Editing David Beckham (section)

====2003–2004: Becoming a ''Galáctico''====
{{Quote box|width=28%|align=right|quote="He is a great player who is going to become part of the club's great history. He is a man of our times and a symbol of modern-day stardom and what is certain is [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]] have signed Beckham because he's a great footballer and a very dedicated professional. His team spirit is unsurpassed and he is one of the best English players of all-time and if only because of that he is with us."|source=—Real Madrid President [[Florentino Pérez]] during Beckham's unveiling.<ref name="Real unveil Beckham">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/3037824.stm|title=Real unveil Beckham|work=BBC Sport|access-date=12 September 2014|archive-date=9 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209175056/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/3037824.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
As the summer 2003 transfer window approached, Manchester United appeared keen to sell Beckham to [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Beckham to stay in Spain |work=The Guardian |date=11 June 2003 |url=http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,974864,00.html |access-date=24 May 2006 |location=London |first=Daniel |last=Taylor |archive-date=3 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080103212615/http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,974864,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and the two clubs even announced that they reached a deal for Beckham's transfer,<ref>{{cite news|title=Barcelona's bid for Man Utd star begs questions |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/gabriele_marcotti/news/2003/06/12/marcotti_insider/ |publisher=CNNSI.com |date=12 June 2003 |access-date=3 March 2011 |first=Gabriele |last=Marcotti |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040709085103/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/gabriele_marcotti/news/2003/06/12/marcotti_insider |archive-date=9 July 2004 }}</ref> but instead he joined reigning Spanish champions [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]] for {{Euro|37 million}} on a four-year contract.<ref>Equivalent to, at the time, £25&nbsp;million or US$41&nbsp;million.</ref> Beckham was the latest signing in the ''[[Galácticos]]'' era of global stars signed by club president [[Florentino Pérez]] every summer.<ref>{{cite web |title=2001&nbsp;– present&nbsp;– Real Madrid surpasses the century mark |work=Real Madrid C.F. - Web Oficial |url=http://www.realmadrid.com/en/about-real-madrid/history/football/2001-2010-the-ninth-with-zidane-beckham-ronaldo-and-figo |publisher=Real Madrid CF |access-date=5 November 2015 |archive-date=22 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122115453/https://www.realmadrid.com/en/about-real-madrid/history/football/2001-2010-the-ninth-with-zidane-beckham-ronaldo-and-figo |url-status=live }}</ref> The news came as a bitter blow to the newly elected Barcelona president [[Joan Laporta]], who based much of his presidential campaign on signing Beckham.<ref>{{cite news |title=Beckham joins Real Madrid |work=BBC Sport |date=18 June 2003 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/front_page/2998868.stm |access-date=25 July 2010 |archive-date=25 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725060554/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/front_page/2998868.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

The transfer to Real Madrid was announced in mid-June and formally completed on 1 July 2003, making Beckham the third Englishman to play for the club, after [[Laurie Cunningham]] and [[Steve McManaman]], the latter of whom he succeeded in his position. Following a successful medical on 2 July, Beckham was unveiled in front of 500 accredited journalists from 25 countries at the club's basketball facility, where he was handed the famous white shirt by former Real Madrid player [[Alfredo Di Stéfano]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Real unveil Beckham |work=BBC Sport |date=2 July 2003 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/3037824.stm |access-date=25 July 2010 |archive-date=2 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171002170633/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/3037824.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Although Beckham had worn the number seven shirt for Manchester United and England, he was unable to wear it at Madrid as it was assigned to club captain [[Raúl (footballer)|Raúl]]. Beckham decided to wear number 23 instead, citing his admiration of basketball player [[Michael Jordan]], who also wore number 23.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/netnotes/article/0,,990894,00.html |title=The number 23 |work=The Guardian |location=UK |date=3 June 2003 |access-date=9 June 2007 |first=Sally |last=Bolton |archive-date=8 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231108152949/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/jul/03/netnotes.sallybolton |url-status=live }}</ref> On sales of Beckham-related merchandise following his arrival at Real, an Adidas spokesman stated: "Put Beckham's name on any product and Real Madrid didn't stop selling".<ref name="Mania"/>

