Just when you think you know everything there is to know about David Beckham—now the subject of an upcoming Netflix documentary—you realise how much you’ve missed. The sportsman, considered by many the greatest English footballer of his generation, has transformed from sportsman to brand spokesperson to fashion brand owner and even American soccer club owner. His level of fame is undeniable and almost incomprehensibly extensive. On his first visit to conflict-ravaged Sierra Leone as a Unicef ambassador, despite having never visited the country before, he was mobbed by children a quarter his age.
Living in the public eye often means sacrificing privacy, yet social media has allowed celebrities like Beckham to regain some control by choosing when and how to share unfiltered glimpses of family life (see those Beckham family TikTok moments). A documentary is a different beast, and less easy to control; but Beckham’s decision to share his life story marks a reclamation of his image, one open to—and inviting—outside participation.
first met
