Sir David Beckham receives £38m windfall

Manchester United have produced plenty of players who have gone on to become household names after leaving Old Trafford.

Few, however, have managed to turn their football careers into a global business empire quite like David Beckham.

The former winger remains closely connected to United, having come through the famous Class of 92 before becoming one of the defining players of Sir Alex Ferguson’s era.

David Beckham made 394 appearances for United, scoring 85 goals and winning 6 Premier League titles, the Champions League and a host of other major honours.

His influence has continued to grow since retirement, with Beckham becoming involved in everything from fashion and advertising to football ownership and media.

His biggest football project has been Inter Miami, the MLS club he co-owns alongside Jorge and Jose Mas, with the team opening its new Nu Stadium in Miami earlier this year.

Sir David Beckham receives £38m windfall

Beckham’s business empire has now delivered another huge financial reward, with reports from The Telegraph revealing that he received around £38m in dividends following a record year for his companies.

DRJB Holdings, the commercial group behind several of Beckham’s businesses, generated £83.3m in revenue last year, up from around £72.2m previously.

The former United star’s World Cup involvement played a major part in that commercial success, with Beckham appearing in a string of campaigns during the tournament for major brands including McDonald’s, Lenovo, Bank of America, Verizon and Lay’s.

He also continued to expand his own brand, launching a menswear collection with Hugo Boss, an eyewear range with Safilo and a limited-edition Predator boot with Adidas.

Beckham has increasingly become one of football’s most recognisable business figures, using the profile he built during his playing career to create partnerships across several industries.

His involvement with Inter Miami has also given him a major presence in the American football market, particularly after Lionel Messi’s arrival helped transform the club’s global profile.

Beckham was instrumental in bringing Messi to Miami in 2023, describing the move as a dream becoming reality.

That project has now entered another phase, with American Airlines becoming Inter Miami’s first-ever official airline partner in a multi-year agreement that also makes the company a founding partner of Nu Stadium and Miami Freedom Park.

Beckham was also recently linked with a potential move into European club ownership after his name emerged around a possible takeover of French side FC Nantes.

Reports initially suggested he was connected to one of the groups interested in buying the Ligue 2 club, although subsequent reports stated that the Beckham option was no longer involved.

Away from football ownership, Beckham has also remained heavily involved in advertising, with the World Cup providing another opportunity to cash in on his global appeal.