Ronaldinho supplants Beckham in the list earned $11 million in salary and the rest in endorsements from sponsors like Nike, EA Sports, Cadbury or Pepsi.
David Beckham ($29 million), who joins the Los Angeles Galaxy after his contract for Real Madrid ends in June, misses the top spot for the first time since Forbes rankings began in 2004. His five-year deal, which gives him a cut of all ticket sales and a 44 percent share of the take from sales of all Galaxy team jerseys (for sure his name is going to help selling a lot of them), could be worth $250 million.
29/03/07
Beckham no longer leads soccer earning list
26/03/07
Los Angeles Galaxy will promote a nutritional products manufacturer.
AEG, operators of L.A. Galaxy, announced on Friday the signing of a five-year, multimillion sponsorship contract with Herbalife Ltd., giving the company the right to showcase its brand name across the front of Beckham´s, Donovan´s and their team mates´s jersey. Galaxy will get paid between $3.5 million and $5 million a year through 2011.
"With the tremendous amount of global exposure the Galaxy is expected to generate in the upcoming season, the time was clearly right for a professional league in the United States to create this branding platform," Shawn Hunter, the president of AEG Sports, said.
MLS became the first American professional league to sell its jersey front last October, and the Galaxy is the second team to do so after Real Salt Lake.
The Galaxy guaranteed global exposure when they signed Beckham in January.
21/03/07
David Beckham thrills young pupils at school
London, Mar 20: English football star David Beckham made the day for children at City Academy in Bristol, when he visited the school to launch his own football academy's free online training guide for teachers and children, and spent time with young pupils.
Beckham surprised nine-year-old Casey Pumell, when he took pictures of them together on her mobile.
The Real Madrid soccer star astonished 1200 pupils at the school, where he also helped 30 children with an online fitness quiz.
(read more in Daily India)
17/03/07
Beckham last words
"I know it's never going to be as big as American football, basketball or baseball, but I believe I can help take it to a higher level,"
"I'd walk back from the States to play for England again," "Everything is geared towards the league as a whole growing and succeeding, and I think I can be a part of that,"
"I'm a fit person and a fit player,"
"I always have been, even now that people are saying I'm older and slower - but I've never been a quick player anyway."
"People are saying that the standard's really low in Major League Soccer, but it's not,"
"I've played against LA Galaxy for Real Madrid, and against other American teams, in preseason. I'm not saying the football is at the same level as it is in La Liga or in the Premiership, but it's still very competitive."
"As long as I'm a Real Madrid player, I will remain 110 per cent focused on winning something with and for Real Madrid,"
"I'd walk back from the States to play for England again," "Everything is geared towards the league as a whole growing and succeeding, and I think I can be a part of that,"
"I'm a fit person and a fit player,"
"I always have been, even now that people are saying I'm older and slower - but I've never been a quick player anyway."
"People are saying that the standard's really low in Major League Soccer, but it's not,"
"I've played against LA Galaxy for Real Madrid, and against other American teams, in preseason. I'm not saying the football is at the same level as it is in La Liga or in the Premiership, but it's still very competitive."
"As long as I'm a Real Madrid player, I will remain 110 per cent focused on winning something with and for Real Madrid,"
16/03/07
15/03/07
Cristiano Ronaldo, Beckham´s successor in Madrid
World Football
Spanish sports daily Marca predicted today, in its front page, that Cristiano Ronaldo, who is in talks to extend his contract at Manchester United, will quit Old Trafford for Real Madrid at the end of the season.
"Cristiano Ronaldo will sign for Real Madrid once the season is over"
"That's the bombshell that the president of Real Madrid, Ramon Calderon, is going to announce this summer" the newspaper continued.
Ronaldo wears in Manchester United number seven, Becks´s number.
