The British press lauded David Beckham’s United States mega deal on Friday as a shrewd financial move for a footballer whose top playing days are behind him, although some lamented that greed was behind the move.
”Posh and Bucks,” ran the same headline in top tabloids the Sun and Daily Mirror, after the ex-England captain on Thursday confirmed he had signed a five-year multimillion US dollar deal with LA Galaxy.
Many underlined that Beckham’s wife, former ”Posh” Spice Girl Victoria, will be in her element in the glitzy surroundings of star-studded Hollywood and in the year-round California sun.
”End it like Beckham,” said the broadsheet Guardian, in a play on the famous ball-bending phrase which describes some of the footballer’s most famous goals during his glittering career.
Most papers featured the deal, which will take the 31-year-old star from his current job at Real Madrid in July, on their front pages as well as in the sports section, reflecting the huge interest in the ex Manchester United star.
Few were convinced by Beckham’s dismissal of critics saying he was ”only going there to get the money”, noting he will become the second top-paid US sports star despite playing in a relatively minor sport across the Atlantic.
Many cited the figure of about $1-million per week which Beckham will reportedly earn under the deal.
Some were dismayed by Beckham’s desire to make money.
”The manner of David Beckham’s departure from top-class football is in keeping with the latter part of his career: an air of disappointment and money-grabbing hangs over the affair,” wrote a Daily Mail editorialist.
The Daily Telegraph saw both sides of the story, with one of its commentators lamenting that ”Posh is dragging Beckham Stateside in a last-ditch attempt to maintain their mega-celebrity status,” while another said: ”The Beckhams are coming: everyone’s going to make a mint.” – Sapa-AFP