19 Reasons David Beckham is football’s favourite son

David Beckham in his Manchester United days celebrates scoring during the UEFA Champions League quarter final, second leg match between Manchester United and Real Madrid

David Beckham OBE is a 39 year old retired footballer from Leytonstone. He also happens to be the biggest megastar to have ever kicked a ball, few people on this planet will not have heard of Mr Beckham and his trademark free-kicks. During a career which included 6 Premier League titles, 2 FA Cups, 4 Community Shields, 1 La Liga trophy, a Ligue 1 title, 2 MLS cups and of course a Champions League medal, Beckham has installed himself as a model professional on and off the pitch. Given it’s David’s birthday today, we thought we’d look at some of the moments which precipitated his global fame and adoration.

1. This picture of him signing a pre-contract with Fergie aged 14

2. This is how his PSG teammates celebrated his final appearance. He’d only been there for 10 games.

3. If you had to make a combined XI of his career teammates, you’d struggle to get him in the side.

4. Even David Walliams knows who he is.

5. He scored “the goal of the decade in 1996 against Wimbledon

6. He took time out of an interview to high five a young fan.

7. He let Ali G rip it out of him for a good ten minutes

8. He’s so famous that even David Luis and Neymar get giddy around him

9. He scored this free-kick vs Greece in injury time to send England to the 2002 World Cup

10. He knows how to play egg Russian roulette

11. He knows how to celebrate

12. He delivered the torch to the London 2012 Olympics in a speedboat looking like an absolute boss

13. He could do things like this…

14. …and this.

15. Oh, and this (notice how he looks up before Figo plays him the pass)

16. He bounced back from being sent off in the 1998 World Cup by winning the treble with United, UEFA club footballer of the year and coming second in the Ballon d’Or vote behind Rivaldo. That’s how you respond to adversity.

17. He got kicked hit in the face by a boot Sir Alex Ferguson kicked before being dropped for the crucial Champions League second leg tie against Real Madrid at Old Trafford. Becks responded by coming on as a sub and doing this (2:17)