Coming to America: Beckhams arrive in LA

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Footballer David Beckham and his pop star wife Victoria were met by a crush of fans and photographers at Los Angeles International Airport as the celebrity couple embarked on a new chapter in the United States.

The Beckhams, who travelled on Thursday from London with their three children - Brooklyn, Cruz and Romeo -- held hands and smiled but declined to answer any questions from the waiting throng of reporters and supporters.

That was to come Friday, when the Los Angeles Galaxy will present their new star at their Home Depot Center stadium in the south Los Angeles suburb of Carson.

With 27,000 seats, the stadium is a much smaller venue than what Beckham has been accustomed to in his football career.

Team officials said they were planning a "low key" introduction, with the 32-year-old Beckham taking a stage at the stadium alongside head coach Frank Yallop, general manager Alexi Lalas, Major League Soccer commissioner Dan Garber and Tim Leiweke of Galaxy owners AEG.

All five will address the crowd after which former Manchester United and Real Madrid star Beckham will be handed his Galaxy jersey and conduct media interviews.

"It's meant to be low key," said a Galaxy spokesman. "We've got games coming up and an important tournament next week. We don't want players getting distracted or being prevented from training."

The footballer's wife, Victoria, said Thursday her family was thrilled about their move to California and thought the US media would soon realize she's actually rather dull.

"Not as many people know who we are here, you know?" Victoria, known as Posh Spice from her time in the newly-reformed Spice Girls, told NBC television.

"It might be a bit crazy when we first get here because we're new, but then I think people will probably realize that, you know what? I'm actually quite boring," she said.

The couple was looking forward to the move, she said.

"We are so excited about America. We want to embrace the culture with open arms," she said. "This is a big, big deal for us."

The arrival of the celebrity couple has already stirred excitement in Los Angeles, where they are set to become the newest members of a galaxy of A-list stars.

The Beckham family are reportedly set to move into a 22 million-dollar mansion in posh Beverly Hills, where their neighbors will include Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

A series of media interviews and photo-shoots has preceded their arrival, while a television program documenting the family's move is set to air on US television on Monday.

About 700 press credentials to media from around the world have been issued for Friday's announcement, local media reported.

Beckham is expected to make his debut with the Galaxy on July 21 in a friendly against Premiership club Chelsea.

The Galaxy announced on January 11 that Beckham had signed a five-year contract to join the Major League Soccer team upon the June 30 completion of his contract with Spain's Real Madrid.

Beckham will be paid 6.5 million dollars by the Galaxy this season, according to figures posted on the league's players' union Web site, and could make 250 million dollars over the life of the contract in profit-sharing and sponsorship deals.

Team owners hope that Beckham's presence will help fuel interest in the sport in North America and push up franchise fees for new teams in the league, the Los Angeles Times reported.

But his annual salary could anger players in a modest league where players earn about 17,000 dollars or even less, it said.