Soccer Experts Blog - World Soccer

David Beckham

Associated Press

No Los Angeles Galaxy game these days seems complete without an altercation between David Beckham and a fan.

After years of ignoring the taunts of opposition supporters during his time with Manchester United, Real Madrid and England, Beckham has been unable to bite his tongue in each of the Galaxy's last two games.

Yahoo! Sports writer Josh Peter got the scoop on Beckham's clash with a Galaxy fan during a club friendly with AC Milan, for which the player was fined $1,000 by Major League Soccer. On Saturday, the midfielder's run-in with Kansas City Wizards fans has generated less attention, but this video footage shows how -- once again -- Beckham has lost the ability to shut out the taunts.

After allegedly inviting one of his hecklers to confront him during the 1-1 draw with K.C., Beckham also told one fan clad in an England jersey, "You shouldn't be wearing that shirt."

Beckham has had to put up with songs, chants and insults about himself, his wife and his children for years and has withstood more unsavory abuse than he cares to remember. Even so, it is truly remarkable that at this point of his career he is unable to let things slide. Indeed, it is hard to imagine him reacting in such a way while playing for AC Milan in Serie A or for his national team.

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141 Comments

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  1. del
    1. Posted by del Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:39 am EDT

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    Beckhem! No its " [profane]hem
  2. del
    2. Posted by del Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:39 am EDT

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    Beckhem! No its " [profane]hem
  3. del
    3. Posted by del Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:40 am EDT

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    Beckhem no I meant "F*%*hem
  4. Duncan
    4. Posted by Duncan Tue Jul 28, 2009 3:00 am EDT

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    what a joke. Americans discussing Beckham's soccer talent in a 2000 seat arena. And in the end stampeding to get his autograph.
  5. louie
    5. Posted by louie Tue Jul 28, 2009 3:06 am EDT

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    dude you cant blame becks... people that show up to games just to talk crap are not fans. they are just haters. this beautiful sport we call football is being tainted by the unattractiveness these so called 'fans' bring to these games. not just here in the states but all over the world.
  6. Douglas
    6. Posted by Douglas Tue Jul 28, 2009 3:17 am EDT

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    Yes I am very surprised by his reaction to fans. He has always been a model of professionalism among soccer players, so something is eating him up. Fans will be fans everywhere, and Beckham should know better. Maybe he does not want to play here anymore and he is ready to jump ship?
  7. neil f
    7. Posted by neil f Tue Jul 28, 2009 3:22 am EDT

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    Capitalism at work, the stepchild of American industry, brought David Beckham to the US. Hey, we bought Pele; we bought Yao Ming. I don't understand the criticism of his tactical move to the MLS. We dangled the money, fans quivered with expectation and the man signed with the Galaxy.
    Has he lost a step? Is his game no longer top notch? DUH... That's why he became accessible to the MLS in the first place. Forgive him for taking the money, will you? (It is America!) Forgive him for not being as good as he used to be and being frustrated about it. And shoot, who among us wouldn't occasionally get the urge to whip a lippy fan who probably couldn't play for a D-3 college ...
    And the disparity in PAY? Not his fault. That's is the MLS's fault. And as a member of the general public here in the US, you can feel free to go protest. And I, I will exercise my right to call you a bunch of windbags.
    You are the types who are probably whining about ol Brett Favre, too ... Guess what? They don't care. They get paid to play and they are trying hard to be good.
  8. ST
    8. Posted by ST Tue Jul 28, 2009 3:36 am EDT

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    To his credit, he kept spending time with his fans while listening to that s.. bag in the England shirt. That guy in the Eng shirt IS the freakin' disgrace, giving the star of his country such a hard time. As for the muscle head with blue shirt, I wonder how many times he can keep the ball up. What a piece of crap. Omar is right. Word, bro! (I'm saying this as an American who loves soccer/football).
  9. Bode Bode
    9. Posted by Bode Bode Tue Jul 28, 2009 3:48 am EDT

