Why did David Beckham leave Manchester United?, According to Alex Ferguson, if David Beckham had stayed at Manchester United instead of joining Real Madrid in 2003, he may have been one of the club’s greatest symbols ever.
Beckham won La Liga with Real Madrid, with Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, and Raul, before moving on to play for LA Galaxy, AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain.
However, the midfielder claims he would have preferred to stay at Old Trafford and retire with the club where he grew up, because “Manchester United were [his] team.”
So why did Beckham leave Manchester United for Real Madrid? According to THE GOAL analysis, here is why David Beckham left Manchester United.
Why did David Beckham leave Manchester United?
Ferguson claimed in his 2013 autobiography that he believed Beckham’s focus on football had been hampered by business interests. He also said that the player thought he was bigger than the boss.
In spite of professing “no animosity” towards Beckham, Ferguson was unequivocal in his assessment of the player. He stated, “David was the only player I managed who actively sought fame, making it his goal to be recognised beyond the realm of football.” The renowned Scottish manager emphasised, “The moment a Manchester United player believed he surpassed the manager in importance, he had to depart… David thought he was greater than Alex Ferguson. There is no doubt in my mind.”
Indeed, Beckham later conceded that his actions had not been beneficial, recognising that his conduct contributed to strained relationships. Reflecting on this, he admitted in a 2017 BBC interview, “There were decisions I made during that time that were misguided, and I can understand why the manager grew so frustrated.”
Beckham had progressed through the Red Devils ranks as one of ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’ from the famed Class of ’92, and he had become an icon of the game, with his popularity going well beyond football.
The England star had married one of the Spice Girls, Victoria, sometimes known as ‘Posh Spice’, and his face was everywhere on TV, billboards, magazines, and so on, as commercial partners came up to have him pitch their products.
Ferguson, who had helped Beckham advance through the ranks, became increasingly concerned about the player’s career trajectory, which he claimed was being “swallowed up by the media or publicity agents.”
The pair began to irritate one another, with incidents ranging from disagreements about wearing a beanie cap during a team dinner (to disguise Beckham’s most recent haircut) to an assault involving flying footwear.
The David Beckham – Alex Ferguson boot incident
The iconic David Beckham-Alex Ferguson boot incident is the strangest aspect of Beckham’s long-running departure from Manchester United.
Ferguson has previously stated that Beckham’s work rate had decreased during the 2002–03 season, and his criticism of the midfielder’s performance in a 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Arsenal resulted in a bizarre incident.
While criticising the team’s performance, particularly Beckham’s, the United manager threw a boot at the England captain, hitting him above the eye.
“He was about 12 feet from me,” Ferguson said in his memoirs. “There was a row of boots between us on the floor,” David swore. I approached him and booted a boot. It smacked him directly above the eye.
“Of course, he rose to attack me, but the players stopped him. “Sit down,” I urged. ‘You have let your team down. “You can argue as much as you want.”
Unyielding, Beckham declined to concede, instead appearing with prominent stitches in the wound, his lengthy hair carefully arranged to present a polished image for photographers.
This image of a distressed yet resolute Beckham encapsulates the rupture in his relationship that ultimately resulted in his departure from Manchester United.
How much did Manchester United sell David Beckham to Real Madrid for?
The midfielder joined Los Blancos on a four-year contract for €6 million per year and stated his delight with the move.
In a news statement, Beckham stated, “I know that I will always regret it later in life if I had turned down the chance to play at another great club like Real Madrid.”
Interestingly, Beckham later stated that when he learned that Manchester United wanted to sell him to Barcelona against his will, it strengthened his resolve to force a move to Real Madrid.
He told BBC Radio 4: “There was never any vengeance. “I was hurt and angry because I was left out of certain games throughout the season, but I never expected it to lead to my departure.”
But I had heard that I might be sold. I was on vacation in the United States with Victoria when one of my friends called to inform me that United had reached an agreement with Barcelona, as reported by Sky Sports. I said, “That wasn’t right; I don’t know anything about it.”
“Then I flew back to London.” I attempted to contact Peter Kenyon and the manager, but he said ‘no’. I answered, “Well, I need to speak with him and figure out what is going on.” He stated, “Yes, we have reached an agreement.”
That’s when I told my agent, “If I’m going to move, I’m moving to Madrid.” Within a day, I was sitting with the president of Madrid, and we agreed that was where I would go.”
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