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| PSG's Parc Des Princes: David Beckham's New Home? |
David Beckham will never be mentioned in the same breath as the Michel Platini's or Pele's of the world when it comes to his on-field play. He has never had the fantastic footwork of Ronaldinho, the amazing vision of Zinedine Zidane or the innovation of Franz Beckenbauer. Beckham is known as a dead ball expert, but so were Jay Jay Okocha and Juninho Pernambucano and the casual soccer fan has never heard of them.
Despite his shortcomings on the field compared to some of his contemporaries, David Beckham's greatest work for the sport of soccer has been as the greatest ambassador that the sport has seen since Pele. He has thrilled billions all over the world for his play on the pitch, but his effect off of it has been much more significant. Following Beckham's arrival to the North American game, the sport has seen its fan base expand substantially with the addition of more male fans, more children playing the game and the introduction of more female fans to the game. Some ardent North American soccer fans have seen the introduction of these new fans as a step back for the sport, where the game has lost a part of its soul at the expense of growth. Yet, for the longevity of the sport in North America, these new groups of fans are necessary. In this sense, David Beckham has played a major role in making soccer an inclusive sport in North America.
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| Courtesy: MLS |
Beckham's playing career in the United States has often courted controversy. Most North American soccer fans appeared annoyed with Beckham over the years as it seemed like he longed for a return to Europe and looked to leave the MLS behind, despite being locked in to a multi-year deal. The situation hit a boiling point two years ago when he was even booed by his own LA Galaxy fans.
But in the last two years, Beckham changed. He focused on Major League Soccer and the LA Galaxy. He distanced himself from links with European clubs, despite the obvious interest shown by them. A focused Beckham, a rejuvenated Landon Donovan and a hungry Robbie Keane guided the LA Galaxy to this year's MLS Cup.
In the short-term, the Beckham Experiment can be deemed a success with a MLS Cup victory for the Galaxy, but the long-term benefits of Becks' stay in the United States will be remembered for years to come. The real gain of the Beckham Experiment will be seen in the next decade, as those young North American kids that David Beckham turned toward soccer during the last 5 years will continue to develop and push the United States and Canada ahead as footballing nations.
