TV shows we love: Beckham

Whether you’re a football enthusiast, a devoted supporter of an English team, or just a fan of gossip, it’s impossible not to have come across stories, rumours, or even interviews with David Beckham.

From his debut with Manchester United, to his time with the English national team, and through the tough post-1998 World Cup period, Netflix’s four-part docuseries Beckham, with each episode running for over an hour, takes us behind the scenes of his public but, more importantly, private life.

The opus contains previously unreleased footage from the private collection of Ted Beckham, David’s father. Interviews with colleagues and coaches are also featured, with special attention paid to former coach Sir Alex Ferguson. The series also shines a well-deserved light on his wife, Victoria, and the other Spice Girls.

For the first time, Goldenballs – a nickname he hated – opens up without filters, revealing a level of humanity and seriousness that many had never seen as part of the handsome English footballer’s way of life.

Mental health, family and the hunger for victory are the main themes of the Netflix series, catapulting the viewer to a time when David Beckham really was one of the most well-known figures on the planet.

The Beckhams were even friends with the British royal family, and on friendly terms with influential figures from all over the globe. Unfortunately, only a few people got to know the man behind the athlete before this moment.

The TV series aims to tell the viewers the story of a person who, willing or not, could halt the operations of an entire metropolis – his arrival in Tokyo, carefully documented, still gives me chills – and, most importantly, about the person who unsurprisingly hid behind the image of the footballer and model for many years. One thing is clear: Netflix usually delivers when it comes to documentaries, and this time is no exception.

Even if you, like Victoria as she says in the series, are not a football fan the revelations in the show are riveting. Beckham is bound to keep everyone glued to their seats from the first episode.