Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated has written what has to be the de facto David Beckham Coming to America story. A few of the particulars are already familiar to us: his Galaxy contract guarantees up to $250 million over five years; he and wife Victoria have bought a $22 million mansion in the Hollywood Hills near best friends Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes; Victoria will be airing a reality television program next week, and he will most likely make his debut against Chelsea on July 21. Oh yeah, and the task before him is enormous.
“He’s only one man,” as Wahl says repeatedly, “and the task before him seems as formidable as converting Americans to the metric system.” It certainly does, which is why Becks will need some help — Hollywood help — in making U.S. soccer’s dreams come true. Step forward entertainment mogul Simon Fuller, Beckham’s manager:
“There seems to be a real foundation now for soccer [in the U.S.],” Fuller tells Wahl. “David is the most iconic of all footballers, and he’s achieved pretty much everything you can achieve in Europe, apart from maybe winning a big tournament with England. He’s still in his early 30s, still playing remarkably well, and you have to start thinking, What’s the next adventure? The States is the last frontier in terms of soccer.” And perhaps all it needs is a little Posh and Becks.