DAVID BECKHAM

English midfielder David Beckham is undoubtedly one of the most famous faces in world football in the early years of the 21st Century. With a reputation as one of the finest strikers of a free-kick in the game and an ability to pick out team mates from almost anywhere on the pitch, he has enjoyed great domestic success and massive media attention.

Beckham's senior football career started out slowly, after making his debut for Manchester United in 1994 he was sent out to Preston North End for a brief loan spell. Returning to Manchester, he gradually forced his way into the first team alongside many other former members of the club's youth team, and came to national attention in 1996 when he scored an astonishing goal from the half way line against Wimbledon. Having played a small part in Manchester United's league and F.A. Cup double in 1996, Beckham would go on to help the club to five more league titles in the next seven years, a period of success crowned by a league, F.A. Cup and European Cup treble in 1999.

At international level, Beckham broke into the England team in 1996 and became a crucial part of the team, but he damaged his reputation with a needless sending-off as England crashed out of the 1998 World Cup to Argentina. By the time of the next World Cup in 2002, this reputation had been restored with a magnificent performance against Greece which took England to the finals, and he captained the team to the last eight where they lost to Brazil.

Beckham left Manchester United for Real Madrid in the summer of 2003, joining a host of other star names at the club, but surprisingly Real failed to win a trophy in any of his first three seasons. Captaining England to the quarter-finals of both the 2004 European Championships and 2006 World Cup, Beckham could not prevent two penalty shoot-out losses to Portugal as England again failed to reach the last four of a major tournament.

With his international career apparently at an end, Beckham agreed to leave Real Madrid for Major League Soccer side Los Angeles Galaxy, but a fine end to Real's league title winning season in 2007 saw him force his way back into the England team. He became the first player based in the USA to appear for England and just the fifth Englishman to reach 100 international caps.