· As the summer 2003 transfer window approached Manchester United appeared to want to sell Beckham to FC Barcelona and the two clubs even announced that they reached a deal to move the player to Barcelona. Instead he joined reigning Spanish champions Real Madrid on a four-year contract.
· Though announced in mid-June, the transfer was completed on 1 July 2003.
· Beckham was unveiled in front of 500 accredited journalists from 25 countries at Real Madrid's basketball facility where he was handed the Real jersey by club legend Alfredo di Stéfano.
· Although Beckham had worn the number seven shirt for Manchester United and England, he was unable to wear it at Madrid as it was currently assigned to club captain Raúl. The Englishman decided to wear number 23 instead because he was a big fan of basketball player Michael Jordan, who also wore number 23.
· Shortly after his Manchester to Real switch, Beckham also dropped his longtime agent Tony Stephens. He was one of the key players that engineered Beckham's move from Manchester to Madrid.
· Beckham signed on with Simon Fuller and his company 19 Entertainment. Beckham also appointed close friend Terry Byrne to be his personal manager.
· In late August 2003, Real Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup over two legs versus RCD Mallorca, with Beckham scoring the final goal in a 3–0 return leg win at home.
· Real Madrid, who were runners-up in the Copa del Rey, were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarter-final stage and finished the league season in fourth place.
· In July 2004, while Beckham was in pre-season training in Spain, an intruder scaled a wall at the Beckham home while carrying a can of petrol. Victoria and their children were in the house at the time, but security guards apprehended the man before he reached the house.
· Beckham made more headlines on October 9th, 2004 when he admitted intentionally fouling Ben Thatcher in an England match against Wales in order to get himself booked. Beckham was due to receive a one-match suspension for his next caution, and had picked up an injury, which he knew would keep him out of England's next match, so he deliberately fouled Thatcher in order to serve his suspension in a match that he would have had to miss anyway.
· By Christmas 2004, with the team sitting in second league spot, Vanderlei Luxemburgo became the new head coach. However, the well-traveled Brazilian failed to inspire the team to the title as Real again finished the season in the runner-up spot.
· On December 3rd, 2005, Beckham was sent off for the third time that season in a league match against Getafe CF.
· Beckham established football academies in Los Angeles and east London and was named a judge for the 2006 British Book Awards.
· Real Madrid finished second to Barcelona in the 2005–06 La Liga, albeit with a large 12-point gap, and reached the last 16 only in the Champions League after losing to Arsenal.
· In the 2006 season, Beckham started only a few games at the beginning of the season, as the speedier José Antonio Reyes was normally preferred on the right wing. In the first nine matches Beckham started, Real Madrid lost seven.
· On January 10th, 2007, after prolonged contract negotiations, Real Madrid's sporting director Predrag Mijatović announced that Beckham would not remain at Real Madrid after the end of the season. However, he later claimed that he was mistranslated and that he actually said that Beckham's contract had not yet been renewed.
· On January 11th, 2007, Beckham announced that he had signed a five-year deal to play for Los Angeles Galaxy beginning July 1st, 2007. On January 13th, 2007, Fabio Capello said that Beckham had played his last game for Real Madrid, although he would continue to train with the team.
· The news of Beckham’s transition to the LA Galaxy caused a lot of controversy. Coaches, managers, and fans are accused Beckham of merely wanting to become “half a film star.” Regardless of everyone’s verbal abuse, Beckham followed through with his plan. His goal was to make football for popular in America.
· However, about a month later, Capello backtracked on his earlier statement, allowing Beckham to rejoin the team for the match against Real Sociedad on February 10th, 2007. The player immediately repaid his head coach's trust by scoring the equalizing goal from a 27-yard free kick. Real Madrid eventually recorded a 2–1 victory.
· In his final UEFA Champions League appearance for the club, Real Madrid was knocked out of the competition by Bayern Munich. The return leg against Bayern was Beckham's 103rd match in the Champions League, at the time placing him third on the all-time appearances list in the competition.
· Beckham's last season in Real Madrid was on June 17th, 2007, which was the last day of the La Liga season. Beckham started in his final match for the club, resulting in a 3–1 win over RCD Mallorca. Beckham got injured when it was 0-1, and was replaced with José Antonio Reyes who scored two goals leading the team to that season's La Liga title, their first since Beckham had signed with them and 30th overall in club's history.
· Towards the end of the season, as Beckham was getting back into Capello's good books after successfully fighting his way back into the first team, Real Madrid announced they would try to untie his transfer to LA Galaxy, but were ultimately unsuccessful.
· Several weeks before Beckham's scheduled arrival to the United States, Real's management contacted LA Galaxy's ownership group about reacquiring the player, but were quickly turned down.
