Football

David Beckham – Media stunt or the sign of an affectionate individual?

Ah, we love him. No, sorry. We adore him. Of course, this is the man who has the ability to make men and woman all over the world fall head over heels with just one glancing look. We are of course, talking about David Beckham and the seemingly selfless act that has made an already adoring fan-base fall even more madly in love.

On one of those transfer deadline days where nothing else of notable global merit appears to be happening, up comes Beckham to suddenly make the world pay attention and listen. After months of speculation about the future of the 37-year-old starlet who recently left American side LA Galaxy after a five-year stint at the club, it was announced that he would be joining French side Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on a five-month deal.

So, why France?

Firstly, it is a country that Beckham has never played in before. England, Spain, America and Italy are where he has played previously and it would appear that he is looking to gain as many different experiences as he can whilst he is still playing. PSG are currently sitting at the top of French Ligue 1 on goal difference and another title under his belt would be a fitting way to end his career, should he choose to call it a day at the end of this contract.

This is what makes David Beckham different to every other footballer on this planet; it is not about the money. It is about the love of the game. You see players like Christopher Samba demand £100,000 a week wages off QPR before signing and then you get this…

To reinforce the fact that it is not about the money, Beckham himself will not see a single penny during his time in Paris; instead in an incredibly beautiful and selfless act, the money is to be donated to a children’s charity.

A media stunt? Well for some people, yes.

There are words being spoken and written all over the shop that state the fact that he will still be earning a lot of money in sponsorships and other deals that may or may not have been drawn up with PSG’s Qatari owners. For others, the fundamental question surrounding this deal is: how can the overwhelming generosity of one man be overshadowed by such cynicism?

Of course he will be getting money from other outlets, of course he will not be strapped for cash as he loses a potential wager of £3.4m but it is the simple fact that – in a move that is designed to keep him playing the game he loves for as long as possible – he is helping those less fortunate than himself.

Beckham is no stranger to charity; we have all seen his contributions towards organisations such as UNICEF and Sports Relief so this is not a random publicity stunt to make himself look good, it is just the type of person that he is. The sooner that this is accepted, the better.

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