A few days ago it was announced that David Beckham would miss the entire 2010 MLS season. His torn Achilles will not likely heal properly until until the Winter. This is a tough time for this to happen to Becks because he is missing the end of the season for AC Milan and the World Cup. This likely was his last chance to play for Team England and one questions whether or not if he has played his last game in the MLS or even soccer. So what can we say about David Beckham and his time in the MLS? Success or failure?
The word success can easily be said of David Beckham's time in the MLS. He helped Galaxy draw huge crowds at Home Depot Center and sell out countless stadiums while on the road with Galaxy. His first visit to RFK Stadium in a match with DC United drew 32,000 which was the biggest crowd for a foreign players debut since the great Pele in 1975. Just his name alone was golden for the MLS and Galaxy in 2008. His jersey sold more than 250,000 units before he even made his debut in the MLS against Arsenal on July 21, 2007.
The word failure cannot be placed on Beckham as easily, but disappointment can be. After a successful second half of 2007, Beckham followed up his sophomore season in 2008 with Galaxy with what appeared to be a lethargic persona on the field. He still showed flashes of his talent and skill but just seemed uninterested in being in the MLS. Anyone who watched him saw he was dying to get back to Europe and that is exactly what he got. In the transfer window of January 2009 AC Milan and Galaxy announced that Beckham would be on loan. This was the beginning of the end of Beckham in the MLS. He returned later that year to in fighting with fellow Galaxy players, namely Landon Donavon, and playing half hearted team play. It is hard to even imagine Beckham as a player for Galaxy, because all you see of him is him in his AC Milan uniform. Ask yourself this question, Is David Beckham a member of Galaxy or AC Milan? So Success or Failure? All in all it was a tale of two sides and clearly a win win situation for both sides. David Beckham made a boat load of money for enduring a few summers in Los Angeles. The MLS gained huge attendance numbers, huge jersey sales, and a story or highlight on Sports Center that for the first time was in the first few minutes of the show. All in all Beckham himself was a disappointment, but Beckham the name was an amazing success.
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