David Beckham

One of the few soccer players to become a household name in the United States, David Beckham has been interested in the sport since he was a child. The son of fanatical Manchester United fans, Beckham attended matches with his parents and played in youth leagues from the time he was small. He began playing for Manchester United in 1995 and shot to stardom during the 1996 season, especially gaining attention for making a goal all the way from the halfway line in a match against Wimbledon.He stayed with Manchester United until 2002, when he took a deal to play for Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Beckham began dating Victoria Adams, also known as Posh Spice in 1997, and by 1999 they were married and had their first child, Brooklyn Joseph; in 2002, son Romeo followed, and Cruz, another boy, was born in 2005. The couple were complete media darlings, dominating the tabloids and followed by paparazzi everywhere. Beckham remained among the most sought-after players on earth and in 2007, he took a deal to play for the L.A. Galaxy. This would mean moving to the United States, and, as it coincided with the announcement of a planned Spice Girls reunion for his wife, the Beckhams became the subject of an NBC reality TV special, Victoria Beckham: Coming to America. - Cammila Albertson, Rovi