David Beckham’s mother reveals she feared her son would ‘lose everything’ when he began dating Victoria in a teaser of the footballer’s Netflix documentary.
The trailer, released on Tuesday, gives a glimpse of what’s in store for the four-part series named BECKHAM, which charters the star’s humble working-class beginnings in east London to becoming a global football icon.
In the two minute clip shown ahead of the show launch on October 4, Sandra, 74, speaks about the start of Beckham’s romance with Victoria, 49, back in 1997.
David’s mother admits she was worried he would get side-tracked from his career at Manchester United when Victoria, who was part of the UK’s biggest girl group the Spice Girls, came onto the scene.
Sandra says: ‘We’d were worried he would lose everything he worked for because football had always come first and then all of a sudden it wasn’t.’
First look: David Beckham’s mother reveals she feared her son would ‘lose everything’ when he began dating Victoria in a teaser of the footballer’s Netflix documentary
‘I was worried he would lose everything’: In the two minute clip shown ahead of the show launch on October 4, Sandra, 74, speaks about the start of Beckham’s romance with Victoria
Beckham and Victoria became a brand where they gained lucrative contracts with clothing designers, health and fitness specialists, fashion magazines, and perfume and cosmetics manufacturers.
The couple, who have four children Brooklyn, 24, Romeo, 21, Cruz, 18, and Harper, 12, have accumulated an estimated net worth of £380million.
But at the start of her relationship with David, Victoria says she was told by her manager at the time to ‘keep it under wraps’.
She says: ‘We would meet in car parks and that’s not as seedy as it sounds.’
And David appears to have a conflicting opinion to his former Man United manager Alex Ferguson, as he says of how his fame catapulted due to the interest into his relationship with Victoria: ‘It definitely didn’t change me’.
Alex, 81, then says: ‘Well he changed. There’s no doubt about that.’
The documentary appears to go into unprecedented depth as it covers the stresses and pressures that dogged Beckham and his family through his professional career.
Sensational clips from the programme shows Victoria, legendry Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, his parents and his former club and England team-mates Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand talking about the highs and lows both on and off the pitch.
In the trailer, Posh and Becks admit how they struggled when their romance became public.
It shows them being at the center of the ‘circus’ – with footage showing their eldest son Brooklyn, now 24, crying as fans pound on their car as they drive past.
In the clip David – who drives as Victoria sits in the back – says: ‘It’s all right Buster. They can’t get in the car.’
Secretive: At the start of her relationship with David in 1997, Victoria says she was told by her manager at the time to ‘keep it under wraps’. She says: ‘We would meet in car parks’
Concern: David’s mother worried he would get side-tracked from his career at Manchester United when Victoria, who was part of the Spice Girls, came onto the scene
Girl power: Victoria pictured alongside bandmates Mel C, Geri Horner, Emma Bunton and Mel B when they met King Charles in 1997
Love: David and Victoria met at a charity football match at the Manchester United players’ lounge and began to secretly date
Passion: As a child, Beckham had trials with his local club Leyton Orient, Norwich City and attended Tottenham Hotspur’s school of excellence
Looking back on the period, Victoria says: ‘It’s entertaining when the circus comes to town, right? Unless you’re in it.’
David says: ‘We were drowning’, to which Victoria adds: ‘But we just kept going’.
David also touches upon how he didn’t ‘sleep’ or ‘eat’ after he was blamed for England’s World Cup 1998 exit when he was sent off against Argentina.
Beckham was sent off for kicking the back of Diego Simeone’s leg with his heel in their round of 16 stage defeat, lashing out at the Argentina captain after he had shoved him to the ground.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid winger then had to watch on as England went on to lose the match on penalties.
The footballer was constantly booed and jeered by fans of opposition clubs for the majority of the following 1998-99 season, with a burning effigy of him and death threats among the worst of the backlash to his red card.
Unchanged: David appears to have a conflicting opinion to his former Man United manager Alex Ferguson, as he says of his rise to fame: ‘It definitely didn’t change me’
Not beating around the bush: Alex, 81, then says: ‘ Well he changed. There’s no doubt about that’
Candid: David also touches upon how he didn’t ‘sleep’ or ‘eat’ after he was blamed for England’s World Cup 1998 exit when he was sent off against Argentina (pictured)
He says: ‘I don’t think I’ve ever talked about it because I can’t. I wasn’t eating, I wasn’t sleeping.’
Beckham also reveals how he ‘went at’ Sir Alex Ferguson during their infamous dressing room boot-kicking incident.
In one segment of the newly released trailer, the ex-Manchester United star appeared to lift the lid on the 2003 incident.
20 years ago, Beckham was left requiring stitching above his left eye after Ferguson inadvertently struck him with a stray boot in the Manchester United dressing room following the Red Devils’ FA Cup fifth round exit to Arsenal.
During the brief focus of the incident, in the trailer, Beckham acts out the moment when he realises he was struck on the head, saying: ‘And then I’ve gone like that’ as his hand moves away from his face.
Clash: Beckham also reveals how he ‘went at’ Sir Alex Ferguson during their infamous dressing room boot-kicking incident
Manager: Although Ferguson was known for giving players his notorious hairdryer treatment during team talks, it later emerged that he was targeting a pile of clothes
Painful: Beckham was left with a plaster over his eye after being caught by the flying boot from his boss
He then abruptly stands from his seat in a swift motion, saying: ‘And then I’ve gone like that!’.
The producer asks: ‘You went at him?’ In response, Beckham nods and says: ‘Yeah’.
Although Ferguson was known for giving players his notorious hairdryer treatment during team talks, it later emerged that he was targeting a pile of clothes on the Old Trafford changing room floor.
Reflecting on the incident back in 2017, Beckham said: ‘I’d made a couple of mistakes during the game and he came into the changing room and we had a couple of words.
‘He started to walk over to me and he kicked a pile of clothes on the floor. Out came this boot and it hit me and then I realised how accurate he actually was!’.
‘I went at him’: During the Netflix trailer, Beckham acts out the moment he realised he’d been struck by a boot
How he became a star: Ferguson and Beckham pictured as the former England star signed for Manchester United
Football icons: Sensational clips from the programme show England team-mates Gary Neville (left) and Rio Ferdinand (right) commenting on Beckham’s career
Last July, Netflix confirmed the docuseries starring the sportsman was in the works, following reports he had signed a £16million deal with the streaming giant.
In the series, David looks back on his working-class beginnings in east London, and the drive and determination that led him to become one of the most recognisable athletes of all time.
It features a mixture of never-before-seen personal archive footage from the last 40 years as well as interviews with David, his family and friends, and key figures who have been part of his journey both on and off the pitch.
Oscar-winner Fisher Stevens – who also stars as Hugo in hit series Succession – is director and executive producer, along with Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning producer John Battsek.
David is producing the project with his TV company Studio 99, which launched in 2019, in association with Ventureland.
The ex-Manchester United player wrote in an Instagram post: ‘I’m excited to confirm that I am partnering with @Netflix on a documentary series about my life and career.
‘The series will feature unseen archive, untold stories as well as interviews with the people who have been a part of my journey.
‘The series is directed and produced by Academy Award winners @fisherstevens and John Battsek. Watch this space… @studio99.’
He was reportedly inspired by the Michael Jordan documentary The Last Dance, which began streaming on the platform in 2020.
Beckham launches on Netflix Wednesday 4th October.