[[File:Beckham zidane.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Beckham (top) and [[Zinedine Zidane]] at Real Madrid in 2003]]
In the week before Beckham's presentation, Real named [[Carlos Queiroz]] as their new head coach; Queiroz had spent the previous season as Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United. In late-July 2003, the club went on a tour of the [[Far East]] as part of pre-season training, but also to cash in on Beckham's huge marketing appeal in Asia, where he enjoyed tremendous following. Comparing his reception upon arriving at [[Kunming Changshui International Airport|Kunming Airport]] in south China to [[Beatlemania]], ''Marca'' ran the headline, "Beckham-mania in China".<ref name="Mania"/> After the opening game in Beijing the tour featured games in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Bangkok. Real's brand recognition in that part of the globe was already well established as the club made financially successful trips to Asia during previous off-seasons. The presence of a global marketing icon such as Beckham, however, made this particular tour a financial smash for ''los Merengues''.<ref name="Mania">{{cite news |title=Beckham-mania in China on Real Madrid's 2003 Asia tour |url=https://www.marca.com/en/football/real-madrid/2019/07/17/5d2ee2d046163f6e7f8b45ba.html |access-date=3 October 2021 |work=Marca |archive-date=3 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211003111927/https://www.marca.com/en/football/real-madrid/2019/07/17/5d2ee2d046163f6e7f8b45ba.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Shortly after his transfer to Real, Beckham ended his relationship with agent Tony Stephens of [[Live Nation Entertainment|SFX Europe]], who had guided him through his career until that point, including helping to engineer Beckham's move from Manchester to Madrid. Beckham signed on with [[Simon Fuller]] and his company [[19 Entertainment]], which already managed the career of Victoria.<ref>''The Beckham Experiment'', Grant Wahl, Three Rivers Press, New York, 2010 paperback edition, p.77</ref> Beckham appointed close friend [[Terry Byrne]] to be his personal manager.<ref name="galaxy-millions"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/3229703.stm |title=Beckham bags Watford man |work=BBC Sport |date=31 October 2003 |access-date=13 August 2010 |archive-date=2 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202093253/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/3229703.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{Quote box|width=28%|align=right|quote="We knew before he was a good player, but we did not expect him to be such an influential player, to show such commitment to the team spirit. The way he runs for everything, the way he tries his best. He has everyone's respect."|source=—[[Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)|Ronaldo]] speaking about Beckham in October 2003.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/european/2423493/Beckham-has-won-everyones-respect.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/european/2423493/Beckham-has-won-everyones-respect.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title='Beckham has won everyone's respect'|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=6 September 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref>}}
In late-August 2003, Real Madrid won the [[2003 Supercopa de España|Spanish Super Cup]] over two legs versus [[RCD Mallorca|Mallorca]], with Beckham scoring the final goal in a 3–0 return leg win at home, thus setting the stage for the start of the league season. Playing in a star-laden team which included three former [[FIFA World Player of the Year]] recipients, [[Zinedine Zidane]], [[Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)|Ronaldo]] and [[Luís Figo]], in addition to [[Roberto Carlos]], [[Raúl (footballer)|Raúl]] and [[Iker Casillas]], Beckham did not require much time to settle in, scoring five times in his first 16 matches (including a goal less than three minutes into his La Liga debut). Queiroz mostly favoured the adaptable 5–3–2 formation, with two fullbacks [[Míchel Salgado]] and Roberto Carlos, often joining the attack down the wings, while Beckham played on the right of the three-man midfield, alongside Zidane and Figo.<ref name="2003–04 Real Madrid">{{cite web |url=http://www.bdfutbol.com/en/t/t2003-042.html |title=2003–04 Real Madrid |publisher=Bdfutbol.com |access-date=10 June 2012 |archive-date=17 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017100107/http://www.bdfutbol.com/en/t/t2003-042.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Real Madrid were runners-up in the [[2003–04 Copa del Rey|Copa del Rey]], were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarter-final stage and finished the league season in fourth place, meaning the team, whose president Pérez expected them to win either the Spanish league or the Champions League each season, did not match expectations. In July 2004, while Beckham was in pre-season training in Spain, an intruder scaled a wall at the Beckham home while carrying a can of [[gasoline|petrol]]. Victoria and their children were home at the time, but security guards apprehended the man before he reached the house.<ref>{{cite web |title=Intruder alert for Victoria Beckham |publisher=Manchester Online |date=20 July 2004 |url=http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/news/s/124/124434_intruder_alert_for_victoria_beckham.html |access-date=9 October 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060222010135/http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/news/s/124/124434_intruder_alert_for_victoria_beckham.html |archive-date=22 February 2006}}</ref>