While millions admire soccer stars, David Beckham rises above the pitch. His iconic image, etched in the minds of people worldwide, solidifies his status as a universally recognized athlete.
Beyond their immense popularity among fans, soccer athletes also hold a special place in the hearts of other celebrities and athletes from different sports. Cristiano Ronaldo, for instance, transcends the boundaries of the pitch, with his iconic celebration inspiring copycats. Similarly, David Beckham’s star power once brought him face-to-face with a legendary NBA icon in an unusual encounter.
Shaq found and returned Beckham’s lost wallet
David Beckham’s career has been a remarkable journey, showcasing his exceptional football skills and entrepreneurial acumen, from his time as a prodigious talent at Manchester United to his current role as co-owner of Inter Miami. With his pinpoint crosses and unstoppable free kicks, he etched his name in soccer history, leaving fans in awe at renowned clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, and even the MLS’s LA Galaxy.
However, Beckham’s journey extended beyond the confines of the pitch. After retiring from playing, he co-founded Inter Miami, where his recent achievement was bringing Lionel Messi, another football legend, to join the team from across the Atlantic. This move solidified Beckham’s reputation as a savvy entrepreneur and a genuine ambassador of the beautiful game.
With such a stellar career so far, Beckham has been introduced to and made friends with some of the biggest personalities in the world. Beckham once lived in Beverly Hills, where the biggest celebrities used to live. And NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal once had a very funny encounter with the soccer icon.
Speaking on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Shaq once said that he found David Beckham’s wallet while strolling around his home neighborhood of Beverly Hills. He was joined on the talk show by Victoria Beckham, David’s famous wife.
He said, “I was walking one day in Beverly Hills and I found a wallet. Usually when I find wallets I just take all the money out and I just throw them, but this was a nice wallet. So I look and it said David Beckham. I was like ‘it can’t be’, and I looked at the ID and it was David Beckham.”
He then said how he proceeded to say how he first tried to prank the Englishman, though he already knew Shaq. “I didn’t want to just give it to the front desk, so I tracked him down. First I played a joke, I was like ‘I have your wallet, it’s going to cost you a million dollars to get it back’ but he knew it was me! ‘Shaq, stop playing’. I was like ‘Dave, I found your wallet’.”
The last funny part was when Shaq said that he only returned the wallet, but not the money inside it. “The funny thing is he said ‘there was some money in this wallet, you know what happened’ and I was like ‘nope’.”
Shaq isn’t the only NBA player to leave an impression on Beckham, with legendary NBA figure Michael Jordan influencing him in his career as well.
David Beckham’s net worth in 2023
David Beckham is also one of the wealthiest sportsmen, owing to his tremendous earnings during his playing career as well as his future investments. According to The Economic Times, David has a personal net worth of $450 million, making him one of the richest soccer icons, though far behind a certain unknown soccer player.
Throughout his playing career, he was often the best-paid player, which allowed him to accumulate a substantial fortune. His lucrative endorsement partnerships with brands like Armani, Adidas, Gillette, and many more attest to his status as a very marketable and stylish artist.
Furthermore, he also has a huge real estate portfolio which makes his net worth rise as well. His stake in Inter Miami is also going to increase a lot, especially since Lionel Messi’s arrival. Furthermore, his wife, Victoria Beckham, is also the richest WAG in soccer.
For a man like David Beckham, whose bank accounts overflow and whose face adorns billboards worldwide, he may not mind losing some money to Shaq. What do you think?
