David Beckham left Man Utd when he was the brightest star in the football world, let’s find out the reason behind this decision.

What happened to David?

The departure of Beckham from Manchester United stemmed greatly from his relationship with Alex Ferguson.

Sir Alex revealed in his autobiography in 2013 that he felt Beckham’s focus on football was being disrupted by other activities. He also believed that the player thought himself bigger than the coach.

Though professing to hold “no bitterness” towards Beckham, Ferguson was evidently clear in his assessment of the player: “David was the only player I managed that chose to be famous, and his mission seemed to be to be known outside the game.”

The legendary Scottish manager added, “When a Manchester United player thinks he is bigger than the manager, he has to go… David thought he was bigger than Alex Ferguson. In my mind, there is no doubt about that.”

In fact, Beckham later admitted that he didn’t help himself, acknowledging that his behavior contributed to the breakdown of the relationship. “There were certain decisions I made back then that were wrong and I can see why the manager got so frustrated,” he said in a BBC interview in 2017.

After experiencing the ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’ era alongside the Class of ’92 at the Red Devils, Beckham became a football icon, with his appeal extending beyond the realm of the beautiful game.

The English star married one of the Spice Girls – Victoria, known as ‘Posh Spice’ – and his face became ubiquitous on TV, billboards, magazines, and commercial partnerships lined up to have him endorse their products.

Ferguson, who guided Beckham from his early steps, grew increasingly disillusioned with the player’s career trajectory, which he felt was “swallowed up by the media or commercial agents.”

The pair began to irk each other, and issues ranged from disputes over wearing a beanie hat during team dinners (to hide Beckham’s new hairstyle) to an incident involving a flying boot.

How did Alex Ferguson throw shoe at Beckham?

The infamous boot-kicking incident between David Beckham and Alex Ferguson is perhaps one of the quirkiest details leading to Beckham’s departure from Manchester United.

Ferguson publicly criticized Beckham’s work rate during the 2002-03 season, and when he chastised the midfielder’s performance in the 0-2 loss to Arsenal in the FA Cup, it led to a bizarre moment.

While berating the team and specifically Beckham, United’s manager angrily kicked a boot towards the England captain, hitting him on the forehead.

“He was about 4 meters away from me,” Ferguson recalled in his autobiography. “Between us on the floor was a row of boots. David swore. I moved towards him, and as I approached, I kicked a boot. It hit him right above the eye.

“Of course, he rose to have a go at me and the players stopped him. ‘Sit down,’ I said. ‘You’ve let your teammates down. You can argue as much as you like.’”

Of course, Beckham refused to back down, and he later appeared with strategically placed bandages, his long hair tied back tactically to ensure a full-faced debut for the press.

The image of a wounded and prominent Beckham became symbolic of the deteriorating relationship leading to his departure from Manchester United.

How much did Man Utd sell David Beckham to Real Madrid?

Real Madrid paid €35 million to Manchester United to acquire David Beckham. The initial agreement was €20 million plus additional fees.

The midfielder joined Los Blancos on a four-year contract with a salary of approximately €6 million per year and expressed happiness with the move.

In a press release, Beckham said: “I know I would always regret it if I turned down the opportunity to play at another big club like Real Madrid.”

Interestingly, Beckham later explained that he became aware of Manchester United’s intention to sell him to Barcelona despite his own wishes, which fueled his determination to push for a move to Real Madrid.