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Canales Corner: Beckham's Bitter Blow
Money and fame can't buy the World Cup goal David Beckham was striving for before his recent Achilles tendon break.
Mar 15, 2010 12:48:00 PM
By Andrea Canales
"What's he like?" is the question I'm most often asked by people when I reveal I'm as a soccer writer who covers the Los Angeles Galaxy, the MLS team of David Beckham.
When Beckham joined Major League Soccer in 2007, local sports reporters wondered the same thing. Of the 700 or so journalists covering the announcement of his signing, the regular beat writers of the Galaxy were assigned to a specific conference room to talk with the famous soccer player. The arrival of a worldwide celebrity was a change for reporters who normally write about a sport that still receives little media attention in the USA. One writer was so nervous that he stuttered when greeting Beckham.
Beckham wore a designer suit, smiled often, talked easily and at length about wanting to help soccer grow in the USA.
Since that first day, I've seen him in tears after an injury, giddy after scoring goals, testy about some tough questions, grumpy through certain press conferences during losing streaks, indignant at fan behavior and relaxed after finishing up training sessions in the California sunshine.
Yet I'm always a little at sea when people ask what Beckham is like. He's adjusted to the microscope constantly on his life by being very careful about what he says. He's polite, but nearly always on guard.
Actions do speak louder than words, however. Throughout his career, Beckham has shown himself to clearly be a hard worker, dedicated and persevering in his specialty, dead-ball plays, until he became a master at the skill.
It was this ability that had the midfielder gunning to appear for England in an unprecedented fourth World Cup.
Though it's easy to say that the former captain would be picked for nostalgic reasons, that gives far too little credit to the attacking weapon that a perfect cross, free kick, or corner kick service can offer.
It also doesn't take into account how the sage veteran can help the England squad deflect the heavy expectations put on the team by their ardent fans.
Though Beckham's injury appears to be a random, tragic and sudden failing of the crucial Achilles tendon (what an irony that Greek mythology has provided the name from a story of a fallen handsome hero) it will no doubt be left for many to speculate if the combination of playing for both AC Milan and the Los Angeles Galaxy brought about this muscle rupture.
The decision to do so was always Beckham's, however, and throughout all the moves in his career, one over-riding concern was present. He wanted to play; he loved to compete, and he wouldn't be satisfied, no matter how high the odds against his success, unless he gave it his best shot.
So I shrug when people ask about Beckham, because either the image is constantly carefully maintained, or he is pretty straightforward about his priorities. He's involved in various business ventures, but his family and soccer are first and foremost for him. More than anywhere else, the field seems to be where Beckham has been the most free to express himself - his pride when his team plays well, his petulance leading to petty fouls of frustration, his bitterness at a painful loss.
"I can't stand it when I can't play," Beckham told reporters that first day in Los Angeles. "I hate to be away from the game."
Behind the celebrity, the crush of the media, and the variance of uniforms he has pulled on over the years, that's who Beckham really is - someone who loves the sport.
Anyone who feels the same can identify and understand a little more the blow he has suffered.
Andrea Canales is Chief Editor of Goal.com North America
Become a fan of Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page for all the latest news and insight into everything the related to the beautiful game!
When Beckham joined Major League Soccer in 2007, local sports reporters wondered the same thing. Of the 700 or so journalists covering the announcement of his signing, the regular beat writers of the Galaxy were assigned to a specific conference room to talk with the famous soccer player. The arrival of a worldwide celebrity was a change for reporters who normally write about a sport that still receives little media attention in the USA. One writer was so nervous that he stuttered when greeting Beckham.
Beckham wore a designer suit, smiled often, talked easily and at length about wanting to help soccer grow in the USA.
Since that first day, I've seen him in tears after an injury, giddy after scoring goals, testy about some tough questions, grumpy through certain press conferences during losing streaks, indignant at fan behavior and relaxed after finishing up training sessions in the California sunshine.
Yet I'm always a little at sea when people ask what Beckham is like. He's adjusted to the microscope constantly on his life by being very careful about what he says. He's polite, but nearly always on guard.
Actions do speak louder than words, however. Throughout his career, Beckham has shown himself to clearly be a hard worker, dedicated and persevering in his specialty, dead-ball plays, until he became a master at the skill.
It was this ability that had the midfielder gunning to appear for England in an unprecedented fourth World Cup.
Though it's easy to say that the former captain would be picked for nostalgic reasons, that gives far too little credit to the attacking weapon that a perfect cross, free kick, or corner kick service can offer.
It also doesn't take into account how the sage veteran can help the England squad deflect the heavy expectations put on the team by their ardent fans.
Though Beckham's injury appears to be a random, tragic and sudden failing of the crucial Achilles tendon (what an irony that Greek mythology has provided the name from a story of a fallen handsome hero) it will no doubt be left for many to speculate if the combination of playing for both AC Milan and the Los Angeles Galaxy brought about this muscle rupture.
The decision to do so was always Beckham's, however, and throughout all the moves in his career, one over-riding concern was present. He wanted to play; he loved to compete, and he wouldn't be satisfied, no matter how high the odds against his success, unless he gave it his best shot.
So I shrug when people ask about Beckham, because either the image is constantly carefully maintained, or he is pretty straightforward about his priorities. He's involved in various business ventures, but his family and soccer are first and foremost for him. More than anywhere else, the field seems to be where Beckham has been the most free to express himself - his pride when his team plays well, his petulance leading to petty fouls of frustration, his bitterness at a painful loss.
"I can't stand it when I can't play," Beckham told reporters that first day in Los Angeles. "I hate to be away from the game."
Behind the celebrity, the crush of the media, and the variance of uniforms he has pulled on over the years, that's who Beckham really is - someone who loves the sport.
Anyone who feels the same can identify and understand a little more the blow he has suffered.
Andrea Canales is Chief Editor of Goal.com North America
Become a fan of Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page for all the latest news and insight into everything the related to the beautiful game!
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