Editing David Beckham (section)

===Reception===
[[File:David Beckham at Madame Tussauds London.jpg|thumb|upright|Wax statue of Beckham at [[Madame Tussauds]], London]]
Despite his success, popularity, and playing ability, critical reception of Beckham was often divided among sporting figures and fans throughout his career, in part – as Subhankar Mondal of ''[[Goal (website)|Goal]]'' notes – due to his ventures off the pitch, and the widespread coverage that his personal life received.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goal.com/en-india/news/105/main/2008/08/10/812272/debate-is-david-beckham-truly-great |title=Debate: Is David Beckham Truly Great? |publisher=Goal.com |last1=Mondal |first1=Subhankar |date=10 August 2008 |access-date=2 April 2020 |archive-date=11 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611045426/https://www.goal.com/en-india/news/105/main/2008/08/10/812272/debate-is-david-beckham-truly-great |url-status=live }}</ref> His former Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson, speculated in 2007 that Beckham's increasing celebrity status, in particular following his highly publicised relationship with his future wife [[Victoria Beckham|Victoria]], had actually had a negative impact on his playing career.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/babb/11573971/David-Beckham-in-40-quotes.html |title=David Beckham in 40 quotes |work=The Telegraph |last1=Richman |first1=Darren |date=2 May 2015 |access-date=2 April 2020 |archive-date=10 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610151832/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/babb/11573971/David-Beckham-in-40-quotes.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2015, he claimed he had only coached four world class players throughout his time at United, excluding Beckham from the list, commenting: "I don't mean to demean or criticise any of the great or very good footballers who played for me during my 26-year career at United, but there were only four who were world class: [[Eric Cantona|Cantona]], [[Ryan Giggs|Giggs]], [[Cristiano Ronaldo]] and [[Paul Scholes|Scholes]]."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/sir-alex-ferguson-claims-he-managed-just-four-world-class-players-in-26-years-at-manchester-united-10511947.html |title=Sir Alex Ferguson claims he managed just four world class players in 26 years at Manchester United |work=The Independent |last1=Rice |first1=Simon |date=22 September 2015 |access-date=13 April 2020 |archive-date=2 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102124631/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/sir-alex-ferguson-claims-he-managed-just-four-world-class-players-in-26-years-at-manchester-united-10511947.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Upon his departure to LA Galaxy, {{Lang|es|[[El País]]}} reflected on the dichotomy of Beckham's playing career and his status off the pitch, describing him as "the great paradox of world football", also adding: <blockquote>He is the greatest icon on the planet and the cause of such delirium in the media and on the streets, the greatest catwalk model there is. And yet he has been an anti-diva. He was the most galactic of the galacticos off the pitch, but the greatest of earthlings when he walked on to the field.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/european/2315481/Spain-bids-farewell-to-Beckham.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/european/2315481/Spain-bids-farewell-to-Beckham.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Spain bids farewell to Beckham |work=The Telegraph |last1=Lowe |first1=Sid |date=19 June 2007 |access-date=2 April 2020 }}{{cbignore}}</ref></blockquote> Regarding Beckham's crossing ability, Rob Smyth of ''[[The Guardian]]'' said in 2014: "he was a great crosser and perhaps the greatest of all time," also noting that "he was a dead-ball specialist and also a dying-ball specialist: [...] his signature crosses in open play involved a ball that was barely moving, which allowed him to use the same technique as with corners and free-kicks."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/feb/14/joy-of-six-crosses-david-beckham |title=The Joy of Six: football crosses |work=The Guardian |last1=Smyth |first1=Rob |date=14 February 2014 |access-date=3 April 2020 |archive-date=26 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200426113720/https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/feb/14/joy-of-six-crosses-david-beckham |url-status=live }}</ref> Nigel Reed of [[CBC Sports]] commented on Beckham's career and celebrity status, stating: "His brand is global, his appeal universal. He sparked debate and polarized opinion. But underneath the gloss he was, first and foremost, a very good footballer." He also added that while he felt that "Beckham was not the greatest player of his generation," he believed he had the ability to change games, describing him as "master of his art and a deadly opponent", whose "talent was only topped by his passion."<ref name="Soccer and Spice">{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports-content/soccer/opinion/2013/05/david-beckham-soccer-and-spice.html |title=David Beckham: Soccer and Spice |work=CBC Sports |last1=Reed |first1=Nigel |date=17 May 2013 |access-date=2 April 2020 |archive-date=16 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616210250/https://www.cbc.ca/sports-content/soccer/opinion/2013/05/david-beckham-soccer-and-spice.html |url-status=live }}</ref>