14/03/07
Rapids unveil Beckham ticket package
The Colorado Rapids will offer a new ticket package, the "Becks Flex Pack," which will include tickets to (August the 26th Rapids) game against David Beckham´s Los Angeles Galaxy. Also included in the package will be a choice of two of four games, April 15 vs. Chicago, May 10 vs. Salt Lake, July 8 vs. New York or Aug. 16 vs. New England.
The Rapids sold out of the Aug. 26 match in almost just an hour, their most successful single-game ticket on-sale date in the club's history. Prices for the "Becks Flex Plan" range from $51 to $96.
Becks bids farewell to Old Trafford
Yesterday Beckham waved the crowd in Old Trafford before leaving European soccer to play in the United States. "With this club I passed the best moments of my life as a soccer player", said Beckham.
Injury forced him to withdraw from a star-filled European side that faced Manchester United to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the European Union and the Red Devils' half century of play in continental soccer. United won 4-3, getting two goals from Wayne Rooney and one each from Wes Brown and Cristiano Ronaldo. El-Hadji Diouf scored twice for Europe and Florent Malouda had a goal.
Beckham arrived at United in 1991, with hardly 16 years. In 2003 he was transferred to Real Madrid. In July, the midfielder will join L.A. Galaxy.
Injury forced him to withdraw from a star-filled European side that faced Manchester United to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the European Union and the Red Devils' half century of play in continental soccer. United won 4-3, getting two goals from Wayne Rooney and one each from Wes Brown and Cristiano Ronaldo. El-Hadji Diouf scored twice for Europe and Florent Malouda had a goal.
Beckham arrived at United in 1991, with hardly 16 years. In 2003 he was transferred to Real Madrid. In July, the midfielder will join L.A. Galaxy.
13/03/07
12/03/07
David Beckham To Attend European XI’s Outing At Manchester United In Charity Match
The European Commission named a star-studded squad to play Manchester United in a charity football game to mark a joint 50th anniversary celebration of the creation of the E.U. and of Manchester United becoming the first British side to play in UEFA’s European club competition, at Old Trafford on March 13.
Beckham who has been ruled out through knee injury, will watch his former rivals - Liverpool players Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher – and Real Madrid team mate Casillas play against his former club.
Brazilian stars - Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Juninho - will play as “guests” as they cannot be eligible for a “Europe XI” team.
Europe squad: Gregory Coupet (Lyon), Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Eric Abidal (Lyon), Lilian Thuram, Carles Puyol, Gianluca Zambrotta (all Barcelona), Paolo Maldini (AC Milan), Luis Miguel (Valencia), Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo (both AC Milan), Juninho (Lyon), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Mancini (Roma), Ronaldo (AC Milan), Ronaldinho (Barcelona), Henrik Larsson (Helsingborg).
Manager: Marcello Lippi.
Beckham's Age May Limit Impact on U.S. Soccer, Charlton Says
David Beckham may struggle to lift soccer's popularity in the U.S. because of his age, according to Sir Bobby Charlton.
Real Madrid midfielder, who will be 32 when his five-year contract at L.A. Galaxy begins, said he wants to take soccer to ``another level'' in the U.S. Charlton said Beckham's influence may wane as he nears the end of his playing career.
David and Victoria Beckham Give $1 Million To Kids Charities
David and Victoria Beckham have donated $1.17 million to childrens' charities in the last four years.
Twenty worthy causes are helped by the Victoria And David Beckham Children's Charity, including he United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), which has received a grant of $195,000.
Much of the money has been raised at the couple's spectacular celebrity parties.
Victoria says of the charity, "Both David and I love children and we love to help."
Seed: Starpulse News Blog
11/03/07
Chelsea to face Beckham's Galaxy in pre-season tour
Chelsea will play an exhibition game at Los Angeles on July 21 in what could be Beckham’s first game for L. A. Galaxy.
AEG president and CEO Tim Leiweke said Friday that the possibility is “really good” that David Beckham will make his Galaxy debut against Chelsea in an exhibition tournament the promoters hyping as the “World Series of Football.”
