David Beckham

The Last Word on David Beckham

There is only one David Beckham -- and it's not always the one you read about in the newspapers and magazines or see in the movies. From humble East End London beginnings, the boy with prodigious soccer skills grew up to be one of the most gifted athletes of his generation as well as a sex symbol and fashion icon. Along the way he married Spice Girl Victoria "Posh" Adams, and together they inhabit a celebrity whirlwind of Diana-esque proportions. In Both Feet on the Ground, David talks candidly about the perils of fame (his wife and son were the targets of a notorious kidnapping plot and he is the subject of almost daily tabloid rumors); the struggle to balance his roles as a devoted husband and besotted father with his globetrotting existence as an international soccer star; the behind-the-scenes stories of his most memorable and heartbreaking (if only he could retake that infamous penalty kick against Portugal in Euro 2004) career moments; the controversy surrounding his first year at Real Madrid after his $41 million transfer from Manchester United, the storied English team he joined as a teenager and led for more than a decade; and, finally, his love of America, where he plans to start a soccer school and perhaps, one day, even play professionally.

Both Feet on the Ground is David Beckham's own extraordinary story, told by the man who knows him best -- David Beckham.

Have you dreamed about scoring from the halfway line, bending a free kick past a wall of defenders, assisting in the perfect goal, or leading your team to the biggest soccer tournament in the world?

David Beckham has fulfilled his ambition to give something back to soccer and to his fans across the globe. Thanks to The David Beckham Academy, aspiring young soccer players now have the opportunity to realize their dreams.

This unique book features Beckham sharing his knowledge of the game, his skills developed from playing for the best clubs in the world, his experiences as England's captain, and his life in Madrid—all captured as never before.

Among athletes, British soccer star David Beckham is second only to Tiger Woods in terms of fame and fortune. So why did he leave Europe, where soccer is a religion, to join a team in the U.S., where soccer is still struggling to secure spectators? Beckham says he likes a challenge and thinks he'll be able to bring the sport into the big league. Anderson Cooper reports. Note that some game footage from the aired piece has been replaced by still photographs.