David Beckham is the kind of world-famous athlete whom everyone thinks they already know. In the ’90s, he joined Manchester United from humble working-class beginnings in East London, arriving on the pitch with a drive and determination to win. The public didn’t quite know what to make of him: He was both a pretty boy dating Spice Girl Victoria Adams, and a brilliant footballer with deadly free-kick accuracy. But in the 11 years he played with United, Beckham helped lead them to become the best football team on the planet, though not without serious setbacks.

Despite the tremendous lore around him as an athlete and pop culture figure, few have gotten the chance to know the man behind the name — until now. BECKHAM, a four-part documentary series from Academy Award–winning director Fisher Stevens (Palmer, And We Go Green, The Cove) and Academy Award– and Emmy Award–winning producer John Battsek (One Day in September, Searching for Sugar Man, Winter on Fire), gives fans never-before-seen insights into who Beckham actually is, including his family, friends, teammates, and — yes — his shopping and cleaning habits. The result is an unprecedented look at an icon who, despite spending nearly 30 years in the public eye, still has some surprises to share with the world. 

“This is the 10-year anniversary of when I retired,” Beckham told Netflix. “It’s not just about my football career, but it’s about my family, it’s about being married to a Spice Girl, and my journey, really. It’s been a roller coaster of emotions, but it’s been special making it.”

Read more about BECKHAM below. 

Who’s in BECKHAM?

In addition to candid interviews with the man himself, BECKHAM features interviews with family, friends, and football figures who’ve been part of his journey, including: 

• Victoria Beckham
• Ted and Sandra Beckham
• Gary Neville
• Eric Cantona
• Sir Alex Ferguson
• Rio Ferdinand
• Paul Scholes
• Roy Keane
• Melanie Chisholm (aka Sporty Spice)
• Diego Simeone
• Carlos Queiroz
• Luís Figo
• Míchel Salgado
• Florentino Pérez
• Roberto Carlos
• Ronaldo Nazário
• Fabio Capello

What happens in BECKHAM?

The series consists of four episodes — though roughly chronological, the narrative does jump around to different points in Beckham’s life and career. For more on what happens in BECKHAM, click here. Below, check out some of the biggest moments in the series. 

Episode 1, “The Kick,” documents Beckham’s early childhood and ascent into a professional soccer career with Manchester United, including interviews with teammates, coaches, and the press following him at the time. This episode also looks back on his earliest meetings with Victoria. “The Kick” also jumps into his infamous 1998 World Cup Round-of-16 game, in which he was sent off with a red card after kicking Diego Simeone of Argentina. Simeone reflects on the incident in Beckham — and what he has to say might surprise you.  

In Episode 2, “Seeing Red,” Beckham and Victoria reflect on the aftermath of his infamous red card at the 1998 World Cup, including the depression, death threats, and harassment that followed. On a brighter note, this episode also tells the story of the birth of David and Victoria’s first child, Brooklyn, and shares intimate photos and videos from their wedding in 1999. 

Episode 3, “Golden Balls,” explores what it was like for Beckham to balance a tumultuous career at the same time he was growing his family. It also includes what happened when his tensions with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson came to an unfortunate head.

Finally, in Episode 4, “What Makes David Run,” Beckham reflects on the latter part of his career before retirement in 2013, what Victoria describes as “the hardest period” of their marriage. The final episode of the series also offers a rare glimpse into his life at home.  

Watch BECKHAM on Netflix now. 

Dive Deeper into Documentaries on TudumFrom in-depth filmmaker interviews to the latest-breaking news, stay in-the-know about your favorite true stories on Tudum.