Not everyone was a huge fan of David Beckham
Real Madrid players, including David Beckham, celebrate a goal
David Beckham was part of a star-studded team at Real Madrid(Image: Richard Sellers/Allstar, Getty Images)
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The Beckhams are in the midst of a rift following Brooklyn's shocking statement, which detailed numerous issues he has with his family and expressed his unwillingness to reconcile.
The situation was vastly different 23 years ago. David Beckham had just made his big move from Manchester United to Real Madrid at the age of 28. Alongside Victoria, he was raising two young sons, Brooklyn and Romeo, who were four and one, respectively.
It was the early days of the Beckham dynasty, which saw them become one of the most iconic families in the celebrity world. Despite enjoying some success in Madrid, Beckham faced immense pressure and didn't quite reach the lofty expectations set for him. He eventually moved to the LA Galaxy of the MLS.
Former Real player Michel Salgado, who was tasked with "babysitting" Beckham during his time in Madrid, once shared an amusing anecdote about how the England star managed to annoy his wife.
Salgado revealed on the League of Legends show: "I was the one to babysit David Beckham. I did it a lot. It's because I was the only one to speak English.
Real Madrid's David Beckham jubilates
Beckham had a mixed time at Real Madrid(Image: Photo credit should read PHILIPPE DESMAZES/AFP via Getty Images)
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"But it was great with Beckham. He was alone in Madrid because his wife was travelling a lot, living in LA and England. So he would call me every day, saying, 'Let's go out'. And my wife was really p***ed off with the situation, but it was a great time."
Beckham wasn't the only player Salgado took under his wing. Former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman, who spent four years at the Spanish giants, also benefited from the ex-Blackburn Rovers defender's linguistic skills.
"I remember in my first day at Real Madrid pre-season," recalled Salgado. "At that time, we were sharing rooms and they said, 'You're sharing with the English guy, Steven McManaman'.
"So I was like 'Oh my god, why'. They said, 'Because you're the only one who speaks English'. But in the end, it was great. I was the one to babysit the English guys."
Briton David Beckham (R) celebrates his goal against Malaga with Michel Salgado (L)
Michel Salgado was Beckham's 'babysitter'(Image: Photo credit should read CRISTINA QUICLER/AFP via Getty Images)
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Struggling with boredom in the Spanish capital wasn't Beckham's only challenge. In his Netflix documentary 'Beckham', he reflected on his turbulent relationship with manager Fabio Capello.
"He was like a tough, strict manager, which I loved. He made me nervous and I don't get nervous," he said.
He went on to describe a difficult period when Capello began regularly leaving him out of the starting XI: "He benched both of us [along with Brazilian Ronaldo]. It killed me. At that point I wasn't sure of my future at Real Madrid."
That uncertainty led to speculation linking Beckham with a move to LA. He recalled: "On Monday morning, Capello called me into his office and said, 'I heard you're talking to other clubs, you will never play for Real Madrid again'. Obviously at that point I was very upset."