DAVID BECKHAM
DAVID BECKHAM EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW It’s a long way from Leytonstone, mate. David Beckham arrived in Spain in the summer of 2003. Joining Real Madrid, the self-proclaimed ‘best team in the world’ he arrived with great expectations. Playing alongside galácticos like Ronaldo, Zidane, Figo and Raul he was hoping to learn a useful language, get a bit of a suntan and add extensively to his trophy collection. Two years on, he learnt to tell journalists “to go **** yourselves” in purest Castellano and was hinting at leaving the country because the paparazzi wouldn’t leave his family alone: ‘’They’re crossing the line.’’ The more jaded hacks pointed to the fact that he had won nothing of note since he had arrived at Madrid. The team of
Beckham in Valencia Article © 2020 24/7 Valencia
ageing stars no longer shined anymore and a major overhaul of players was being offered as a solution. What better time to leave an ailing giant before he gets asked to by the president? The ‘24/7 Valencia’ interview with Beckham took place after the Valencia v Real Madrid match in March 2005. During the match, the less charitable sections of the crowd chanted all sorts of insults about Becks and his partner. Despite the abuse, he got on with his job. Like the rest of the Real Madrid team, he looked tired and they were lucky to get a draw against a re-energised Valencia team. Suffice to say, Beckham was substituted in the 77th minute for midfielder Albert Celades!
Post-match, the ‘24/7 Valencia’ reporter found Beckham to be very amenable and happy to spend some time with the English Speaking journalists from the Daily Mail, Guardian, The Sun and 24/7 Valencia. For somebody so much in the spotlight, he was refreshingly downto-earth and normal in his demeanour. Spending a quarter of an hour with him face-to-face, you sensed that he was quietly taking his universal fame in his stride. Regarding the Premier League, Becks chatted about the ‘’incredible Van Nistelrooy being back at Man Utd was a massive boost for the team”. Regarding the Liga and his toll of yellow cards, there was the obligatory: ‘’Obviously, I’m going to be disappointed to be missing the Getafe game”. Yeah, right.
Beckham at Mestalla
