When David Beckham was unveiled as Paris Saint-Germain’s latest signing on transfer deadline day at the end of January, thus maximising the media attention the deal would generate, the world wondered what he could offer to the club on the pitch (find out what Beckham is worth to PSG). Evian Thonon Gaillard’s Youssef Adnane will be able to answer that question better than anyone after Beckham was sent off for a late lunge at his legs minutes after entering the fray as a substitute.
PSG won 1-0 to move them to the brink of the title, but Beckham’s contribution was to receive the eighth red card of his career, which came just after team-mate Marco Verratti had also seen red. Tempers flared as the match boiled over at the full time whistle, but the focus was on Beckham.
What was particularly interesting about the red card was its similarity to his last one in the MLS three and a half years ago. Playing for Los Angeles Galaxy, Beckham was again late as he tried to plant his foot on the ball, and ended up lunging at the leg of Peter Vagenas of Seattle Sounders. He received his marching orders then, and it could be asked whether both red cards are symbolic of his declining influence on the pitch. Fiercely committed, Beckham’s fouls were a product of him being a split second late arriving for the ball, and by extension the fact that his glorious career is coming towards its end.
The challenge on Adnane could serve to be a metaphor for his playing contribution in Paris. Committed, determined and not afraid to take on the challenge, but ultimately the timing was all wrong. .
This after all, was a 37-year-old who may have enjoyed an illustrious career spanning the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, but he had spent his last five years in the United States’ Major Soccer League and most wondered how he would adapt to European football as his career draws to an end.
All credit to Beckham for his longevity and determination not to give up on the game he loves so much just yet. Not only is he a public relations phenomenon, but he is one of the hardest working and most committed footballers of his generation – a genuine role model in a game desperately short of them. There is an almost unrivalled determination in him to prove a point, even though he has achieved all there is to achieve at club level. The former England captain has played for PSG against Marseille in the league, against Barcelona in the Champions League, and he has not been completely out of his depth, even if L’Equipe, France’s sports daily, panned Beckham for his showing against the Catalans at the Parc des Princes.
Beckham had also started in the last meeting against Evian, just over a week earlier, when he had played one of those trademark long passes that he revels in to find Christophe Jallet, who in turn provided the telling pass for Javier Pastore’s opener. PSG were pegged back and beaten on penalties in that match, Beckham bringing with him customary English fortune, and the memory of that loss was clearly on their minds as they literally battled with Evian in the final minutes of their league clash.
The game also proved that Beckham can still offer sublime technique and a passing range that few possess. It is hard to think of another player who can make a long ball look so majestic and play it so accurately. However, that has become overshadowed by his influence off the pitch, and that is not just a reference to his marketing exploits.
Such professionalism and a genuine winning mentality can rub off on his team-mates, many of whom are yet to taste silverware at the highest level. It is just Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alex, Maxwell and Thiago Silva who can say they have seen it all and done it at the top level. Beckham’s arrival adds to that culture of winning and the never-say-die mentality coach Carlo Ancelotti has been trying to implement. It is also extremely valuable to have such a respected and dedicated professional to encourage the team’s young stars not to show off on the training pitch or step out of line.
Beckham also provides a shield for the media attention surrounding PSG. With the club’s exploits already heavily trailed in France, Beckham’s arrival may have only served to increase the attention paid to them, but it has also meant that most of that attention is paid specifically to him. The 37-year-old therefore acts as a type of shield for the rest of the squad, allowing them to concentrate on football matters knowing that most of the media attention will be on the legendary midfielder.
All of that considered, money remains at the heart of the ex-Manchester United man’s mission in Paris. Beckham is meant to help generate €16.7M in revenue to the Parisians through 150,000 shirt sales, if the marketing men at the club get their projections spot on. That is a more than threefold return on the estimated €5M the club have invested in his accommodation as well as the ‘salary’ he passes onto charity for his five months at the club. It is important to remember too that the estimated value of ‘brand Beckham’ is €258M. PSG’s brand is currently worth €64M.
As Beckham’s enduring marketability continues, so does his declining footballing impact. His recent trip to China, where he is a football ambassador, saw him shown up attempting to take what is meant to be his trademark free kick, when he fell on his backside before watching a young Chinese player show him how he used to do it.
The Englishman faced criticism for his Chinese sojourn from French legend Bixente Lizarazu. Lizarazu, who played for PSG’s fierce rivals Marseille, said that “when you go to China to promote football ten days before the most important game in PSG’s history, then it’s not good preparation, it’s not professional. No other big club would let a so-called player go so far away.”
It is not the first time Beckham has been distracted by matters off the pitch, having flown to Britain for the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011 just days before a game against FC Dallas in the MLS for Los Angeles Galaxy.
Yet Beckham’s impact seems to have convinced club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has made his intentions clear. "We are going to talk with him about it. But frankly, we really want to keep him with us next season. He’s fantastic, on and off the pitch. Signing David has been one of my best decisions. He’s an outstanding person, as a player, as an ambassador. He has really made an impact in this squad. Everybody loves him.”
It could be asked what Al-Khelaifi was referring to exactly. Was it the revenue he brings in? The attention he brings? The influence on the training ground? All are valid and fair reasons to be proud of his latest signing. But Lizarazu had a valid point when he questioned whether Beckham was a “marketing product” or “football player”. The tempting answer is both, the realistic answer more likely the latter. His determination and enduring quality cannot be knocked, such admirable traits in Beckham, but his impact is being felt least in the place where it should matter most.
