David Beckham may be one of the world’s biggest celebrities, but there are many things he’s never shared with the public. Netflix‘s “Beckham,” directed by “Succession” star Fisher Stevens, paints an intimate portrait of the star athlete, who is recognized as one of the best midfielders in soccer history.
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Featuring interviews with family, friends and teammates, the four-part docuseries sheds light on David Beckham’s humble upbringings and his journey to sports stardom. His highly publicized romance with Victoria Beckham is also a major plot point, with the couple opening up about some of the most difficult times in their decades-long relationship.
Ahead, WWD breaks down “Beckham,” including some of the series’ notable moments.
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Love at First Sight
In “Beckham,” the athlete reveals that he fell in love with Victoria after seeing her on television. “I turned round to Gary [Neville] and I said, ‘See that one there? I’m gonna marry that one,'” he said.
He didn’t officially meet the Spice Girl until 1997, when he partook in a charity soccer match. David Beckham, then 21, played for Manchester United. “I just fancied her,” he explained. “There’s just no other way to put it.”
Victoria Beckham also recalled their first meeting. “When I saw [David] in the footballers’ lounge, all the other footballers were at the bar, and he was standing and talking to his parents, and I’m very close to my family, and I loved that side to him,” she said.
A year later, the couple was engaged. David and Victoria Beckham eventually tied the knot in 1999.
David’s Alleged Affair With Rebecca Loos
“Beckham” marks the first time that Victoria has spoken publicly about her husband’s alleged affair with the couple’s publicist, Rebecca Loos. The tryst was rumored to have taken place in 2003, when David Beckham was playing for Real Madrid.
“It was the hardest period for us because it felt like the world was against us,” Victoria Beckham said in the docuseries. David Beckham added that the tabloid speculation made him feel “physically sick.”
The rumors contributed to an already existing rift between David and Victoria Beckham, which was caused by his sudden move to Spain. “I get sold overnight, the next minute I’m in a city, I don’t speak the language. More importantly, I didn’t have my family,” he recounted.
Despite the pain it caused them, the gossip motivated David Beckham to make things right between him and his wife, saying that they had to “fight for each other” and “fight for [their] family.”
World Cup Fallout
“Beckham” also covers his infamous red card scandal at the 1998 World Cup. England’s national team faced off against Argentina in one of the tournament’s initial rounds, with David Beckham receiving a penalty for kicking Diego Simeone’s leg. This and a series of other penalties resulted in England’s elimination from the World Cup.
David Beckham quickly went from national hero to villain as tabloids and soccer buffs alike blamed him for England’s loss. One “fan” even hung an effigy of David Beckham from a noose outside a London pub. Bullets were mailed to Manchester United’s headquarters.
Following the harassment, David Beckham suffered from clinical depression. “What I went through was so extreme,” he explained. “The whole country hated me. I felt very vulnerable and alone. Wherever I went I got abuse every single day.”
Kidnapping Threats
David and Victoria Beckham welcomed their first child, Brooklyn, in 1999. The World Cup fallout continued to follow the couple, eventually endangering their newborn son.
“We were getting kidnapping threats right from when we had Brooklyn and you can’t even explain how that feels because we couldn’t hide,” Victoria said in “Beckham.” This led David Beckham to sleep outside of Brooklyn’s hospital room the night after he was born.