Editing David Beckham (section)

===Approach to training and praise from managers===
{{Quote box|width=28%|align=right|quote="David Beckham is Britain's finest striker of a football not because of God-given talent but because he practises with a relentless application that the vast majority of less gifted players wouldn't contemplate."|source=—Former Manchester United manager [[Alex Ferguson]].<ref name="guardian.co.uk"/>}}
Beckham was a product of Sir [[Alex Ferguson]]'s hard-working approach at Manchester United. Ferguson said that Beckham "practised with a discipline to achieve an accuracy that other players wouldn't care about."<ref name="Kings of the free-kick">{{cite news |url=http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/features/news/newsid=1551015/index.html |title=Kings of the free-kick |publisher=FIFA |accessdate=20 December 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617103741/http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/features/news/newsid=1551015/index.html |archivedate=17 June 2012 }}</ref><ref name="Beckham takes a great leap forward">{{cite news|last1=Barclay|first1=Patrick|title=Ferguson happy as Beckham takes a great leap forward|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/2995526/Ferguson-happy-as-Beckham-takes-a-great-leap-forward.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/2995526/Ferguson-happy-as-Beckham-takes-a-great-leap-forward.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=18 December 2014|date=30 December 2000}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Beckham reportedly spent hours practising his free kicks after training sessions had ended.<ref name="United Legends">{{cite web|url=http://www.manutdzone.com/legends/DavidBeckham.htm|title=Manchester United Legends – David Beckham|publisher=manutdzone.com|access-date=28 May 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080818030242/http://www.manutdzone.com/legends/DavidBeckham.htm|archive-date=18 August 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="guardian.co.uk">{{cite web |last=Campbell |first=Paul |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/may/17/david-beckham-alex-ferguson-manchester-united |title=David Beckham: product of Sir Alex Ferguson's school of hard graft |work=The Guardian |date=17 May 2013 |access-date=3 October 2013 |archive-date=5 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005160752/http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/may/17/david-beckham-alex-ferguson-manchester-united |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Zidane still the master">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2400339/Zidane-still-the-master.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2400339/Zidane-still-the-master.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Zidane still the master |work=The Telegraph |last1=Hayward |first1=Paul |date=26 April 2003 |access-date=25 October 2019 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Beckham maintained his training routine at Real Madrid and even when his relationship with management was strained in early 2007, Real Madrid president [[Ramón Calderón]] and manager [[Fabio Capello]] praised Beckham for maintaining his professionalism and commitment to the club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/13/sports/EU-SPT-SOC-Real-Madrid-Beckham.php |title=Coach says Beckham won't play again for Real Madrid |work=International Herald Time |date=13 January 2007 |access-date=28 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070620123856/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/13/sports/EU-SPT-SOC-Real-Madrid-Beckham.php |archive-date=20 June 2007 }}</ref> Beckham's Real Madrid teammate [[Roberto Carlos]] regarded Beckham to be the best free-kick exponent he had ever seen.<ref name="Roberto Carlos"/> One of the other best free kick exponents of their generation, Roberto Carlos, commented on the dilemma the team faced when they won a free kick on the edge of the penalty area: "I would stand on one side and Beckham on the other but I wanted to see Beckham take the free-kick because it's beautiful how he hits the ball."<ref name="Roberto Carlos">{{cite news|title=Beckham is best says Roberto Carlos|url=https://www.uefa.com/news/01d5-0e70b1cdb2aa-fdc08ead8e7c-1000--beckham-is-best-says-roberto-carlos/|website=[[UEFA]]|date=9 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311073517/https://www.uefa.com/news/01d5-0e70b1cdb2aa-fdc08ead8e7c-1000--beckham-is-best-says-roberto-carlos/|url-status=live |archive-date=11 March 2022|access-date=17 September 2022|df=dmy-all}}</ref> During Beckham's time with Milan, his manager [[Carlo Ancelotti]] praised the Englishman for his intelligence and work-rate, in particular the improvements he demonstrated to the technical and tactical aspects of his game, which allowed him to compensate for his loss of pace.<ref name="Milan never intended to play David Beckham"/>

His former England manager [[Steve McClaren]] stated: <blockquote>I've been very fortunate to work with some great players and he [Beckham] was one of them. He was a great player, he made the very most of his talents and that was through sheer hard work, professionalism, always doing extra on the training field. He inspired his team-mates through his performances, he was a winner. He was a leader, people followed him.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/may/16/david-beckham-retires-reaction |title=David Beckham retires: 'He was a leader, people followed him' |work=The Guardian |last1=Jackson |first1=Jamie |date=16 May 2013 |access-date=2 April 2020 |archive-date=11 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200311200150/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/may/16/david-beckham-retires-reaction |url-status=live }}</ref></blockquote> Arsenal manager [[Arsène Wenger]] stated, "What remains in your memory is his genuine commitment and dedication, his natural humility which he always had, that will stay forever."<ref name="Quote"/>

In May 2013, asked about how he wanted to be remembered in his retirement, Beckham said, "I just want people to see me as a hardworking footballer, someone that's passionate about the game, someone that – every time I stepped on the pitch – I've given everything that I have, because that's how I feel. That's how I look back on it and hope people will see me."<ref name="guardian.co.uk"/>