Beckham undecided on future

MANILA, Philippines - Three-time World Cup veteran and Brazilian football legend Roberto Carlos paid English star David Beckham a major compliment when he said, “I would love him to be Brazilian … I think Beckham is still one of the best players in the world, he’s the best passer in the world and also one of the greatest players in his position on the pitch.”

Beckham, 36, remains a force in global football and has played on championship teams with Manchester United in the English Premier League, Real Madrid in the Spanish La Liga and the Los Angeles Galaxy in the US MLS (Major League Soccer). Like Carlos, he has appeared in three World Cups and the 2010 edition would’ve been his fourth if not for a torn left Achilles tendon. At the end of this year, he will become a free agent.

Even as the Galaxy paraded a lineups of stars in the exhibition with the Azkals last Saturday, it was Beckham who mesmerized over 12,000 fans at the Rizal Memorial football stadium. He scored the first goal in the 20th minute, a looper that curled into the top right corner of the net beyond keeper Eduard Sacapano’s reach to break the ice. Beckham launched the beauty outside of the box and fans gasped in silence as the ball took a spin in midair to find the open spot in the far corner. The fans then broke into wild applause after realizing what they had just seen.  It was vintage Beckham at his finest.

For 75 minutes, Beckham treated the fans with precision playing. He stood out on the pitch as the only player wearing long sleeves. His court vision found teammates open for passes. His midfield defense kept the Azkals under control. He dribbled past stalking defenders effortlessly. Beckham hardly worked up a sweat but his impact on the game was awesome. After he was subbed out, Beckham took off his jersey and walked over to the VIP lower grandstand section to shake WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao’s hand. He gave Pacquiao his game-worn uniform.

Stripped to the waist, Beckham revealed a variety of tattoos on his torso. The latest addition is his newly-born only daughter’s name Harper on his left collar bone above a design for his three sons – Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz, showing Jesus being carried by three cherubs.

“It’s Jesus being carried by three cherubs and obviously, the cherubs are my boys and so my thought of it is that at some point, my boys are going to need to look after me and that’s what they’re doing in the picture – it means a lot,” explained Beckham. The names of his three sons are also etched on his body, on his lower back, nape and middle of his back. The nicknames of his three boys are stitched into his football shoes.

All over his body, Beckham has at least 20 tattoos, including his wife Victoria’s name in Hindi. On his right shoulder is a tattoo of an angel with the words “in the face of adversity.” Another tattoo is a Bible verse in Hebrew, translated into “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine, that shepherds among the lilies.” A Dutch artist is credited for most of Beckham’s tattoos. “My tattoos are all about the people in my life, my wife and children, whom I want with me always,” Bekcham once said. “When you see me, you see the tattoos. You see an expression of how I feel about Victoria and the kids. They’re part of me.”

Beckham is in the last year of his Galaxy contract which he signed in 2007.  His Galaxy salary is $6.5 Million annually but the deal includes a five-year endorsement and merchandise deal to kick in an additional $200 Million. Beckham has been offered a 1 1/2 year contract to move to Paris Saint Germain, recently bought by the Qatar Investment Authority, in the French league for a total salary of $17.9 Million. If Beckham joins Paris Saint Germain, a teammate will be goalkeeper Alphonse Areola whose parents are Filipino. Tottenham and Queens Park Rangers are two English Premier League teams wooing Beckham to transfer. Galaxy officials are hoping to extend Beckham’s contract.

“At his best, Beckham’s sheer energy is inspiring,” wrote Julian Flanders and Adrian Besley in “Superstars of the World Cup.” “A magnificent team player, he tracks back, launches himself into tackles and wants to take every free kick or throw-in.”

Beckham hasn’t decided which team to play for next year. His chief consideration is how he will impact the game, not how much money he’ll take to the bank. “It’s always important to stamp your authority on a season and I think we’ve done that in the last few years, especially this year,” said Beckham of his Galaxy stay, quoted by Grant Wahl in Sports Illustrated. In his five years with LA, the Galaxy went to two finals and won one championship.

Downplaying the money aspect, Beckham told John Holmesdale of World Soccer Magazine: “Each one of us is only a small part of the team but you have to do your best to look after your family while you can … if that means getting a lot of money when you are at the top then that’s the way it is but money isn’t everything by any means.”