To watch David Beckham playing is to watch a master craftsman at work, perhaps even an artist! As European soccer mourns, The States awaits his arrival with many wondering why.
As soccer continues to grow in America the MLS have taken steps to give it a major boost with the introduction of Beckham. Even arm chair sports fans who do not follow soccer are taking an interest and wondering what makes him special.
It was the Manchester United fans who first fell in love with him. Followed by England and Real Madrid soccer fans and to understand the Beckham phenomena you have to understand why they adored him so much. It wasn't his ball skills, his hair style, his choice of bride etc.
The reason his fans love him and even supporters of rival teams admire him so much is because the guy just never gives up. His team can be 2 goals down with a few minutes left on the clock but Beckham will be running and chasing to win the ball. It is this will to win and belief in himself that will win over America's arm chair sports fans. He plays with his heart on his sleeve and always has done.
He is of course the worlds greatest crosser of a soccer ball which helps win the fans over and his free kicks still rank him along side the worlds best dead ball specialists. But even these skills are acredited to his never give in spirit and his will to succeed. David was never a great natural player, someone born with a gift like a George Best or a Maradona. His skills were learnt as a necessity because as a young player trying to break into the first team at the great Manchester United the young David Beckham had a problem - He could not get past a defender!
It became clear to Beckham that if he were to make the grade and catch the eye of the coach, Sir Alex Ferguson, he had to do something. He started staying behind after official practice had ended and would spend hours practising his crosses until he could play them with pinpoint accuracy. He also learnt the art of making the ball bend in the air and he practised this skill until their was none better in the world. Now he didn't have to beat the defenders, now he would face the defense but instead of trying to run past them with the ball he would kick it around them and send it into the danger area landing it on the head or at the foot of a team mate.
Learning to bend the ball so much meant he quickly established himself as Manchester Uniteds free kick specialist and later England's. Both his peers and fans around the world regard David Beckham one of the greatest free kick takers their is.
As David Beckham sets off on a new adventure both the L.A. Galaxy and arm chair fans will soon come to understand why we loved him so much and why we miss him already.
As soccer continues to grow in America the MLS have taken steps to give it a major boost with the introduction of Beckham. Even arm chair sports fans who do not follow soccer are taking an interest and wondering what makes him special.
It was the Manchester United fans who first fell in love with him. Followed by England and Real Madrid soccer fans and to understand the Beckham phenomena you have to understand why they adored him so much. It wasn't his ball skills, his hair style, his choice of bride etc.
The reason his fans love him and even supporters of rival teams admire him so much is because the guy just never gives up. His team can be 2 goals down with a few minutes left on the clock but Beckham will be running and chasing to win the ball. It is this will to win and belief in himself that will win over America's arm chair sports fans. He plays with his heart on his sleeve and always has done.
He is of course the worlds greatest crosser of a soccer ball which helps win the fans over and his free kicks still rank him along side the worlds best dead ball specialists. But even these skills are acredited to his never give in spirit and his will to succeed. David was never a great natural player, someone born with a gift like a George Best or a Maradona. His skills were learnt as a necessity because as a young player trying to break into the first team at the great Manchester United the young David Beckham had a problem - He could not get past a defender!
It became clear to Beckham that if he were to make the grade and catch the eye of the coach, Sir Alex Ferguson, he had to do something. He started staying behind after official practice had ended and would spend hours practising his crosses until he could play them with pinpoint accuracy. He also learnt the art of making the ball bend in the air and he practised this skill until their was none better in the world. Now he didn't have to beat the defenders, now he would face the defense but instead of trying to run past them with the ball he would kick it around them and send it into the danger area landing it on the head or at the foot of a team mate.
Learning to bend the ball so much meant he quickly established himself as Manchester Uniteds free kick specialist and later England's. Both his peers and fans around the world regard David Beckham one of the greatest free kick takers their is.
As David Beckham sets off on a new adventure both the L.A. Galaxy and arm chair fans will soon come to understand why we loved him so much and why we miss him already.