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    im embarrassed to be a futbol fan and be from America its really sad how a group of people have nothing better to do then to heckle him in such a way that is uncalled for in sports. I hope he does leave because he'd be only doing himself a favor in the long run, he already tried doing us a favor and this is how many repaid him. Its sad ,maybe one day American fans will actually understand the game before they go around bashing the greats.
  10. Sick
    10. Posted by Sick Tue Jul 28, 2009 4:12 am EDT

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    I really want to see you shut up when some one jeers and insults ur wife and ur kids..how bout tat?
    this video shows nothing wrong with Beckham..u trying to see his name to sell ur article...what makes you better than anyone else you've been criticizing?
  11. michiganwanderer
    11. Posted by michiganwanderer Tue Jul 28, 2009 4:31 am EDT

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    It sounds like Edward M can't make a comment without resorting to racism and homophobia. The BNP board is that way, mate.
    As for Beckham, there's a very easy way to stop the abuse: Stop lying to us about how you're committed to MLS and Los Angeles Galaxy, even as you're busy texting Simon Fuller to find you an escape hatch. Just man up and say circumstances have changed.
  12. udasan m
    12. Posted by udasan m Tue Jul 28, 2009 4:38 am EDT

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    You guys have lost the plot! Beckham in this vid in this Kansas City game didn't get mad at the opposition fans..in fact, he got mad at the persons who was supposed to be his OWN fans! And he got mad coz they didn't deserve to call themselves the fans of his team, and in this case at Kansas, it is England..as he IS one of the players for the team..and he GIVES everything for the team, to ensure it's success in every match. And this so called England fan insult not just him, but also his wife.
    For you guys to say he should be professional at that...I would like to see how when someone who was supposed to be supporting you, insulting your wife and family, I would like to see whether you guys can hold yourself up! I bet you wouldn't!! Notice that BEckham didn't snap at the opposition's fans..but he snap at the England-shirt guy...who has come to the game ONLY to taunt him!
    This is NOT the first time Beckham has snapped at his OWN fans..he last did it in 2000 when SOME of the so-called England fans wished his son dies of cancer and calling Victoria a whore!
    And Beckham was right there when he called the guy a "scumbag"...coz right after the game, that guy went down and begging Becks to join his team of Spurs, asked Becks to just let him go with his insults to his family, and said that he admire Becks and calling him fantastic! Do you want to just forgive someone like that if that happened to you? What a total scumbag!!
  13. udasan m
    13. Posted by udasan m Tue Jul 28, 2009 4:55 am EDT

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    One more thing..a fan can be mad at players, hate him all you want, criticize him all you want..but please..NEVER EVER CROSSED THE LINE BY INSULTING THEIR FAMILY!
    You guys demand the players to be professional in everything, to ignore the chants no matter how hurt they felt about it..but you yourself are INCAPABLE of being professional fans. Yes..that's right, it's not only players who should be professional, but fans themselves should be professional too - shouldn't have crossed that line in the first place! It is one thing when you are incapable of respecting the sport's greats..it's other thing to insult their family.
    Hate him all you want, called him names, make him regret, push him away..but please..don't involve his family! Be professional will ya!
  14. manutd7hk
    14. Posted by manutd7hk Tue Jul 28, 2009 5:00 am EDT

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    No skill? No talent? It just shows that guys is just another stupid, pathetic American "soccer fan" who knows nothing about football.
    Also, Martin Rogers never gets bored of critisizing David Beckham.
  15. Frank
    15. Posted by Frank Tue Jul 28, 2009 7:00 am EDT

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    So what exactly was the purpose of all this aside from making Americans look "ugly" as usual. The t-shirt about Posh would have gotten that jerkoff wearing it a swift kick in the bollocks if Beckham was the low-life you freakin' inbreds make him out to be. Shameful...Mr. Musclehead, shirtless and brainless. Didn't see any of the chicks in the front rows lining up to snap a picture with you [profane]! Take the high road losers! Your from Kansas...the city of fountains...go wash your stank asses, then go play wiffle ball.
  16. Wyle C
    16. Posted by Wyle C Tue Jul 28, 2009 7:09 am EDT

