David Beckham makes MLS history

David Beckham rose to global fame as one of Manchester United’s finest academy graduates, becoming a key figure in Sir Alex Ferguson’s treble-winning side and helping define an era of dominance at Old Trafford.

His performances, professionalism, and cultural impact eventually earned him recognition beyond football, culminating in him receiving a knighthood for his services to sport and charity.

After leaving United, Beckham’s journey took him to Real Madrid and then across the Atlantic, where he changed football in the United States forever.

He became the face of MLS when he joined LA Galaxy in 2007, sparking a revolution in the league’s profile and commercial power.

The former Manchester United legend was also named in the Sunday Times Rich List for 2025 recently.

Now, 18 years after that landmark move, Beckham has made history again—but this time from the boardroom rather than the pitch.

Beckham is now Inter Miami’s co-owner, and on Saturday, he became the first person ever to win MLS Cup both as a player and as an owner.

Inter Miami defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1, a victory Beckham described as one of the most meaningful moments of his entire career.

“It has to be one of the greatest moments in my career to have won it as a player and now to have won it as an owner,” Beckham said while speaking to the Athletic.

“I don’t think that’s been done before, so that’s a nice thing to do first.”

His earlier MLS titles came in 2011 and 2012 with LA Galaxy, but his success in Miami came after a far longer and more arduous journey.

Inter Miami’s creation required years of planning, negotiation and infrastructure development, and early seasons brought more struggle than success.

Everything changed in 2023 with the signing of Lionel Messi, a move Beckham had long promised to MLS fans.

Messi delivered a historic postseason performance, producing 15 goal contributions — six goals and nine assists — in just six matches.

In Saturday’s final, he added two more assists to guide Miami to its first MLS Cup triumph.

Beckham’s original MLS move reshaped the league, prompting the introduction of the Designated Player rule, which allowed teams to sign global stars outside the salary cap.

His contract also included a clause permitting him to purchase an MLS expansion team for $25 million—a bargain compared to the $150 million Nashville paid in 2020 and the $500 million fee for San Diego in 2025.

Inter Miami launched in 2020 but endured inconsistent early years, including missing the playoffs twice, before rising to become one of MLS’s elite sides.

Now, after years of setbacks and ambition, Miami finally has the silverware to match Beckham’s vision.