Chelsea will be making their fourth consecutive pre-season tour in the United States for the four-match series.
Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho, in a video message to the series launch, said: "The fact that David Beckham is there brings something extra to the tournament and to the game. This gives me the chance to wish him big success in the U.S.A. He will be very important for U.S.A. soccer and for the relationship between U.S.A. and European soccer."
The series, to be played on two double-header days on July 17 and 21 at Carson, south of downtown Los Angeles, will also feature South Korea's Suwon Bluewings, owned by Chelsea's official shirt sponsor Samsung, and Mexican club Tigres.
10/03/07
La Liga: Barcelona 3 - Real Madrid 3
Terrific "gran clásico" that finished with a draw, 3-3 (2-2 in the first half). Real's coach, Fabio Capello, could have done with the experience of David Beckham, Roberto Carlos, Fabio Cannavaro and Jose Antonio Reyes, but all four missed the trip through injury and Capello was forced to field a severely weakened side.
Barcelona´s defender Oleguer got a red card at the end of the first half and Barcelona played with ten players the second half.
19 year old Lionel Messi salvaged the draw scoring three goals for Barcelona, the last one at the end of the game. "I was given a lot of space by my teammates. I tried to take advantage and today it worked out. It was a very special match," Messi told La Sexta TV station. "Madrid benefited from having an extra player. If it hadn't, the game would have been very different."
Real Madrid lost a great opportunity to win in Barcelona and to come back to the fight for the championship. Ruud van Nistelroy (2) and Sergio Ramos scored for Real Madrid.
09/03/07
La Liga: Barcelona - Madrid tonight!
FC Barcelona and Real Madrid hope to restore their wounded pride tonight.
Each powerhouse would welcome a victory over its biggest rival to soothe disappointment at being eliminated this week in the Champions League's quarterfinals.
Barcelona, a point behind Sevilla in second place, have made positive noises since losing the chance to retain their European title on Tuesday with an away-goals defeat by Liverpool.
"Fortunately, Real Madrid is now coming," Barcelona sports director Aitor Begiristain said. "It's important to beat Real Madrid, because they are a title rival and because we want to bring some cheer to our supporters."
Fourth-place Madrid, who also went out on away goals at Bayern Munich on Wednesday, have taken their elimination harder. The future of coach Capello is uncertain. "It's obvious that coaches depend on results," Mijatovic was quoted as saying by sports daily AS on Thursday.
Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez says home advantage makes Barcelona the favorites.
"The crowd helps a lot," Raul told Real's web site. "But we are capable of getting three points. A win is vital for us to get back into the title race."
Madrid will play without David Beckham, who strained knee ligaments in last weekend's game against Getafe.
Forward Jose Antonio Reyes, and defenders Fabio Cannavaro and Roberto Carlos, are also sidelined, while Sergio Ramos, Miguel Torres and Diarra are all doubtful.
The hosts will lack suspended forward Ludovic Giuly and defender Gianluca Zambrotta.
Roberto Carlos leaves Real Madrid
Brazilian Roberto Carlos, defender of Real Madrid, has announced tonight in a radio station that he will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season: “It is the moment for changing, I have spoken with Pedja (Mijatovic), with president (Ramón Calderón) and I go away. I am not going to renew”. “It is my decision. Just as I made the decision to remain this year".
"I have three or four years of soccer and want to play at the maximum level, I do not know if in Brazil, Qatar or where”.
“After yesterday game, I have felt very badly, it has been spoken and it is the moment to finish my sport life in Real Madrid”, has pointed the defender.
A Roberto Carlos´s mistake at the start of the match caused the first goal of the Bavarian squad, by striker Roy Makaay, at the 10 seconds of the game.
08/03/07
David Beckham. Making it real: my soccer skills book
Amazon´s book reveiw:
Have you dreamed about scoring from the halfway line, bending a free kick past a wall of defenders, assisting in the perfect goal, or leading your team to the biggest soccer tournament in the world?
