David Beckham factfileJuly 13, 2007
Special to PA SportsTicker
1975: Born Leytonstone, England. May 2.
1991: Joined Manchester United as a trainee.
1992: Made his debut for United against Brighton in the League Cup on September 23. Wins FA Youth Cup.
1993: Signed professional contract at United.
1996: Helped United win double - Premiership and FA Cup.
Scored first goal of the season on the opening day at Wimbledon, lobbing the ball over goalkeeper Neil Sullivan from the halfway line. Made his England debut in the 3-0 qualifying win in Moldova.
1997: Collected another championship winners' medal, voted PFA Young Player of the Year. United win Charity Shield.
1998: Scored first England goal, a free kick against Colombia in Lens on June 26. Sent off in second-round penalty shootout defeat against Argentina.
1999: Responded excellently to World Cup disgrace with consistently good performances for United, who win the Premiership, FA Cup and the European Cup after coming from behind to beat Bayern Munich with two late goals.
Rewarded for a fine season by being voted runnerup in World Player of the Year awards, behind Brazilian Rivaldo.
February: Left out of Manchester United's team for the Premiership match against Leeds United following reports of a training ground bust-up with manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
May: Collects his fourth championship winner's medal as United win the title by a record 18 points.
June: Aims gesture at abusive England fans following defeat in the opening game of Euro 2000 against Portugal. England bow out in group stages of the tournament.
November: Made England captain for the November friendly with Italy in Turin by temporary manager Peter Taylor.
2001: New England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson appoints Beckham as captain for his first match in charge, a friendly against Spain.
May: Collects another Premiership title with Manchester United.
September: Captains England to 5-1 victory in Germany.
October: Curls in a 25-yard last-minute free kick against Greece at Old Trafford to earn England a 2-2 draw and send it into the World Cup finals.
November: Short-listed by FIFA for World Footballer of the Year.
December 9: Voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
2002: January 4: Manchester United deny contract negotiations have broken down and Beckham is not up for sale.
May 11: Signs new three-year contract reported to be worth $200,000 a week.
June 7: Beckham, who was able to lead England out for its opening World Cup match against Sweden, scores from the penalty spot against Argentina to seal a 1-0 win. England bow out in the quarterfinals against eventual winner Brazil.
2003: February: Beckham involved in new controversy after United manager Ferguson accidentally kicks a boot into his face in frustration at United's FA Cup defeat to Arsenal, leaving the England captain with a gash above his eye.
April 23: Beckham left out of the starting lineup for United's crucial Champions League quarterfinal second-leg clash with Real Madrid at Old Trafford. Beckham scores twice as a substitute, but it is too late to save the Red Devils, who lose 6-5 on aggregate.
May 22: Suffers a fractured scaphoid (bone between thumb and wrist) in 2-1 friendly victory over South Africa.
June 7: United admit Italian and Spanish clubs have expressed a "firm interest" in signing Beckham.
June 10: United accept a bid made by Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta for Beckham. Laporta makes signing Beckham the cornerstone of his election campaign.
June 14: Awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honors for services to soccer.
June 17: United announce it has accepted a $50 million bid from Real Madrid for Beckham and player agrees personal terms.
July 1: Passes medical with Real Madrid and signs four-year deal.
October 11: Helps England secure the goalless draw in Turkey, which clinches automatic qualification for Euro 2004, but is involved in a half-time row with Alpay as the teams leave the pitch.
2004: May 16: Sent off for arguing with a linesman over a controversial penalty award during Real Madrid's La Liga clash with Murcia.
June 24: Misses a penalty as England loses to Portugal in a shootout in the Euro 2004 quarterfinals in Lisbon.
October 9: Scores for England to clinch victory against Wales but is then injured in a challenge with Ben Thatcher and booked minutes later for a rash challenge on the same player. The booking rules him out of the World Cup qualifier with Azerbaijan. X-ray reveals hairline fracture of a rib.
October 12: In a newspaper report, Beckham reveals he deliberately got himself booked so he would miss the Azerbaijan World Cup qualifier through suspension, knowing he was already going to miss the game through injury.
October 13: FIFA president Sepp Blatter says he is astonished by Beckham's admission and "disappointed with his behavior". Beckham issues a statement in which he admits he "made a mistake" and apologises.
November 13: Beckham reveals in a Sunday newspaper he will "probably" quit international soccer after the 2006 World Cup finals.
2005: March 30: Beckham stars and scores as England moves closer to a World Cup place with a 2-0 victory over Azerbaijan in a qualifier.
April 10 - Inspires Real to a 4-2 win over bitter rivals Barcelona at the Bernabeu Stadium.
October 8 - Sent off after receiving his second yellow card in World Cup qualifying match against Austria.
November - Captains England for 50th time in friendly against Argentina in Geneva.
2006: June 25 - Scores winning goal in World Cup second-round match against Ecuador from free kick.
July 1 - Substituted during England's World Cup quarterfinal defeat by Portugal due to injury.
July 2 - Stands down as England captain.
August 11 - Dropped from squad for friendly against Greece, Steve McClaren's first match as manager.
August 17 - Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon reveals the Spanish giants are keen to tie Beckham to a new contract, saying the former England captain is a key part of the club's plans.
September 18 - Beckham rules out a return to English football because he could not face playing against Manchester United in the Premiership.
November 6 - Los Angeles Galaxy confirms its interest in signing Beckham.
2007: January 9 - Madrid warns Beckham it wants to sort out his contract by the following week.
January 10 - Beckham's contract at Real will not be renewed, the club confirms.
January 11 - Beckham announces he will leave Real Madrid and join Galaxy on a five-year contract in August.
January 13 - Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello says Beckham will never play for the club again after agreeing to join the Galaxy, even though his Real contract runs until the summer.
February 10 - Scores on his Real Madrid comeback with a trademark free kick against Real Sociedad.
February 17 - Sent off in stoppage time of Real Madrid's goalless draw with Real Betis for scything down Isidoro.
February 20 - Helps Real Madrid to a 3-2 first-leg victory over Bayern Munich in its Champions League last-16 tie. Bayern overturned the deficit in the second leg to progress to the quarterfinals.
April 20 - It emerges the Galaxy has earned nearly $14 million in ticket sales and other revenue as a result of Beckham's imminent arrival.
April 26 - Madrid admits it made a mistake by failing to secure Beckham's long-term future at the Bernabeu.
May 26 - England manager Steve McClaren recalls Beckham for the matches against Brazil and Estonia.
June 1 - Named in the starting lineup against Brazil at Wembley and provides the cross for John Terry's goal in the 1-1 draw.
June 6 - Starts in the Euro 2008 qualifier in Estonia and sets up two goals in the 3-0 victory.
June 10 - Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon reveals the club will attempt to keep David Beckham, but his approach to buy the England midfielder out of his Galaxy contract is rebuffed.
June 14 - Beckham confirms final game of the season against Real Mallorca will be his last for the club.
June 17 - Finally wins a trophy with Real Madrid as it clinches the league title with a 3-1 win over Mallorca.
