He’s Britain’s most-famous footballer, and a global icon. David Beckham, now 48, has also spent the entirety of his career in the public eye, with every aspect of his personal and professional life dissected by the media.
Now, a new Netflix documentary series, Beckham, will tell his side of the story, bringing together interviews with the former footballer himself, his family and friends, alongside conversations with footballing figures such as Sir Alex Ferguson, Eric Cantona and Gary Neville. These fascinating insights will be interwoven with archival footage to present a picture of the man behind the name.
“You think you know ‘Beckham,’ but you have no idea,” teased Netflix. “The doc series tells the unfiltered story of one of the most celebrated and scrutinized athletes of all time.”
Here’s everything to know about the upcoming series before its release on Wednesday.
What is Beckham going to be about?
The four-part documentary series will tell the story of Beckham’s incredible life and career. By combining conversations with his family – the series features his mum and dad Sandra and Ted, as well as his wife, Victoria – with testimonies from his colleagues and friends, such as Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, the documentary promises to set the record straight on some of the key moments in Beckham’s life (including that infamous 1998 World Cup red card).
The talented footballer from Leytonstone made his debut for Manchester United’s first team in the league cup when he was just 17 years old, and then in the Premier League two years later, after a stint on loan. He was playing for England less than two years later, and just four years after that he was made captain.
Over the course of his stellar career, he won league titles in England, Spain, the US and France. He won the Champions League once, the FA cup twice, and the Premier League title six times. He played for England 115 times, and is widely regarded as one of Manchester United’s greatest-ever players.
Off the pitch, Beckham has spent his career raising money for charities, and bringing up four children with his wife, ex-Spice Girl-turned-fashion-designer Victoria, who he started dating when he was just 22 years old. The couple’s journey hasn’t been an easy one: during the Nineties there were few days when their faces were not plastered across the covers of magazines and tabloid newspapers.
“David Beckham is the kind of world-famous athlete who everyone thinks they already know,” said Netflix. “Despite the tremendous lore around Beckham as an athlete and pop culture figure, few have gotten the chance to know the man behind the name — until now.”
When will it be released?
The documentary series will be released in two days time, on Wednesday October 2.
Is there a trailer?
Yes. The trailer was released on September 19 and has already garnered over two million views. We’ve popped it at the top of the page.
“He truly deserves this documentary, and I’m surprised it took this long for him to get it. His brand isn’t underrated but his skills certainly are, a true powerhouse. Can’t wait to watch!” commented one fan on the nearly three-minute video.
“I think the thing I like most about him is just how much of a decent person he clearly is. A properly talented footballer and equally wonderful role model. Looking forward to this one!” said another.
Who has made the film?
The docuseries has been made by Beckham in collaboration with actor-director Fisher Stevens, who most recently directed the Apple TV+ film, Palmer (2021), which starred Justin Timberlake and Juno Temple. (Stevens is also an actor who recently appeared in Succession as Hugo, the oily PR man for the Roy family.)
The series has been produced by British filmmaker John Battsek, who produced the Emmy Award-winning documentary Manhunt: The Search For Bin Laden (2013), and the Peabody Award-winning and BAFTA-nominated Listen to Me Marlon (2015) about iconic actor Marlon Brando.
What has David Beckham said?
Beckham introduced the upcoming documentary by sharing a clip of the trailer on Instagram: “Ten years since I retired from playing football I’m proud to share the first trailer for BECKHAM, my Netflix documentary series,” he wrote to his 83 million followers.
“I’m so grateful to @fisherstevens for his partnership over the past two years to bring this project to life. Many hours of conversations, many stories I’ve never told and many people from my life and career sharing their memories. I can’t wait for you all to see it.”