David Beckham has fulfilled his ambition to give something back to soccer and to his fans across the globe. Thanks to The David Beckham Academy, aspiring young soccer players now have the opportunity to realize their dreams.
This unique book features Beckham sharing his knowledge of the game, his skills developed from playing for the best clubs in the world, his experiences as England's captain, and his life in Madrid—all captured as never before.
Champions League: Real Madrid out
Capello: “We are outside because of two gifts”
“In this eliminatory we have made two gifts. The goal of Van Bommel in the first game to few minutes of the end and the one of today to hardly 13 seconds to begin the party”, said Capello after the 2-1 before the Bayern.
“The party changed totally after 13 seconds. It thought that we could play the counterattack, but after 13 seconds those possibilities had finished”, assured Capello.
The change of Guti
“One cannot make a change after 13 seconds. It´s necessary to wait and see if the things improve. But Guti began to warm up immediately after the goal”, said.
Raul: “It is necessary to focus on the Liga”
Raul González, captain of Real Madrid, said at the end of the game that “the early goal that Bayern scored made things easy to them, although we had our opportunities”.
Raul emphasized that “the second goal hurt us, although in the second time we dominated. Now it is necessary to focus on the Liga and think about the Saturday and the difficult game that we have in Barcelona”.
07/03/07
Capello confident of overcoming loss of Beckham
ESPN http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=412912&cc=5739
Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello is confident his side can cope without injured midfielder David Beckham in tonight's crucial Champions League match with Bayern Munich.
06/03/07
Capello: Real Madrid To Play In Munich "with Its Trousers High Up"
Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello said Tuesday that his team will get onto the pitch "with its trousers high up" for today's Champions League game against German team Bayern Munich, in reply to recent reports that the players are "wetting themselves."
Real Madrid arrived in Munich amid substantial hostility ahead of the match, in which the Spanish giant is set to defend the 3-2 home victory. German tabloid Bild said Tuesday that Real Madrid's players "are already wetting themselves," in alleged fear. The comment caused anger in the Spanish team. "I am already used to these things and to people knowing more than we do. But in any case tomorrow (Wednesday) you will see a team with its trousers high up," Capello said in the press conference.
More:
Real Madrid’s Beckham kneed out for a monthMalaysia Star
Real Madrid set to face Bayern MunichTSN.ca
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid: Preview ESPN
David Beckham to front Adidas push
Adidas is launching a global television campaign, worth an estimated £50 million, featuring David Beckham.
The sportswear brand will roll out a series of ads, featuring Beckham, rugby star Jonah Lomu and Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. The Beckham ad will debut tonight, during the half-time break in the Liverpool v Barcelona match on ITV1.
In the spot, created by 180 Amsterdam, Beckham reveals how he cried after being sent off in the 1998 World Cup and describes the subsequent death threats he received.
(more in mad.co.uk)Beckham set for spell on sidelines
Seed: http://iclanarkshire.icnetwork.co.uk
Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham is set to be sidelined for around a month after suffering ligament damage in his right knee, the club have confirmed.
The former England captain sustained the injury during the second half of Sunday's Primera Liga match with Getafe. Beckham underwent tests at the team's Valdebebas training ground on Monday, where it was confirmed he had damaged the internal lateral ligament in his right knee.
Madrid reported the news on their website, saying: "The Englishman has suffered a grade II sprain to the internal lateral ligament of the right knee. The estimated time he will be out is around four weeks."
Beckham had already been omitted from a 23-man Madrid squad for Wednesday's Champions League second leg against Bayern Munich due to the injury.
However, he will now also miss this weekend's trip to arch rivals Barcelona, as well as possibly three more Primera Liga games.
05/03/07
Beckham injures his right knee
He suffers possible knee ligament damage in Real Madrid game and will undergo tests today. He has been set to move to the Galaxy this summer.