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    My guess is that he want out of LA and to go back to Europe where the game is more to his liking. Imagin a big league ball player stuck in the minor leagues. The game is played differently in the MLS.
  17. riverp
    17. Posted by riverp Tue Jul 28, 2009 7:19 am EDT

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    this is a new low for american soccer. just one sore fan to ruin the rest. and becks is right, that guy in England jersey shouldn't be wearing it and insulting an England decorated football (ahem..soccer) player.
  18. Guess!
    18. Posted by Guess! Tue Jul 28, 2009 7:27 am EDT

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    Well I think Becks just wants to play in Italy because he thinks it will help him play for England in the World cup, but he has a shock coming....He can't play at that high level now & he knows it! But he should not have a go at fans, they are the ones paying for him.
  19. HBK
    19. Posted by HBK Tue Jul 28, 2009 7:37 am EDT

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    It's obvious to me why he is doing what he is doing. Becham is a professional and he wants to be where is comfortable but his contractual obligations have him here so if he acts out and acts stupidly he might get the Galaxy to release him allowing him to get back to Ac Milan where he wants to be.. Remember this guy has taken more than his fair share of abuse and have gotten past it... Why is it all of a sudden he is letting it get to him?
  20. Niko C
    20. Posted by Niko C Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:12 am EDT

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    To everyone that says he cant play at a high level, that's why AC Milan is waiting for him to come back. Why? Oh yeah, to try to win the Serie A. All these stupid fans who hate him just to hate him and jump this bandwagon for whatever purposes. And why the hell is that english guy drinking miller lite in the absolute middle part of the united states? Beckham has been nothing but a professional and led England to the best of his ability. Beckham is also trying to play as much as he can to represent England one more time and that jerk*** has the balls to give him crap for it. Beckham has been playing non-stop, at a high level, since January. MLS season started in what, April? Who's more dedicated?
    I wouldn't want to come back either to fans yelling at me, giving my family problems, jealous players on the field always nipping at my heals, and to stupid little kids (like the ones in this video) who go to MLS games just to make stupid signs like that. This is why I hate the MLS at times.
  21. j
    21. Posted by j Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:27 am EDT

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    He came to LA to get in movies not for football. He soon found out nobody in the US had any interest in him other than a handful of MLS fans. He has to get back to europe to play football to get some recognition. His best years are behind him. He is of no use to LA on the field and after the first few weeks in MLS he stopped being a draw.
  22. R
    22. Posted by R Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:39 am EDT

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    Beckham needs to just go away ...
  23. michael
    23. Posted by michael Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:57 am EDT

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    Beckham is good.
    He may not be a the top of his game but you still need to respect him.
    The haters can keep on hating- cry babies or wussies in the world of the wannabe football fan.
    Why hate him because he is working the system of who he wants to play for?
    Blame the system, not the player
  24. Jennifer K
    24. Posted by Jennifer K Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:04 am EDT

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    Talking crap about his wife and kids is wrong. I agree the fan is a jack, and moron, as are many fans. All over the world, fans are morons, it's part of sports.
    That being said, Beck brought on the negative feelings toward him, himself. You wanted the big payday, you got it. The second things weren't going your way, you tried to bolt. MLS put out the red carpet for you, and you decided to take a leak on it. American soccer fans may not be the majority, but we're not idiots. Being offered the most lucrative contract in US Sports to play football in the US, and then running away from it, makes you look like a coward, and we'll hate you for it.
  25. jahno
    25. Posted by jahno Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:07 am EDT

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    You seem to be condoning the nastiness that is been carried on by spectators, Beckham's presence is a positive for and club he plays for why shoud he put up with it.

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