive six Premier League titles to his name.

He credits this to the close-knit atmosphere at Old Trafford and frequently refers to Ferguson as a paternal influence throughout the documentary.

He expressed that the manner in which he was treated by the person since he was a child was exceptional.

From the time I was just 12 years old, he held a crucial role in my life. Our connection felt like that of a family, and it was this close bond that propelled us to achieve our shared successes.

"Beckham Regrets World Cup Red Card"

Beckham mentioned that he still feels regretful about his red card incident during the match versus Argentina in the 1998 World Cup and can't stop blaming himself.

The match ended unfavorably for England as they were defeated in the penalty shootout, resulting in Beckham being harshly criticized and demonized by the public.

He expressed his desire for the existence of a pill which could eliminate specific memories. He mentioned having committed an error which negatively impacted his life.

"I was despised by the entire nation. No matter where I traveled, I received insults on a daily basis. My emotional state was severely distraught."

During the time of the harsh mistreatment, Glenn Hoddle (the manager of the England football team) stated in an interview after the match that the reason for the loss was due to Beckham's red card. This statement did not sit well with Victoria, who happened to be pregnant during that time and felt that Hoddle was to blame for his words.

During the time period in question, she reveals in the documentary that Beckham was suffering from clinical depression and was completely shattered.

Gary Neville, a fellow Manchester United teammate, expressed that the circumstances faced by the player were extremely brutal and difficult. He stated that a majority of footballers would have crumbled under such hardship.

Kit Man Alleges Beckham's Stitches Were Planned

The documentary also covers the well-known altercation that occurred in the dressing room back in 2003, where Ferguson launched a boot towards the midfielder.

The manager of United was very angry when they lost the FA Cup game against Arsenal. Beckham observed that when you observe the manager's expression, you don't want to be close to him.

The midfielder and Ferguson got into a heated argument where the midfielder responded by cursing at him.

According to the equipment manager Albert Morgan, Ferguson was in a fit of anger and kicked some clothing, causing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's boot to fly through the air and accidentally strike Beckham.

Ferguson remarked that it was a completely unusual and unexpected occurrence.

Beckham was captured in a photo with a bandage over his eye after the incident, however, Ferguson claimed that it was only a minor injury and did not require any stitches.

Morgan stated that he did not wish to discuss the matter any further. However, he did suggest that it was prearranged since it lacked significance.

After there were rumors indicating that he might switch to Barcelona, Beckham finalized an agreement with Real Madrid for £24.5 million in July of 2003.

At this point, Beckham's connection with Ferguson had become negative. The topic of his transfer was never discussed between them, but Beckham views this as a positive outcome as it would have been devastating for him.

Not long after he came to the Bernabeu, Carlos Queiroz - who used to work as an assistant coach for Manchester United - was made lead coach.

Beckham stated that he never got along with him.

I felt surprised that I was commencing at a fresh club under the supervision of a coach who didn't favor me when I was playing for my previous team. The strain and demands were dissimilar from what I had experienced before.

Outside of the soccer field, the media coverage regarding an alleged scandalous affair had an impact on the family. The pair consistently refuted assertions that Beckham engaged in an affair during his time in Spain.

Even though the couple chooses not to disclose the specifics of the events covered in the documentary, Beckham shares that it was challenging to handle the increased scrutiny. The paparazzi constantly trailed their kids to school, and Victoria expresses her frustration with her husband for the overwhelming amount of media attention they received.

He stated that it was their initial experience of being placed in such a demanding situation during their marital union with Victoria.

Football Was His Passion

Beckham ended his career earlier than he expected.

In January 2013, he became a part of Paris St-Germain, a French Ligue 1 team. However, this move appeared to be overwhelming for Beckham, who was 38 years old at the time. He felt drained after games and even uttered the words "like I had been beaten up."

"I was experiencing discomfort," he explained. "I felt a lot of pain. Getting out of bed in the morning was a challenge due to the amount of suffering I was going through."

Beckham revealed that he would no longer continue playing professionally after four months. He stated that during his final game, he felt overwhelming emotions and struggled to maintain composure.

He smiled and declared his unconditional love for the game, saying, "I loved it so much, more than anyone ever could have possibly loved it." Though he acknowledges this might not be entirely true, he firmly believes that he adored the game more than most.