Sir Alex Ferguson managed some of soccer’s biggest stars during his legendary career at Manchester United, but no player was more popular than David Beckham.
The English midfielder, whose celebrity status made him just as famous as his exquisite performances on the field did, lost focus when he tied the knot in 1999, according to his former manager.
“He was a fantastic trainer, practiced all the time,” Ferguson recently told PBS, as reported by FOX Sports. “At nighttime he would come by with the schoolboys and practice with them. And he was in that collection. And then of course, his life changed, when he married the girl from The Spice Girls, yeah. And his focus changed.
“He got drawn into the — that celebrity status, you know? And for me, I’m a football man. I’m a football man. He lost the focus. And when we sold him to Real Madrid, he did well.”
Being in the spotlight and all over the British tabloids didn’t seem to impact United’s ability to win silverware. The club won three Premier League titles after Beckham married Victoria Adams (aka “Posh Spice” from the Spice Girls), and he played an important role on each of those title-winning teams.
One of the most impressive parts of Beckham’s career was that he brilliantly managed intense media coverage and made sure his performance for United remained at an elite level. He may have lost focus at times, but he was one of the most reliable players of his era.
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