The name David Beckham is known all around the world. It is both loved and hated by fans of soccer and especially by the people of England. He talks about his struggles with the teams and fans in the new documentary called “Beckham,” which came out in October of 2023 on Netflix. The series consists of four different episodes that are each about 70 minutes long.
The Kick
The first of the four episodes is called “The Kick,” named after the moment that put Beckham on the radar. This episode backtracks through his childhood and how he falls in love with soccer and his future team, Manchester United. His dad’s favorite team is Manchester, and he makes sure that it is his son’s favorite, too. The episode also tracks his beginning relationship with Victoria Adams, also known as “Posh Spice” in the popular girl group, “Spice Girls.” Beckham tells a story about the first time he saw Adams on TV. He said to his friend that he would marry her one day, even though he hadn’t even met her. It turns out that he wasn’t wrong. On top of that, Beckham’s dream comes true when he gets asked to play for England in the World Cup. Throughout the episode, Beckham’s struggles with the coaches, media, and teammates are put on the table.
Seeing Red
“Seeing Red” focuses on Beckham’s depression after the World Cup. He faces death threats and harassment just walking down the streets in England. He continues to have complications with the coaches and managers of Manchester United because they think he is spending too much time with Victoria. When the world finds out about Victoria’s pregnancy, the Beckhams immediately start to receive death threats for their child. Beckham feels like he isn’t able to go anywhere or do anything without getting spit at or called names. Victoria and Beckham are all over the news and often referred to as “Posh and Becks.” This episode pulls you into the pain that Beckham feels and the way he handles it.
Golden Balls
Now married, Beckham’s priorities have changed from soccer to family. Along with the English still being enraged at Beckham, he is also not on good terms with the Manchester United manager. After an incident in the locker room after a game, the coach benches Beckham during the next game. The relationship between the two is getting rocky and Beckham has to consider if he wants to keep playing for Manchester or switch teams. He eventually decides that he has loved the team since he was a kid, and he loves all of his teammates, so it isn’t worth switching. Then one morning, he gets surprising news from the manager. This episode focuses on his relationships with the team, players, and his family, showing how hard it can be to focus on personal relationships while being a pro athlete.
What Makes David Run
David Beckham is forced to deal with the struggles of playing for Real Madrid, his new soccer club, while Victoria struggles with the move to Spain and having to find a school for both kids. The Beckham family isn’t happy in Spain and misses living back home in England. Eventually, Beckham decides to go to the U.S. to play for LA Galaxy. Beckham struggles terribly playing for this team because he isn’t used to a lower level of soccer. He is often frustrated and angry with his teammates and coaches. However, he and Victoria love living in LA. Victoria is able to find a good school for the boys, and they love spending the summers in LA. Once Beckham has his last go around of playing professional soccer, he decides to start his own team in Miami called Inter Miami CF. This episode talks about Beckham’s final games and wraps up his time playing professional soccer.
The Beckham documentary might be one of the best things I have watched. I could watch it over and over again without ever getting bored. Every minute of every episode is interesting and has me on the edge of my seat. There are so many times where an episode leaves you wondering what happens to him but not where you want to look it up; rather, it makes you want to watch the next episode. The documentary is completely binge worthy; however, it will take about four and a half hours out of your day. Growing up in a family surrounded by basketball, I never really paid attention to soccer. Yes, it was my first sport, but I quit by third grade. This documentary made me realize that soccer is such a fun sport because the fans have so much energy, and when just one goal is made, everyone goes wild. It honestly made me wish I hadn’t quit in third grade, but instead continued to play in middle school too. I have a lot more respect for the sport and for David Beckham now.