· A month after the conclusion of Beckham's Real Madrid career, Forbes magazine reported that he had been the party primarily responsible for the team's huge increase in merchandise sales, a total reported to top $600 million during Beckham's four years at the club.
· Though announced in mid-June, the transfer was completed on 1 July 2003.
· Beckham was unveiled in front of 500 accredited journalists from 25 countries at Real Madrid's basketball facility where he was handed the Real jersey by club legend Alfredo di Stéfano.
· Although Beckham had worn the number seven shirt for Manchester United and England, he was unable to wear it at Madrid as it was currently assigned to club captain Raúl. The Englishman decided to wear number 23 instead because he was a big fan of basketball player Michael Jordan, who also wore number 23.
· Shortly after his Manchester to Real switch, Beckham also dropped his longtime agent Tony Stephens. He was one of the key players that engineered Beckham's move from Manchester to Madrid.
· Beckham signed on with Simon Fuller and his company 19 Entertainment. Beckham also appointed close friend Terry Byrne to be his personal manager.
· In late August 2003, Real Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup over two legs versus RCD Mallorca, with Beckham scoring the final goal in a 3–0 return leg win at home.
· Real Madrid, who were runners-up in the Copa del Rey, were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarter-final stage and finished the league season in fourth place.
· In July 2004, while Beckham was in pre-season training in Spain, an intruder scaled a wall at the Beckham home while carrying a can of petrol. Victoria and their children were in the house at the time, but security guards apprehended the man before he reached the house.
· Beckham made more headlines on October 9th, 2004 when he admitted intentionally fouling Ben Thatcher in an England match against Wales in order to get himself booked. Beckham was due to receive a one-match suspension for his next caution, and had picked up an injury, which he knew would keep him out of England's next match, so he deliberately fouled Thatcher in order to serve his suspension in a match that he would have had to miss anyway.
· By Christmas 2004, with the team sitting in second league spot, Vanderlei Luxemburgo became the new head coach. However, the well-traveled Brazilian failed to inspire the team to the title as Real again finished the season in the runner-up spot.
· On December 3rd, 2005, Beckham was sent off for the third time that season in a league match against Getafe CF.
· Beckham established football academies in Los Angeles and east London and was named a judge for the 2006 British Book Awards.
· Real Madrid finished second to Barcelona in the 2005–06 La Liga, albeit with a large 12-point gap, and reached the last 16 only in the Champions League after losing to Arsenal.
· In the 2006 season, Beckham started only a few games at the beginning of the season, as the speedier José Antonio Reyes was normally preferred on the right wing. In the first nine matches Beckham started, Real Madrid lost seven.
· On January 10th, 2007, after prolonged contract negotiations, Real Madrid's sporting director Predrag Mijatović announced that Beckham would not remain at Real Madrid after the end of the season. However, he later claimed that he was mistranslated and that he actually said that Beckham's contract had not yet been renewed.
· On January 11th, 2007, Beckham announced that he had signed a five-year deal to play for Los Angeles Galaxy beginning July 1st, 2007. On January 13th, 2007, Fabio Capello said that Beckham had played his last game for Real Madrid, although he would continue to train with the team.
· The news of Beckham’s transition to the LA Galaxy caused a lot of controversy. Coaches, managers, and fans are accused Beckham of merely wanting to become “half a film star.” Regardless of everyone’s verbal abuse, Beckham followed through with his plan. His goal was to make football for popular in America.
· However, about a month later, Capello backtracked on his earlier statement, allowing Beckham to rejoin the team for the match against Real Sociedad on February 10th, 2007. The player immediately repaid his head coach's trust by scoring the equalizing goal from a 27-yard free kick. Real Madrid eventually recorded a 2–1 victory.
· In his final UEFA Champions League appearance for the club, Real Madrid was knocked out of the competition by Bayern Munich. The return leg against Bayern was Beckham's 103rd match in the Champions League, at the time placing him third on the all-time appearances list in the competition.
· Beckham's last season in Real Madrid was on June 17th, 2007, which was the last day of the La Liga season. Beckham started in his final match for the club, resulting in a 3–1 win over RCD Mallorca. Beckham got injured when it was 0-1, and was replaced with José Antonio Reyes who scored two goals leading the team to that season's La Liga title, their first since Beckham had signed with them and 30th overall in club's history.
· Towards the end of the season, as Beckham was getting back into Capello's good books after successfully fighting his way back into the first team, Real Madrid announced they would try to untie his transfer to LA Galaxy, but were ultimately unsuccessful.
· Several weeks before Beckham's scheduled arrival to the United States, Real's management contacted LA Galaxy's ownership group about reacquiring the player, but were quickly turned down.
· A month after the conclusion of Beckham's Real Madrid career, Forbes magazine reported that he had been the party primarily responsible for the team's huge increase in merchandise sales, a total reported to top $600 million during Beckham's four years at the club.
